Statute Details
- Title: Fire Safety (Company Emergency Response Team) Regulations 2013
- Act Code: FSA1993-S540-2013
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Fire Safety Act (Cap. 109A), specifically section 61
- Citation: No. S 540
- Commencement: 1 September 2013
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Provisions: Regulation 2 (definitions); Regulation 3 (duties of owner/occupier); Regulation 4 (functions and duties of CERT); Regulation 5 (application/exclusion); Schedule (equipment requirements)
- Notable Amendments (from timeline): S 772/2020 (w.e.f. 14/09/2020); S 491/2023 (w.e.f. 31/12/2021); S 755/2023 (w.e.f. 24/11/2023)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Fire Safety (Company Emergency Response Team) Regulations 2013 (“CERT Regulations”) set out the legal requirements for certain premises in Singapore to establish and maintain a Company Emergency Response Team (“CERT”). In practical terms, the Regulations ensure that, before the Singapore Civil Defence Force (“SCDF”) arrives at a fire or related emergency, there is a trained internal team on-site capable of taking immediate action—such as initial fire-fighting and rescue—while coordinating with SCDF operations.
The Regulations operate as a compliance framework under the Fire Safety Act. They translate the broader statutory concept of emergency preparedness into concrete obligations for owners and occupiers of “specified premises” (as designated by a separate notification). The CERT Regulations also define what the CERT must do, what training and assessments are required, and what equipment must be provided and kept in good working condition.
Importantly, the CERT Regulations are not meant to replace SCDF. They are designed to bridge the critical time gap between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of SCDF fire-fighting crews. The Regulations therefore focus on readiness, training, and operational handover procedures.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Definitions and cross-references (Regulation 2)
Regulation 2 provides key definitions that anchor the obligations. “CERT” is defined as a Company Emergency Response Team required to be established under section 38 of the Fire Safety Act. The Regulations also define “Emergency Response Plan” by reference to the Fire Safety (Emergency Response Plan) Regulations, and clarify that “owner” and “occupier” take their meanings from section 40 of the Act. “SCDF” is defined by reference to the Civil Defence Act 1986.
The definition of “specified premises” is particularly important. It is not determined within the CERT Regulations themselves; instead, it refers to premises specified in Part 2 of the Schedule to the Fire Safety (Premises Requiring Fire Safety Manager and Company Emergency Response Team) Notification 2020 (G.N. No. S 768/2020). This means practitioners must check the relevant notification to determine whether a given building or facility falls within scope.
2. Duties of the owner or occupier (Regulation 3)
Regulation 3 is the core compliance provision. It imposes multiple duties on the owner or occupier of specified premises, including:
(a) Establishment of a CERT: The owner/occupier must establish an on-site CERT comprising 6 members, or such other number as notified by the Commissioner under section 38(4)(a) of the Fire Safety Act. This must be done within 6 months after the premises become specified premises. The time-bound requirement is critical for enforcement planning and for managing transitions when premises are newly designated.
(b) Provision of equipment: The owner/occupier must provide the CERT with equipment (in good working condition) specified in the Schedule. This is not a “best efforts” obligation; it is a specific supply requirement tied to the Schedule.
(c) Training prerequisites for CERT members: No person may be deployed as a CERT member unless the person has undergone training as the Commissioner may specify. This prevents “paper CERTs” and ensures that membership is linked to regulatory training standards.
(d) Ongoing training and periodic assessments: The owner/occupier must ensure that the CERT and its members undergo training and periodic assessments as the Commissioner may specify. This creates an ongoing compliance cycle rather than a one-off establishment duty.
(e) Remedial action after failed assessments: If the CERT fails a periodic assessment, the owner/occupier must take reasonable steps to ensure the CERT passes the assessment within the period the Commissioner may require. This provision is practically significant: it creates an expectation of remediation and re-assessment, and it may affect how companies respond to assessment outcomes and document corrective actions.
3. Functions and duties of the CERT (Regulation 4)
Regulation 4 sets out what the CERT must do. The functions are operational and coordination-focused. The CERT’s duties include:
(a) Assisting with the Emergency Response Plan: The CERT must assist the owner/occupier in carrying out duties relating to the Emergency Response Plan under section 37 of the Fire Safety Act. This ties the CERT into the planning and governance framework, not merely emergency response activities.
(b) Training and assessments: The CERT must undergo training and pass training or periodic assessments as the Commissioner may specify. This mirrors the owner/occupier duties but places the obligation directly on the CERT as an entity/functional team.
(c) Training occupants: The CERT must train occupants of the premises for emergency preparedness. This is a key preventive and readiness function: it expands the CERT’s role beyond internal team response to broader occupant awareness and preparedness.
