Building Control (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2017

No. S 709

Building Control Act

(CHAPTER 29)

Building Control
(Amendment No. 2)
Regulations 2017

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

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations are the Building Control (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2017 and, except for regulations 11 and 16, come into operation on 15 December 2017.

(2) Regulation 16 comes into operation on 2 April 2018.

(3) Regulation 11 comes into operation on 31 December 2018.

Amendment of regulation 2

2. Regulation 2 of the Building Control Regulations 2003 (G.N. No. S 666/2003) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations) is amended —

(a)

by deleting the definition of “foundation” and substituting the following definition:

“ “foundation” means that part of a building which is below or in direct contact with the ground, and through which the weight of the building and the loads acting on the building are transmitted to the ground, and includes any footing, raft or pile of the building;”; and

(b)

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

“ “Singapore Accreditation Council” means the national authority for accreditation of conformity assessment bodies in Singapore;”.

Amendment of regulation 3

3. Regulation 3 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting the word “These” and substituting the words “Subject to paragraph (2), these”; and

(b)

by renumbering the regulation as paragraph (1) of that regulation, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:

“(2) Part IVA of these Regulations applies to insignificant building works.”.

Amendment of regulation 3A

4. Regulation 3A of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “, and these Regulations shall not apply to any of these insignificant building works”.

Amendment of regulation 4

5. Regulation 4(1) of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “together with the site plan approved by the competent authority” in sub‑paragraph (c).

Amendment of regulation 15

6. Regulation 15 of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “section 5(3)(a)” and substituting the words “section 5(3)(c)”.

Amendment of regulation 24

7. Regulation 24 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting sub-paragraphs (b) to (e) of paragraph (1) and substituting the following sub-paragraphs:

“(b)

where the value of the large building works is more than $15 million but not exceeding $30 million —

(i)	one site supervisor who is a resident engineer; or
(ii)	one site supervisor who is a resident technical officer, if the building works are at the stage when they comprise ancillary works, external works or ancilliary and external works;

(c)

where the value of the large building works is more than $30 million but not exceeding $75 million —

(i)

2 site supervisors, one of whom must be a resident engineer and the other must be a resident technical officer;

(ii)

one site supervisor who is a resident engineer, if —

(A)	the building works are at the stage when they comprise only piling and foundation works; or
(B)	the building works are at least 80% completed as measured by gross floor area; or

(iii)

one site supervisor who is a resident technical officer, if the building works are at the stage when they comprise ancillary works, external works or ancilliary and external works;

(d)

where the value of the large building works is more than $75 million but not exceeding $150 million —

(i)

3 site supervisors, one of whom must be a resident engineer and the other 2 must each be a resident technical officer;

(ii)

2 site supervisors, one of whom must be a resident engineer and the other must be a resident technical officer, if —

(A)	the building works are at the stage when they comprise only piling and foundation works; or
(B)	the building works are at least 80% completed as measured by gross floor area; or

(iii)

one site supervisor who is a resident technical officer, if the building works are at the stage when they comprise ancillary works, external works or ancilliary and external works;

(e)

where the value of the large building works is more than $150 million —

(i)

5 site supervisors, 2 of whom must each be a resident engineer and the other 3 must each be a resident technical officer;

(ii)

6 site supervisors, one of whom must be a resident engineer and the other 5 must each be a resident technical officer;

(iii)

if the building works are at the stage when they comprise only piling and foundation works —

(A)	3 site supervisors, 2 of whom must each be a resident engineer and the other must be a resident technical officer; or
(B)	4 site supervisors, one of whom must be a resident engineer and the other 3 must each be a resident technical officer;

(iv)

2 site supervisors, one of whom must be a resident engineer and the other must be a resident technical officer, if the building works are at least 80% completed as measured by gross floor area; or

(v)

one site supervisor who is a resident technical officer, if the building works are at the stage when they comprise ancillary works, external works or ancilliary and external works.”;

(b)

by deleting the words “5 Maxwell Road, #02-00 Tower Block MND Complex, Singapore 069110” in paragraph (e)(i) of the definiton of “resident engineer” in paragraph (4) and substituting the words “52 Jurong Gateway Road #11-01, Singapore 608550”;

(c)

by deleting the words “one year” in paragraphs (c) and (e) of the definition of “resident technical officer” in paragraph (4) and substituting in each case the words “2 years”; and

(d)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (4), the following paragraph:

“(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reference to any ancillary works, external works or ancilliary and external works, as the case may be, includes a reference to any construction of any external cladding, safety barrier, covered walkway or detached single storey building.”.

Amendment of regulation 28

8. Regulation 28 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (a), the following paragraph:

“(aa)

Technical Requirements for Storey Shelters;”; and

(b)

by deleting paragraphs (c) and (d) and substituting the following paragraphs:

“(c)	Technical Requirements for S6-S9 Public Shelters;
(d)	Technical Requirements for S10-S29 Public Shelters;
(e)	CD Shelter Requirements for MRT Stations.”.

