Company that issues fire-safety labels for doors did so without proper checks, ordered to stop

Setsco's own accreditation had also been suspended from Aug 15 for an initial period of two months, and is now being reassessed. PHOTO: SETSCO/WEBSITE

SINGAPORE - A company that issues fire-safety labels for doors has been suspended from issuing further labels, after the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) found in March that the company had done so without doing the necessary checks.

In a statement on Tuesday (Oct 29), the SCDF said Setsco Services, a certification body accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council, had lapsed in its duty when it issued labels to three companies without verifying that the 1,858 doors they manufactured actually met fire-safety rules.

During fire tests SCDF then directed Setsco to conduct on a sample of the affected doors, 99 doors were found to be non-compliant. They were installed mostly at industrial and commercial premises, but non in residential units.

A fire-rated door, SCDF said, should stop a fire from within a burning unit from spreading outside.

In the next four months, Setsco is expected to work with the three companies to replace the doors that failed the tests, with Setsco bearing any costs incurred in the process.

SCDF added that following the discovery, the three companies' certificates have been suspended, which means they can no longer use them to supply fire-rated doors for use in Singapore.

Setsco's own accreditation had also been suspended from Aug 15 for an initial period of two months, and is now being reassessed.

The result of this process partially depends on whether Setsco successfully puts right the lapses, SCDF said.

In August, the Fire Safety Act was amended to hold all parties involved in the supply chain of regulated fire safety products accountable. This will take effect in early 2020.

"SCDF takes any non-compliance with fire safety requirements seriously and will continue stringent audits to ensure the fire safety of buildings and its occupants," its spokesman said.

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