Fire checks every 10 years, please
> Audits should be conducted by third parties comprising consultants or contractors
PUTRAJAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has suggested that all building owners conduct a fire safety audit on their respective buildings once every 10 years. Its director-general, Datuk Seri Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim, said the checks would ideally be conducted by third parties comprising consultants or contractors. “The third parties upon inspection would provide the necessary recommendation for the building owners to act on. “Our suggestion is to ensure that fire safety levels are maintained at an all time high throughout the building’s existence not just when the building needs to earn its Certificate of Fitness (CF),” he told reporters after officiating at the soft launch of the 2018 International Fire Conference and Exhibition at JBPM headquarters, yesterday. The event, which will be held at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre from March 27 to 29, will see the participation of at least 1,300 individuals and several international fire-fighting organisations.
Commenting on the recent fire at the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) office in Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya last week, Wan Mohd Nor also stressed that the CF certification processes and procedures comply with international standards.
“We have always complied with international standards when it comes to the safety aspect of buildings. This is due to the fact that we have many tourists that visit the country and reside in hotel buildings.
“That is something we will not compromise upon. The standard for the issuance of CF for buildings is not the issue. The issue arises only when the proprietors later make renovations to CF-approved buildings using illegal materials without going through the department,” he added.
His comments came after the use of illegal polyethylene cladding was identified as the cause of the fire that partially engulfed the EPF building.