Amendment of regulation 29

9. Regulation 29 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)	by inserting, immediately after the words “any lift” in paragraph (1), the words “or escalator”;
(b)	by inserting, immediately after the words “a lift” in paragraph (2), the words “or an escalator”; and
(c)	by inserting, immediately after the word “Lifts” in the regulation heading, the words “and escalators”.

Amendment of regulation 30

10. Regulation 30(2) of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting the words “3 storeys” and substituting the words “one storey”.

Amendment of regulation 31

11. Regulation 31(2) of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

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

(b)

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

“(c)	by ensuring that all site investigation works are carried out by an accredited inspection body approved by the Singapore Accreditation Council under the Council’s scheme for Accreditation of Inspection Bodies for Site Investigation.”.

Amendment of regulation 33

12. The principal Regulations are amended by renumbering regulation 33 as paragraph (1) of that regulation, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:

“(2) The builder must carry out every measure mentioned in paragraph (1).”.

Amendment of regulation 38A

13. Regulation 38A of the principal Regulations is amended by deleting paragraph (2) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(2) In this regulation, “product conformity certificate” means a certificate issued by a certification body accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council under the Council’s Accredited Scheme for Product Certification Bodies for the certification of ready-mixed concrete.”.

Amendment of regulation 50

14. Regulation 50 of the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words “Any qualified person, builder, site supervisor or developer of building works, as the case may be,” and substituting the words “Any person”; and
(b)	by deleting “33” and substituting the words “33(1) or (2)”.

Amendment of First Schedule

15. The First Schedule to the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after sub‑paragraph (fa) of paragraph 1, the following sub‑paragraphs:

“(fb)	any single storey detached booth, covered walkway, kiosk, guardhouse, bin centre, and the like, at the ground level, not exceeding an area of 10 square metres;
(fc)	any single storey shed or hut not exceeding an area of 10 square metres for housing fuel tanks, mechanical or electrical equipment;
(fd)	temporary decking over any trench, where such decking is not accessible to the public or has a width not exceeding 3,000 millimetres;”;

(b)

by deleting sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph 1;

(c)

by deleting the word “or” at the end of paragraph 1(t)(ii);

(d)

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

“(v)

any loft that —

(i)	has only timber flooring; and
(ii)	does not exceed an area of 5 square metres.”; and

(e)

by deleting paragraphs 8, 11 and 12A.

Amendment of Second Schedule

16. The Second Schedule to the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by deleting sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 2 and substituting the following sub‑paragraphs:

“(a)

where the building works consist of —

(i)	the erection or extension of any one or more general buildings in a development;
(ii)	the demolition of any part of that building or those buildings in sub‑paragraph (i); or
(iii)	site formation works connected with or carried out for the purpose of building works described in sub‑paragraph (i) or (ii),

the fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 3;

(b)

where the building works consist of —

(i)	the erection or extension of a specified building;
(ii)	the demolition of any part of a specified building; or
(iii)	site formation works connected with or carried out for the purpose of building works described in sub‑paragraph (i) or (ii),

the fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 4;

(ba)

where the building works consist of the demolition of an entire general building or specified building (including site formation works connected with or carried out for the purpose of such building works), the fee calculated in accordance with paragraph 4A;”; and

(b)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 4, the following paragraph:

“Fee for demolition of entire general building or specified building

4A. The fee mentioned in paragraph 2(ba) —

(a)	in relation to the demolition of an entire general building is calculated at a rate of $200 for each storey of the building; and
(b)	in relation to the demolition of an entire specified building is calculated at a rate of $200 for every 5 metres or part thereof of the height of the building.”.

Amendment of Fifth Schedule

17. The Fifth Schedule to the principal Regulations is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 4, the following paragraph:

“4A. A floating structure on a body of water, including the foundation of the structure, must be designed and constructed so that the combined dead, imposed, wind and other intended loads can be sustained and transmitted by the floating structure to the body of water supporting the structure —

(a)	safely; and
(b)	without causing such deflection or deformation of any part of the structure, or such movement of the structure’s foundation, as will impair the stability of any part of another building or property.”;

(b)

by inserting, immediately after the word “building” wherever it appears in paragraphs 5 and 7, the words “or structure”;

(c)

by deleting paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 and substituting the following paragraphs:

“Objective

8. The objectives of paragraph 9 are —

(a)	to protect people from injury caused by inadequate headroom; and
(b)	to prevent loss of amenity caused by inadequate height of room or space.

Performance requirement

9. Any room or space in a building must be provided with —

(a)	adequate headroom; and
(b)	adequate height,

for the intended uses of the room or space.

10. The requirements in paragraph 9(a) and (b) do not apply to any of the following rooms or spaces:

(a)

any attic that —

(i)	does not exceed an area of 10 square metres; and
(ii)	is in a house that is built for the owner’s own use;

(b)

any equipment or plant room;

(c)

the underside of any staircase or escalator if the staircase or escalator is not located along an access route or circulation space;

(d)

any toilet, bathroom or lavatory in any house built for the owner’s own use;

(e)

any store room not exceeding an area of 6 square metres.

