Building Control (Accredited Checkers) (Amendment) Regulations 2001

No. S 164

Building Control Act

(Chapter 29)

Building Control (Accredited Checkers)
(Amendment) Regulations 2001

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 49 of the Building Control Act, the Minister for National Development hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Building Control (Accredited Checkers) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2001.

Amendment of regulation 1

2. Regulation 1 of the Building Control (Accredited Checkers) Regulations (Rg 2) (referred to in these Regulations as the principal Regulations) is amended by deleting the words “(Accredited Checkers)” and substituting the words “(Accredited Checkers and Accredited Checking Organisations)”.

Deletion and substitution of regulation 2

3. Regulation 2 of the principal Regulations is deleted and the following regulation substituted therefor:

“Accreditation Selection Panels

2.—(1) The committee of persons appointed by the Commissioner of Building Control to assist him under section 16(4) of the Act shall be known as the Accreditation Selection Panel.

(2) For the purpose of determining whether an applicant has fulfilled the prescribed requirements for registration as an accredited checker, the Accreditation Selection Panel may interview any applicant for registration as an accredited checker to determine whether the applicant has such proper and recognised training and practical experience in the design and construction of buildings as will enable him to effectively perform the duties of an accredited checker.

(3) The Accreditation Selection Panel shall be chaired by the Commissioner of Building Control or by such person as the Commissioner may appoint from amongst the members of the Panel.”.

Amendment of regulation 3

4. Regulation 3 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by renumbering the regulation as paragraph (1) of that regulation;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the word “checker” in the 2nd line of paragraph (1), the words “, or have his registration as an accredited checker renewed,”;

(c)

by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (1)(c);

(d)

by deleting the full-stop at the end of sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph (1) and substituting the word “; and”, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following sub-paragraph:

“(e)	he is insured against professional liability for a minimum sum of not less than $500,000.”;

(e)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (1), the following paragraphs:

“(2) Paragraph (1)(e) shall not apply if the accredited checker undertakes work as an accredited checker on behalf of an accredited checking organisation.

(3) The Commissioner of Building Control may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, waive the requirements of paragraph (1)(e) in respect of any period if the applicant satisfies the Commissioner that he will not undertake work as an accredited checker on his own behalf during that period.

(4) The Commissioner of Building Control may refuse to renew any registration as an accredited checker which has previously been suspended or cancelled.”; and

(f)

by inserting, immediately after the word “registration” in the regulation heading, the words “and renewal of registration”.

New regulation 3A

5. The principal Regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after regulation 3, the following regulation:

“Requirements for registration and renewal of registration as accredited checking organisations

3A.—(1) No firm shall be registered as an accredited checking organisation, or have its registration as an accredited checking organisation renewed, unless —

(a)

it consists of or has in its employ —

(i)	an accredited checker registered under section 16 of the Act;
(ii)	2 persons who are professional engineers registered under the Professional Engineers Act (Cap. 253) in the civil or structural engineering discipline; and
(iii)	not less than 2 other persons who are professional engineers registered under the Professional Engineers Act in the civil or structural engineering discipline or who possess such qualifications as will entitle them to be registered as professional engineers under that Act in the civil or structural engineering discipline;

(b)

the accredited checker referred to in paragraph (a)(i) does not undertake work as an accredited checker on his own behalf or for any other accredited checking organisation;

(c)

it has an ISO 9001 certification under the scope of “Structural Design Services”; and

(d)

it is insured against professional liability for a sum of not less than $2 million.

(2) The Commissioner of Building Control may refuse to renew any registration as an accredited checking organisation which has previously been suspended or cancelled.”.

Deletion and substitution of regulation 4

6. Regulation 4 of the principal Regulations is deleted and the following regulation substituted therefor:

“Fee for registration and renewal of registration

4. A fee of $150 shall be payable in respect of each application for registration or renewal of registration as an accredited checker or an accredited checking organisation.”.

Amendment of regulation 6

7. Regulation 6 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) and substituting the following paragraphs:

“(2) Without prejudice to paragraph (1), an accredited checker shall in relation to any plans of building works carry out the tasks set out in the Second Schedule.

(3) It shall be the duty of the accredited checker and, where an accredited checking organisation is appointed under section 17 of the Act, the accredited checking organisation, to notify the Commissioner of Building Control of any contravention or non-compliance with the provisions of the Act or any regulations made thereunder in connection with the structural design of any plans of building works.

