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FIRE SERVICES ACT 1988

SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMME
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OBJECTIVES

1. List 9 Parts of the Fire Services Act

1998

2. State the differences between the

Fire Services Act and the Uniform
Building By-Laws1984

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SCOPE

• Background of the Act

• Contents of the Act
• Nine (9) Parts of the Act
• Uniform Building By-Laws 1984
• Conclusion
• Quiz

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INTRODUCTION

• Fire Services Act 1988 was gazetted on

12 December 1988 and started
enforcement on 1 January 1999
• It has undergone 2 amendments:

1. Act A799: Fire Services Act (Amendment) 1991

enforced on 11 April 1991

2. Act A879: Fire Services Act (Amendment) 1994

enforced on 3 March 1994

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INTRODUCTION

• It consists of four (4) Regulations:

1. Fire Services (Fee of Pusat Latihan Bomba)

Regulations 1996
2. Fire Services (Fire Services Department Welfare
Fund) Regulations 1997
3. Fire Services (Compounding of Offences)
Regulations 2000 (Compounding of Offences
Regulations 1991 is repealed
4. Fire Services (Fire Certificate) Regulations 2001

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INTRODUCTION

• Consists of one (1) Order - Fire Services

(Designated Premises) Order 1998

• Enforcement of the Act includes:

1. Building under construction/to be constructed

(UBBL 1984)
2. Existing buildings (UBBL 1984 and Act 341)

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DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE

MALAYSIA OBJECTIVES
• To protect lives and public property
from dangers of fire

• To assist national economic

development by raising the
confidence of investors to invest in the
country

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CONTENTS

Consists of nine (9) Parts:

1. Preliminary
2. Administration
3. Abatement of Fire-Hazard
4. Water and Fire Hydrants
5. Fire Certificates

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CONTENTS

Consists of nine (9) Parts:

6. Enforcement
7. Enquiries into Fire
8. Welfare Fund
9. Miscellaneous

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CONTENTS

Consists of two (2) Schedules

• First Schedule
Fire Hazard Abatement Notice, Closing
Order, Notice to Show Cause

• Second Schedule
Ranks of Fire Officers and Auxiliary Fire
Officers

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PART I: INTRODUCTION

• Short title
• Interpretations such as:
Fire hazard
Fire fighting equipment/installation
Fire Officer
Calamity
Premises

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PART I: INTRODUCTION

According to Section 2 of Act 341, there are

six
(6) interpretations of fire-hazard:
a) Any unlawful alteration to any building such as
might render escape in occurrences of fire more
difficult or less easy

b) The overcrowding of any place of public

entertainment or gathering such as might render
escape in event of fire difficult
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 PART I: INTRODUCTION

c) Any removal or absence from any building of

any fire-fighting equipment or fire safety
installation that is required by law to be provided
in the building

d) The presence within or outside any building of

any fire-fighting equipment or fire safety
installation or facility, installed within legal
requirements, but not in efficient working order

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 PART I: INTRODUCTION

e) Inadequate means of exit from any building,

whether within or outside the building that
provides safety to persons in the event of fire

f) Any other matter or circumstance that

materially increases the likelihood of a fire or the
danger to life or property that would result from
outbreak of fire, and would hamper the Fire
Services Department in the discharge of its
duties in the event of fire

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PART II: ADMINISTRATION

• The Fire Services Department and its

officers
• Appointment of Auxiliary Fire Officers
• Duties of the Fire Services Department
• Uniform and identification card
• Exercise of powers and performance of
duties

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PART II: ADMINISTRATION

DUTIES OF THE FIRE SERVICES

DEPARTMENT

Taking lawful measures for:

Extinguishing, fighting, preventing and controlling

fires

Protecting life and property in the event of a fire

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PART II: ADMINISTRATION

DUTIES OF THE FIRE SERVICES

DEPARTMENT

Ensure means of fire escape:

Maintenance and proper regulation of fire

escapes

Adequate means of exit in event of fire for all

designated premises

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PART II: ADMINISTRATION

DUTIES OF THE FIRE SERVICES

DEPARTMENT

Making of investigations into the cause,

origin and circumstances of fire

Performing humanitarian services, including

the protection of life and property in any
calamity

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ABATEMENT OF FIRE-HAZARD

Fire-hazard abatement notice

Power of Director-General to abate fire-
hazard in vacant or unoccupied premises
Offence of failing to comply with fire-hazard
abatement notice
Closing order
Powers of Fire Officers – in fire / emergencies
Appeal

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PART IV:
WATER AND FIRE HYDRANT

Storage of water in premises for fire-

fighting purposes

Notice of works affecting fire hydrants

Duty of water authority to notify the State

Director of any action affecting the flow of
water to a fire hydrant

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WATER AND FIRE HYDRANT

Power to fix hydrant location plates

Concealment or misuse of fire hydrants

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PART V:
FIRE CERTIFICATE
Power of Director-General to determine and
designate particular uses, size, or location, of
premises

Requirement of fire certificate

Change of conditions affecting adequacy of

life saving facilities

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FIRE CERTIFICATE

Offence in relation to fire certificate

Rights of appeal

Power of Courts and Director-General to:

 prohibit use of premises
 cease activity

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PART VI: ENFORCEMENT

Powers to:
Enter
Arrest without warrant
Conduct enquiry
Require attendance of witness

Examination of witness
Conduct of prosecution

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PART VII:
ENQUIRIES INTO FIRES

Minister may appoint any person to hold

enquiry into cause and circumstances of fire

The Director-General may take possession of

premises and other property damaged and
destroyed by fire until completion of enquiry

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PART VIII: WELFARE FUND

The establishment of the Welfare Fund

operates as a trust fund and shall consist of:
Fines inflicted upon Fire Officers in any disciplinary
proceedings
Donations or rewards offered to the Fund and
individual members and accepted by the Director-
General
All sums of monies and other properties offered to
Fire Officers and forfeited by an order of court

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PART VIII: WELFARE FUND

Fire Services Department Welfare Fund

Committee

Monies for Fund to be raised only with

consent

Administration and application of Fund

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PART IX: MISCELLANEOUS

Special duties and expenses thereof

Offences such as:

Interfering with Fire Officer duties

Failure to comply with direction
Falsification of documents/false statements
Giving of false report of fire

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PART IX: MISCELLANEOUS

General penalty: RM5 thousand of 3 years

imprisonment or both

Compounding of offences

Power to apply Act to vessel and moving

structures

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PART IX: MISCELLANEOUS

Power of Minister to make regulations

Repeal
Fire Service Enactment of the State of Sabah

Part X of the Local Government Act 1976

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 UNIFORM BUILDING
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BY-LAWS 1984

Under the Road, Drainage and Building Act

1974

Formulated by the Minister/State Authorities

Enforcement by the Local Authorities

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MAIN PROVISIONS

Submission of plan for approval

Space, lighting and ventilation
Temporary works in relation to building
works
Structural requirements

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MAIN PROVISIONS

Construction requirements
Fire fighting requirements
Fire alarm, smoke detector, fire extinguisher
and fire escape routes
Miscellaneous

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CONCLUSION

FIRE SERVICES ACT 1988 UNIFORM BUILDING BY-

• Provisions for LAWS 1984
administrative • Detailed provisions
methods and for construction of
elimination of fire drains, roads and
hazards buildings

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