No. S 255
Civil Defence Shelter Act 1997
(Act 12 of 1997)
Civil Defence Shelter Regulations 1998
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 28 of the Civil Defence Shelter Act 1997, the Minister for Home Affairs hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Civil Defence Shelter Regulations 1998 and shall come into operation on 1998.
Definitions
2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“approved shelter plans” means shelter plans which have been approved under section 6 of the Building Control Act (Cap.29);
“occupier”, in relation to a storey shelter or a public shelter, means the person who is the occupier of that part of a building which consists of such storey shelter or public shelter;
“owner”, in relation to a storey shelter or a public shelter, means the person who is the owner of that part of a building which consists of such storey shelter or public shelter.
Duties of owners and occupiers to maintain shelters
3.—(1)  For the purposes of sections 4(1)(ii) and 6(1)(b) of the Act, it shall be the duty of the owner or occupier of —
(a)any house or flat which is provided with a household shelter; or
(b)any storey shelter or public shelter,
to ensure that —
(i)every part of the shelter is at all times kept in good repair;
(ii)every fixture and every piece of equipment installed in the shelter is at all times maintained in good working condition; and
(iii)the shelter is at all times fit for use as a place of refuge in the event that a state of emergency should arise.
(2)  The owner or occupier of any storey shelter or public shelter shall carry out his duties under paragraph (1) in accordance with such written directions as the Commissioner may issue from time to time.
(3)  The Commissioner may, in any written directions issued under paragraph (2), require the owner or occupier of any storey shelter or public shelter, before the commencement of any maintenance work on the public shelter or storey shelter, to prepare and submit to the Commissioner —
(a)a schedule detailing the frequency, nature and scope of the maintenance work to be carried out on the public shelter or storey shelter;
(b)a report by an engineer registered under the Professional Engineers Act (Cap.253) on the condition of the shelter and the fixtures and equipment installed therein; and
(c)any other information, document or report as may be specified by the Commissioner.
(4)  The Commissioner, after considering any matter submitted to him under paragraph (3)(b), may in writing direct the person intending to carry out the maintenance work on the shelter —
(a)to comply with such conditions as the Commissioner may think fit to impose; or
(b)to carry out such other additional maintenance or remedial work, as the Commissioner may specify, in relation to the shelter or any fixture or equipment installed therein.
Inspection of storey and public shelters
4.—(1)  The Commissioner or an authorised person may, at any reasonable time and on producing, if so required, evidence of his authority, enter and inspect any public shelter or storey shelter for the purpose of determining whether —
(a)every part of the shelter is being kept in good repair;
(b)every fixture and every piece of equipment installed in the shelter is being maintained in good working condition; and
(c)the shelter is fit for use as a place of refuge in the event that a state of emergency should arise.
(2)  It shall be the duty of the owner or occupier of the storey shelter or public shelter being inspected to —
(a)provide the Commissioner or authorised person with the approved plans and such other records or documents relating to the storey shelter or public shelter which are in his possession, custody or control which may be required by the Commissioner or authorised person for the purposes of the inspection; and
(b)render the Commissioner or authorised person all such assistance as the Commissioner or authorised person may require for the purposes of the inspection.
(3)  If the Commissioner or authorised person, upon inspecting a storey shelter or public shelter under paragraph (1), finds that —
(a)the shelter has not been kept in good repair;
(b)any fixture or any piece of equipment installed in the shelter has not been maintained in good working condition; or
(c)the shelter is not fit for use as a place of refuge in the event that a state of emergency should arise,
the Commissioner or authorised person may direct the owner or occupier of the storey shelter or public shelter to carry out or cause to be carried out at the expense of such owner or occupier such rectification work to the shelter as the Commissioner or authorised person may consider necessary.
(4)  Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with paragraph (2) or with any direction given to him by the Commissioner or authorised person under paragraph (3) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —
(a)where the offence is in relation to a storey shelter, to a fine not exceeding $5,000; and
(b)where the offence is in relation to a public shelter, to a fine not exceeding $10,000.

Made this 22nd day of April 1998.

PETER CHAN JER HING
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Singapore.
[MHA 112/2/0093 Vol.8; AG/LEG/SL/42/98/1 Vol.1]