10A. The requirement in paragraph 9(a) does not apply to any of the following rooms or spaces:

(a)	any corridor or lobby;
(b)	any toilet, bathroom, lavatory or powder room;
(c)	any localised area within a room or space where there is a drop in ceiling height due to physical constraints such as structural beams or building services.”;

(d)

by deleting paragraph 18 and substituting the following paragraphs:

“18. A staircase must have —

(a)	handrails or guides to assist movement;
(b)	landings to break a fall and provide a place for rest;
(c)	sufficient width, tread and riser to avoid injury;
(d)	sufficient headroom to avoid injury; and
(e)	barriers to prevent people from falling off the edge of any open side that has a drop of 1,000 mm or more.

18A. The requirement in paragraph 18(a) does not apply to a staircase located in any of following rooms or spaces:

(a)	any equipment or plant room;
(b)	any production area of an industrial building;
(c)	any house built for the owner’s own use.

18B. The requirements in paragraph 18(b) and (c) do not apply to a staircase located in any of the following rooms or spaces:

(a)

any equipment or plant room;

(b)

any production area of an industrial building;

(c)

any attic that —

(i)	does not exceed an area of 10 square metres; and
(ii)	is in a residential building;

(d)

any house built for the owner’s own use.”;

(e)

by deleting the words “isolation from natural lighting and lack of artificial lighting” in paragraph 20 and substituting the words “lack of lighting, whether natural or artificial”;

(f)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 22, the following paragraph:

“22A. Despite paragraph 22, artificial lighting may be provided to any of the following rooms or spaces in a residential unit, instead of natural lighting:

(a)	any toilet, bathroom or lavatory;
(b)	any store room;
(c)	any basement;
(d)	any civil defence shelter.”;

(g)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 25, the following paragraphs:

“25A. The requirement in paragraph 24 does not apply to any of the following rooms or spaces:

(a)	any store room not exceeding an area of 6 square metres;
(b)	any private lift lobby not exceeding an area of 6 square metres.

25B. Despite paragraph 25, mechanical ventilation may be provided in any of the following rooms or spaces in any residential development:

(a)	any fitness room;
(b)	any clubhouse;
(c)	any civil defence shelter;
(d)	any toilet, bathroom or lavatory;
(e)	any basement.”;

(h)

by deleting paragraph 27A and substituting the following paragraph:

“27A. Where a barrier is installed to prevent a person from falling from a height, the barrier —

(a)	must be sufficiently high to prevent a person from falling over the top of the barrier;
(b)	must not have any opening or gap that will allow a person to slip through the barrier; and
(c)	must not have any feature that facilitates a person in climbing over the barrier.”;

(i)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 28, the following paragraphs:

“28A. The requirement in paragraph 27A(a) does not apply to a barrier installed in any house built for the owner’s own use.

28B. The requirement in paragraph 27A(b) does not apply to a barrier installed in any of the following places:

(a)	any promenade or boardwalk at ground level along a waterfront;
(b)	any house built for the owner’s own use.

28C. The requirement in paragraph 27A(c) does not apply to a barrier installed in any of the following places:

(a)	any industrial building;
(b)	any promenade or boardwalk at ground level along a waterfront;
(c)	any bay window in a residential unit;
(d)	any house built for the owner’s own use.”;

(j)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 31, the following paragraph:

“31A. The requirement in paragraph 30(a) does not apply to a roof of any of the following buildings that does not have air‑conditioning:

(a)	any building with a gross floor area not exceeding 500 square metres;
(b)	any open-side shed;
(c)	any linkway;
(d)	any covered walkway;
(e)	any store room or utility room;
(f)	any equipment or plant room.”; and

(k)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph 36, the following paragraphs:

“36A. All lift interior fittings and fixtures must be securely fastened by appropriate mechanical fasteners.

36B. The requirement in paragraph 35 does not apply to any stairlift or vertical platform lift that —

(a)	has a maximum vertical displacement of less than 1,000 mm when the lift is in operation;
(b)	has a maximum obstruction force of less than 150 Newtons when the lift is in operation; and
(c)	serves a single residential unit.

36C. In paragraph 36B, “stairlift” and “vertical platform lift” have the same meanings given to them in regulation 2(1) of the Building Maintenance and Strata Management (Lift, Escalator and Building Maintenance) Regulations 2016 (G.N. No. S 348/2016).”.

Saving and transitional provisions

18.—(1) Regulation 31 of the principal Regulations as in force immediately before 31 December 2018 continues to apply to any site investigation that started before that date as if regulation 11 of these Regulations had not been enacted.

(2) The Second Schedule to the principal Regulations as in force immediately before 2 April 2018 continues to apply to any building works, any plans of which were submitted under section 5 of the Act before and are pending on that date, as if regulation 16 of these Regulations had not been enacted.

[G.N. Nos. S 598/2004; S 549/2005; S 478/2007; S 495/2007; S 54/2008; S 250/2008; S 643/2008; S 4/2011; S 591/2012; S 665/2013; S 287/2016; S 443/2017]

Made on 11 December 2017.

OW FOONG PHENG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of National Development,
Singapore.

[MND/Infra/BCA/Legislation/Building Control Regulations; AG/LEGIS/SL/29/2015/7 Vol. 3]

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

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