(4) Nothing in this regulation shall impose any such duty referred to in paragraph (3) on an accredited checker or an accredited checking organisation in respect of any such contravention or non-compliance which he or it, as the case may be, did not know and could not reasonably have discovered.”; and

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the words “accredited checkers” in the regulation heading, the words “and accredited checking organisations”.

Amendment of regulation 7

8. Regulation 7 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting the words “person for whom the building works are to be or are being carried out” in the 3rd and 4th lines and substituting the words “Commissioner of Building Control”;

(b)

by deleting paragraph (a) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(a)	a certificate in the Form set out in the First Schedule;”;

(c)

by deleting the word “; and” at the end of paragraph (b) and substituting a full-stop; and

(d)

by deleting paragraph (c).

New regulations 7A and 7B

9. The principal regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after regulation 7, the following regulations:

“Declaration of professional and financial independence

7A. Where the accredited checker has completed his duty in relation to any plans of building works —

(a)

the accredited checker; and

(b)

where an accredited checking organisation is appointed under section 17 of the Act —

(i)	the accredited checking organisation that is a corporation and each of its directors; and
(ii)	every partner of the accredited checking organisation that is a partnership,

shall without delay submit to the Commissioner of Building Control a declaration that he or it, as the case may be, has no professional or financial interest in the building works.

Failure to meet standards

7B.—(1) For the purposes of section 16(6) of the Act, the performance of an accredited checker shall be regarded as failing to meet the prescribed standards if he fails, in relation to any plans of building works, to carry out the tasks set out in the Second Schedule.

(2) For the purposes of section 16A(8) of the Act, the performance of an accredited checking organisation shall be regarded as failing to meet the prescribed standards if the accredited checker acting on behalf of the accredited checking organisation fails, in relation to any plans of building works, to carry out the tasks set out in the Second Schedule.”.

Amendment of regulation 8

10. Regulation 8 of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “section 16 (10)” in the 1st line and substituting the words “section 16C (1)”.

Amendment of Schedule

11. The Schedule to the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words “THE SCHEDULE” in the 1st line and substituting the words “FIRST SCHEDULE”;
(b)	by deleting Form 1;
(c)	by deleting the words “(Accredited Checkers)” in the 4th line of paragraph 1 and in the 2nd and 3rd lines of paragraph 2 in Form 2 and substituting in each case the words “(Accredited Checkers and Accredited Checking Organisations)”; and
(d)	by deleting the words “FORM 2” and substituting the words “THE FORM”.

New Second Schedule

12. The principal Regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after the First Schedule, the following Schedule:

“SECOND SCHEDULE

Regulations 6(2) and 7B

TASKS That must BE CARRIED OUT BY ACCREDITED CHECKERS

The accredited checker in relation to any plans of building works shall —

(a)	determine and use the Code of Practice adopted in the preparation of the structural design in the plans of building works;
(b)	check the design loadings and, where applicable, wind loading;
(c)	ascertain the design assumptions and limitations of the computer program used in the analysis of the structural design;
(d)	use appropriate engineering information and models in the analysis for the structural design;
(e)	check the standards and specifications of materials to be used in the building works;
(f)	ascertain the structural design concept used and identify the key structural elements;
(g)	determine the stability and robustness of the structural system, including considerations for lateral loads, lateral ties, bracings and lateral transfer of loads;
(h)	analyse all key structural elements and the foundation system of the building to be erected or affected by building works carried out in accordance with the plans of building works;
(i)	analyse all piles used in foundations, including considerations for structural capacity, geotechnical capacity, lateral load effects, uplift effects, pile group effects, differential settlement of supporting structures, negative skin friction effects and pile joint capacities;
(j)	analyse all earth retaining structures, including considerations for surcharge loads, overburden pressure and water pressure;
(k)	analyse all columns and vertical key structural elements, including considerations for axial loads, lateral loads and bending moments;
(l)	analyse all long span steel trusses and long span beams, including considerations for lateral stability and torsional capacity;
(m)	analyse all transfer beams, including considerations for torsional capacity, lateral stability and the effects of the structural frames to which they are connected;
(n)	analyse all joint connections, including connections between structural elements and between the structural element and its supports;
(o)	check the structural detailing in drawings and ensure that these are consistent with the design calculations; and
(p)	determine the adequacy of other aspects of the design which are peculiar to the building to be erected or affected by the building works and which are essential to the structural integrity of the building.”.

Made this 26th day of March 2001.

LAM CHUAN LEONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of National Development,
Singapore.

[ND 311/33-15 V3; AG/LEG/SL/29/97/1 Vol. 2]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 52 of the Building Control Act).

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