Building Control (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 30/1999

Read the first time on 3rd August 1999.

An Act to amend the Building Control Act (Chapter 29 of the 1990 Revised Edition).

Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:

Short title and commencement

1. This Act may be cited as the Building Control (Amendment) Act 1999 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.

Amendment of section 2

2. Section 2(1) of the Building Control Act (referred to in this Act as the principal Act) is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “accredited checker”, the following definition:

“ “air-conditioning unit” includes a window air-conditioning unit and any condensing equipment of an air-conditioning unit;”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “building”, the following definition:

“ “Building and Construction Authority” means the Building and Construction Authority established under section 3 of the Building and Construction Authority Act 1999 (Act 4 of 1999);”; and

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “temporary occupation permit”, the following definition:

“ “trained worker” means a person who holds a certificate issued by the Building and Construction Authority for installing a structural supporting system to support an air-conditioning unit;”.

Amendment of section 4

3. Section 4 of the principal Act is amended —

(a)

by deleting the word “or” at the end of paragraph (a); and

(b)

by deleting the full-stop at the end of paragraph (b) and substituting the word “; and” and, by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:

“(c)	any installation or retrofitting works relating to air-conditioning units referred to in Part IIA.”.

New Part IIA

4. The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 21, the following Part:

“PART IIA

INSTALLATION AND RETROFITTING WORKS RELATING
TO AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS

Application of this Part

21A. This Part shall apply to an air-conditioning unit that is to be installed or had been installed —

(a)	on the exterior of any premises or building; or
(b)	in such manner that any part of the air-conditioning unit projects outwards from any premises or building,

except where the air-conditioning unit is to be installed or had been installed on any part of any bungalow, semi-detached house, terraced house or linked house.

Installation of air-conditioning unit

21B.—(1) A person who desires to install an air-conditioning unit on any premises or building to which this Part applies shall employ a trained worker to carry out the installation works relating to the air-conditioning unit.

(2) Every trained worker appointed to carry out installation works relating to an air-conditioning unit under subsection (1) shall carry out the works in such manner as may be prescribed.

Retrofitting existing air-conditioning unit

21C. If an air-conditioning unit had been installed on a timber-framed opening on the exterior of any premises or building to which this Part applies, the owner of such premises or building shall, within the period of one year from the date of commencement of the Building Control (Amendment) Act 1999, retrofit that air-conditioning unit or timber-framed opening or both in such manner and using such material as may be prescribed.

Air-conditioning unit installed in an unsafe manner

21D. If the Commissioner of Building Control considers that any air-conditioning unit had been installed on any premises or building to which this Part applies in an unsafe manner, he shall notify the owner of the premises or building in writing and the owner of such premises or building shall, within such period as the Commissioner of Building Control may require, retrofit the air-conditioning unit in such manner and using such material as the Commissioner of Building Control may require.

Installation report

21E.—(1) The person referred to in section 21B(1), or the owner referred to in section 21C or 21D shall, upon completion of the installation or retrofitting works carried out under section 21B(1), 21C or 21D, as the case may be, submit a report of the completed works to the Commissioner of Building Control.

(2) The report referred to in subsection (1) shall be in such form and manner as the Commissioner of Building Control may determine.

Penalty

21F. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with section 21B(1), 21C, 21D or 21E (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.”.

Amendment of section 50

5. Section 50(2) of the principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph (j), the following paragraph:

(k)	the regulation of installation and retrofitting works relating to air-conditioning units, including the duties and responsibilities of trained workers in carrying out such works;

Amendment of Schedule

6. The Schedule to the principal Act is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraph 12 and substituting the following paragraph:

“12. All air-conditioning works.”; and

(b)

by deleting the definitions of “Building and Construction Authority” and “trained worker” in paragraph 14.

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