A lot of industrial tenants in Singapore do not find out about their fire safety obligations until someone asks the right question: usually a contractor, a landlord, or, in the worst cases, an SCDF officer.
The result is delayed renovation starts, unexpected costs, or work that has to be redone because it compromised the building’s fire compartmentation. By then, the tenant is paying twice. Once for the original fit-out, and again for whatever remediation SCDF requires.
The root cause is straightforward: fire safety obligations in Singapore fall on the tenant as well as the landlord. Understanding what SCDF requires, what triggers their involvement, and who is responsible for what does not require a legal degree. It requires knowing the basics before you sign a lease or start a renovation.
This guide covers the fire safety obligations that apply to industrial tenants in Singapore, the specific triggers that require SCDF submissions, and the practical steps you can take to stay compliant.
What Does SCDF Regulate?
SCDF (the Singapore Civil Defence Force) is the authority responsible for fire safety in buildings across Singapore. Their regulatory scope covers fire safety design of buildings, fire protection systems including sprinklers, alarms, and extinguishers, means of escape from any point in a unit to a place of safety, fire safety management plans for larger buildings, and hazardous materials storage.
The legal framework is the Fire Safety Act and the Fire Safety (Buildings) Regulations. SCDF works alongside URA for land use planning, BCA for structural and building works, and NEA for environmental safety including air quality and noise.
When Does SCDF Get Involved for Tenants?
The practical rule for industrial tenants: if your renovation changes the fire risk profile of the unit, even slightly, assume SCDF is involved until you confirm otherwise.
More specifically, SCDF involvement is typically triggered by renovation works that affect fire compartmentation, including erecting or demolishing partitions, constructing or removing walls, and modifying fire-rated doors or ceilings. Any change of use that increases fire load, such as switching from office use to storage of combustible goods, also triggers SCDF review. Installing or modifying fire protection systems (sprinklers, fire alarm panels, emergency lighting) requires SCDF approval. Storing hazardous or flammable materials beyond exempt quantities requires separate SCDF approval. Adding cooking or heating equipment that introduces ignition sources, such as industrial ovens or commercial kitchens, also triggers submissions. Mezzanine or raised platform construction that changes escape routes or fire compartment layout requires SCDF involvement.
Key Fire Safety Concepts Every Tenant Should Know
Fire load is the total amount of combustible material in your unit expressed in megajoules per square metre (MJ/m²). Higher fire load means stricter SCDF requirements and, in some cases, the need for additional fire protection measures. Every industrial building is designed with a fire load capacity: the maximum fire load it was built to handle. Exceeding that capacity requires either reducing stored materials or upgrading fire protection.
Fire compartmentation uses walls, floors, and doors rated to contain fire for a specified period, typically 30, 60, or 120 minutes. Breaking or modifying these fire-rated elements without SCDF approval triggers a submission. This is one of the most commonly overlooked triggers: a tenant installing a new opening in a fire-rated wall for a conveyor or duct may not realise they have touched the compartmentation.
Means of escape covers exit routes from your unit to a place of safety. Blocking, narrowing, or altering these routes is a direct SCDF violation regardless of whether any other work is being done.
Fire protection systems include sprinklers, hose reels, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and fire alarm panels. Your unit must have the systems specified for its approved use, and they must be maintained in working order.
Fire safety managers are appointed for certain building types. Individual tenants in multi-tenant buildings typically do not require their own dedicated FSM. The building’s appointed FSM covers the whole property. Check with building management to confirm whether your building has one and what your role as a tenant involves.
The SCDF Submission Process
Step 1: Engage a Qualified Person (QP). A QP is an architect or engineer registered with SCDF who is authorised to prepare and submit fire safety plans on your behalf. For most tenant renovation works, engaging a QP is the first and most important step.
Step 2: The QP prepares fire safety plans based on your renovation scope and intended use.
Step 3: The QP submits plans to SCDF through the official channel.
Step 4: SCDF reviews and may request amendments or additional information.
Step 5: Approval is granted and works can commence.
Step 6: Upon completion, the QP certifies the works and SCDF issues a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) or Temporary Fire Permit (TFP).