(d) Initial fire-fighting and rescue until SCDF arrival: The CERT must conduct initial fire-fighting and rescue operations in the event of fire or related emergencies at the premises until SCDF arrives. This is the “first minutes” responsibility and is central to the Regulations’ purpose.
(e) Handover to SCDF: Upon SCDF’s arrival, the CERT must hand over fire-fighting operations to the SCDF fire-fighting crew. This handover duty is essential to avoid conflicting actions and to ensure SCDF can take command.
(f) Assistance to SCDF: The CERT must assist SCDF in fire-fighting and rescue operations if required, and provide other assistance as may be required by SCDF to mitigate the emergency.
(g) Information and emergency planning duties: The CERT must carry out duties and provide information relating to emergency planning as the Commissioner may require. This supports regulatory oversight and continuous improvement of emergency preparedness.
4. Application and exclusion (Regulation 5)
Regulation 5 provides an important limitation: for the avoidance of doubt, the CERT Regulations do not apply to any CERT required under the Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations (Rg 7). This means that premises within the petroleum and flammable materials regulatory regime will be governed by a different framework for CERT establishment and requirements. Practitioners should therefore avoid assuming uniform CERT rules across all industrial categories.
5. The Schedule (Equipment required for CERT)
While the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s item list, the Schedule is legally binding because Regulation 3(b) requires the owner/occupier to provide equipment specified in it. In practice, lawyers advising clients should obtain and review the Schedule in full (including any amendments) to confirm the exact equipment types, quantities, and any performance/condition requirements. The Schedule’s content is often where compliance gaps arise (for example, missing equipment, expired consumables, or equipment not maintained in “good working condition”).
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The CERT Regulations are structured in a straightforward regulatory format:
Regulation 1 sets out the citation and commencement date (1 September 2013).
Regulation 2 contains definitions and cross-references to the Fire Safety Act, the Fire Safety (Emergency Response Plan) Regulations, and the Civil Defence Act.
Regulation 3 imposes duties on the owner or occupier of specified premises, including establishing the CERT, providing equipment, ensuring training and periodic assessments, and taking remedial steps after failed assessments.
Regulation 4 describes the CERT’s functions and duties, including emergency response actions, occupant training, and coordination with SCDF.
Regulation 5 clarifies the scope by excluding CERTs required under the petroleum and flammable materials regulations.
Finally, the Schedule specifies the equipment required for the CERT.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to the owner or occupier of specified premises. “Specified premises” is determined by reference to a separate notification (the Fire Safety (Premises Requiring Fire Safety Manager and Company Emergency Response Team) Notification 2020). Therefore, the applicability analysis is two-step: (1) identify whether the premises are listed as specified premises in the relevant notification; and (2) confirm the relevant version and any amendments to the notification over time.
In addition, the CERT itself is operationally responsible for carrying out the functions and duties in Regulation 4, including training occupants and conducting initial response actions until SCDF arrives. However, the legal duties in Regulation 3 are directed at the owner/occupier, making them the primary compliance targets for enforcement and for contractual allocation of responsibilities.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
The CERT Regulations are significant because they create enforceable, time-bound and operational requirements for emergency preparedness in certain premises. For practitioners, the key legal takeaway is that compliance is not limited to having a team nameplate; it requires (i) a minimum/regulated number of members, (ii) specified equipment in good working condition, (iii) training and periodic assessments, and (iv) documented remedial steps if assessments fail.
From an enforcement and risk perspective, the Regulations also embed accountability into the emergency response chain. The CERT’s duties—initial fire-fighting and rescue, handover to SCDF, and assistance—are designed to ensure coordinated action. Failure to comply could expose the owner/occupier to regulatory action under the Fire Safety Act framework, and could also be relevant in incident investigations, insurance assessments, and civil liability analysis (for example, where inadequate training or equipment contributed to harm).
Practically, the Regulations influence how companies structure internal safety governance. Lawyers advising on compliance should consider: (1) how to contractually allocate responsibilities between owners, occupiers, facility managers, and tenants; (2) how to maintain training records and assessment outcomes; (3) how to manage staffing changes to ensure CERT membership remains compliant; and (4) how to ensure equipment is maintained and audited against the Schedule.
Related Legislation
- Civil Defence Act 1986 (definition and establishment of SCDF)
- Fire Safety Act (Cap. 109A) (enabling powers; CERT requirement under section 38; emergency response plan framework)
- Fire Safety (Emergency Response Plan) Regulations (definition of “Emergency Response Plan”)
- Fire Safety (Premises Requiring Fire Safety Manager and Company Emergency Response Team) Notification 2020 (identifies “specified premises”)
- Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations (Rg 7) (CERT exclusion under Regulation 5)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Fire Safety (Company Emergency Response Team) Regulations 2013 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.