BCA to intensify audits of lifts, especially those in HDB blocks, in wake of incidents
By Yeo Sam Jo, The Straits Times, 12 Mar 2016
A spate of lift mishaps has prompted an islandwide ramp-up in inspections.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong announced yesterday that he has asked the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to intensify its audits of lifts around Singapore, especially those in Housing Board blocks.
"This may cause some disruption to lift operations and inconvenience to residents," he explained in a post on Facebook.
"I seek your patience and understanding on this matter. We want to be thorough in our checks and cannot compromise on safety."
Lift owners play an important role in ensuring that their lifts are maintained in accordance to prevailing standards and...
Posted by Building and Construction Authority (Singapore) on Thursday, March 10, 2016
The BCA said the checks will pay more attention to lifts in areas where incidents have occurred, before moving on to other places.
There are about 59,000 passenger lifts in Singapore.
According to the BCA, there have been 10 lift incidents since 2013.
The lift problems that have made the news over the past six months (since October) have all taken place in HDB blocks.
Last October, an 85-year-old Jurong resident's hand was severed by the doors of an HDB lift, although investigations showed that there was nothing wrong with the lift.
In January, a lift in Edgefield Plains was suspended from service after one of its inner doors stayed open while it moved.
On Monday, a 36-year-old maid fell after the lift she was in suddenly shot up 17 floors. It later stalled, trapping her.
The incident, which happened at Block 317 in Ang Mo Kio Street 31, is still being investigated.
Experts told The Straits Times that cases such as that in Ang Mo Kio are rare. The 23-year-old lift in this incident is five years short of the usual replacement age for HDB lifts.
But experts said a lift's safety depends on regular and proper maintenance, not its age.
Lift engineer Kok Peng Koon, 80, said: "Individual lift parts can still be upgraded. So it is important to check them."
Mr Wong also said the BCA will complete its review of lift regulations and standards this year. This review, which began in 2014, will include legislative changes.
The BCA did not specify these changes, but said it will conduct public and industry consultations on proposed amendments to maintenance regulations.
"Where needed, new measures to ensure the continued safety of lifts in our buildings will be introduced," it said.
Since January, the BCA has distributed 140,000 lift safety posters to all lift owners such as town councils and condominium managements.
These illustrated posters instruct users on the dos and don'ts in lifts - such as not jumping in the cabin.
The BCA has also sent out circulars to lift contractors and examiners to remind them to be vigilant in maintaining lifts, and conducted seminars to raise awareness of lift audit findings.
Under lift regulations, all passenger lifts used by the public must be maintained monthly. Such maintenance works usually involve inspecting items such as door sensors, brakes and lift cables, said experts.
MP for Nee Soon GRC Lee Bee Wah welcomed the extra checks by BCA. She said: "It is always good to have an extra pair of eyes. We don't want people to lose confidence in using their lifts."
Probe into case of lift that shot up 17 floors
BCA suspends use of malfunctioning lift; town council must appoint independent examiner
By Yeo Sam Jo and Benjamin Tan, The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2016
The authorities are probing the latest incident in a spate of Housing Board lift glitches, which has left residents concerned.
The use of one of two lifts at Block 317, Ang Mo Kio Street 31 was suspended on Tuesday by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) after it malfunctioned on Monday evening. Ms Evi Lisnawati fell and hit her back after Lift A, which she was taking to the ground floor, suddenly shot up 17 storeys.
It then stalled between the 19th and 20th storeys, trapping the 36-year-old Indonesian maid for over an hour before she was rescued. BCA said Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC), which manages the lift, is now required to appoint an independent authorised examiner to inspect it.
The authorised examiner must also recommend rectification works and submit its findings to BCA.
A BCA spokesman said: "BCA will allow the lift to resume operations only when the investigation and rectification works are completed, and BCA is satisfied that the lift is safe for use."
A spokesman for AMKTC said this is the first time the 23-year-old lift has caused problems.
In the light of Monday's incident, he said the town council is stepping up its lift maintenance, which is usually carried out once a month, although it did not specify how.
The lift, which was manufactured by Fujitec, was last serviced on Feb 23. The AMKTC spokesman added: "The investigation is still ongoing and we shall await the conclusion from the investigators and (professionals) before proceeding further."
Fujitec Singapore's chief operating officer William Wong said his company's technicians are assisting BCA with investigations.
Asked what might have caused the accident, Mr Wong said: "Until we are able to pinpoint the cause, I don't want to speculate."
Some residents had noticed problems with the two lifts in the block even before the accident.
Administrator Lim Geok Hong, 53, who has lived there for over 20 years, said both lifts would occasionally fail to move even after the doors shut.
She said in Mandarin: "You have to push the lift doors slightly before the lift will start to move."
Retiree Wong Leat, 68, said that in the two weeks before the accident, he had sometimes felt Lift A shaking while it was moving.
"Even my granddaughters were scared," he said.
AMKTC chairman Ang Hin Kee said that the block's Lift B is "functioning normally" and checks have been carried out by BCA and Fujitec.
He added: "We will continue to check it daily over the next few days. We are also talking with residents to allay their concerns."
Last October, an 85-year-old Jurong resident's hand was severed after the doors of the lift she was in closed on her dog leash. She also fell and broke her leg.
In January, a faulty HDB lift in Punggol's Edgefield Plains was suspended from use after one of the lift's inner doors stayed open while the lift moved.