The typical timeline for plan approval is 4–8 weeks, not including time for responding to queries or completing the works themselves. Costs include QP fees and any required system upgrades. Budget for this at the fit-out planning stage, not after.
Landlord Versus Tenant Responsibilities
The landlord is typically responsible for building-wide fire protection systems: the main fire alarm panel, stairwell pressurisation systems, the sprinkler main supply and pumps, common area emergency lighting and exit signage, and external fire hydrants. Structural fire compartmentation (the fire-rated walls, floors, and staircase enclosures that form the building’s passive fire protection) is the landlord’s responsibility to maintain. The landlord also obtains and maintains the Fire Safety Certificate for the building, appoints the fire safety manager for the building, and conducts annual fire safety inspections of building-level systems.
The tenant is responsible for fire safety within the leased unit. This includes fire extinguishers: correct type, sufficient quantity, and annual servicing by a licensed contractor. Hose reels within the unit must be maintained and kept accessible. Blocking escape routes, even temporarily, is a direct fire safety violation. Not exceeding the unit’s fire load limits is the tenant’s operational responsibility. Renovations must comply with fire safety requirements and any required SCDF approvals must be obtained before works commence. Flammable or hazardous materials must be stored properly within approved limits. Staff awareness and basic fire safety training is the tenant’s responsibility. The tenant must also maintain any tenant-installed fire protection equipment.
The split between landlord and tenant responsibilities varies by lease. Always read the tenancy agreement carefully, and request a written breakdown from the landlord if anything is unclear.
Common Mistakes
Assuming the landlord handles everything is the most common mistake. Many fire safety obligations rest with the tenant, not the landlord. Starting renovation without checking whether an SCDF submission is needed can halt works and require costly remediation. Blocking or narrowing escape routes with storage or equipment creates a direct violation. Accumulating raw materials, packaging, or chemicals beyond fire load limits is a compliance issue that can trigger SCDF enforcement. Not maintaining fire extinguishers and hose reels (expired, discharged, or obstructed) is a common finding during inspections. Disabling smoke detectors during dusty renovation work and forgetting to re-enable them creates a gap in protection that is difficult to justify to SCDF.
Summary
SCDF fire safety obligations apply to industrial tenants who renovate, change use, or store materials beyond exempt thresholds. Key triggers are compartmentation changes, fire load increases, fire system modifications, and cooking or heating equipment installation. The submission process requires a Qualified Person and runs 4–8 weeks for plan approval. Tenants are responsible for equipment and practices within their unit; landlords handle building-wide systems. Engage a fire safety QP before starting any renovation work that might affect fire compartmentation, fire load, or fire protection systems.
For deeper dives into specific topics, see the supporting posts in this series: When Renovation Triggers Fire Submission, Fire Load Basics, Sprinklers / Hose Reels / Exit Signs: What to Check On-Site, Tenant Responsibilities vs Landlord Responsibilities, and Fire Safety Q&A.
For the exhaust and ventilation pillar, see Exhaust / Ventilation / Odour Control Basics.
For power capacity, see Power Capacity & Utilities.
References
[1] SCDF: Acts, Codes & Regulations (Fire Safety). https://www.scdf.gov.sg/fire-safety-services-listing/downloads/acts-codes-and-regulations [2] SCDF: Fire Safety (Buildings) Regulations. https://www.scdf.gov.sg/fire-safety-services-listing/downloads/acts-codes-and-regulations [3] SCDF: Qualified Persons (Architects & Engineers). https://www.scdf.gov.sg/home/fire-safety/downloads [4] SCDF: Fire Safety Management. https://www.scdf.gov.sg/fire-safety-services-listing/permits-and-certifications/fire-safety-manager [5] NEA: Environmental Protection (air/noise/waste) entry point. https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/pollution-control [6] MOM: Workplace Safety & Health. https://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-and-health [7] BCA: Building Plan Submission. https://www1.bca.gov.sg/safety-and-standards/building-control-act/ [8] URA: Master Plan. https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Planning/Master-Plan [9] JTC: Industrial Space. https://www.jtc.gov.sg/find-space/