Company Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Requirements and Readiness

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Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

1. Explain the need to have a Company Emergency Response Team

2. Explain the legislative, audit and readiness requirements

3. Discuss the frequently asked questions

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Overview

• Introduction

• Legislative Requirements

• Team Structure and Roles of SMC/SIC/ERT

• Audit Requirements

• Useful Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Reference

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Introduction
Fire Safety Framework

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Introduction
Company Emergency Response Team (CERT)

• A Company Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a group of

competently trained and equipped personnel

• First responders to initial phase of an emergency before

SCDF’s arrival

• Control incident and minimise injury and life loss

• An extension of SCDF in the community for A Nation of

Lifesavers

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Introduction
Importance of CERT

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Introduction

• Subsidiary Legislation of Fire Safety Act 1993 - Singapore

Statutes Online (agc.gov.sg)

• FIRE SAFETY ACT 1993

• FIRE SAFETY (COMPANY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM) REGULATIONS 2013

• FIRE SAFETY (PREMISES REQUIRING FIRE SAFETY MANAGER AND COMPANY

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM) NOTIFICATION 2020

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 Introduction
Buildings requiring CERT
Fire Safety (Premises requiring Fire Safety Manager and Company
Emergency Response Team) Notification 2020
Fire Safety (Amendment) Act has come into effect on 14
September 2020.
Expanded categories of buildings to put in place Emergency
Preparedness measures include hospitals, nursing homes,
disability homes, worker dormitories, religious, educational and
training institutions
• Based on Fire Safety (Premises requiring FSM & CERT)
• Public Premises
• 9 storeys or more (including basement), or;
• Gross floor area 5000 square metres or more, or;
• Designed occupancy load 1000 persons or more, or;
• Healthcare facilities (Including hospital)
• Industrial Premises/Foreign employee dormitory
• Site area or GFA 5000 square metres or more, or;
• Designed occupancy load 1000 persons or more
• Based on Fire Safety (P&FM) Regulations
• Petroleum & Flammable Material Premises
• Stores more than 5 metric tonnes of P&FM
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Company Emergency Response Team (CERT)

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Premises that requires a CERT

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Team Structure

• 1 x Site Main Controller (SMC)

• 1 x Site Incident Controller (SIC)
• 4 x Response Team Members (ERT Members)
• These are minimum requirement, larger or riskier premises should consider having a
larger CERT if possible.

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Team Structure

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Team Structure

Site Main
Controller

Site Incident Fire Safety

Controller Manager

ERT ERT ERT ERT Fire Wardens

Member Member Member Member
(CERT & (CERT & (CERT & (CERT &
First Aid First Aid First Aid First Aid
trained) trained) trained) trained)

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CERT Responsibilities

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CERT Responsibilities

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CERT Standby Hours

• When is CERT required at the premise?

• During operating hours
• SMC
• Usual working hours of the individual (e.g. office hours)
• Recalled and to arrive at premise within 1 hour of incident
• SIC & ERT Members
• Must be available during all operating hours of premise
• E.g. office hours for office buildings, 9am-11pm for shopping malls, 24 hours for 24
hours production plants
• Can be rotated if on shift work as long as response team manpower requirement is met

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Training Requirement

• SMC
• WSQ Implement Incident Management Processes
• SIC
• WSQ Implement Incident Management Processes
• WSQ Respond to Fire (Same as ERT members)
• ERT Members
• WSQ Respond to Fire & HazMat Emergency (3 days) – Tier 1 P&FM
• WSQ Respond to Fire Emergency in Buildings (2 days) – Tier 1 HRI / Tier 2
• WSQ Respond to Fire Incident in Workplaces (1 day) – Tier 3
• CERT first aider course (1 day) – All Tiers

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Medical Screening Requirement

• Anyone can sign up for the courses as long as the person is generally fit for light physical
activities
• Fitness checklist based on Sports Council PAR-Q (Form A)
• No medical screening required for
• WSQ Implement Incident Management Process (1 day)
• WSQ Respond to Fire Incident in Workplace (1 day)
• If individual clears self assessment fitness checklist, no medical screening required for
• WSQ Respond to Fire Emergency in Buildings (2 days)
• WSQ Respond to Fire & HazMat Emergency (3 days)
• Doctor certificate of fitness based on revised guidelines
• There should be periodic medical checks to ascertain the health of the CERT members who
are required to be equipped with BA sets.
• Download checklist and guidelines from SCDF website

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Medical Screening Requirement

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Equipping Requirement

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Fire retardant gloves, safety boots, helmets
• Refer to CERT table for details
• Mitigation
• Relevant mitigation equipment (refer to table)
• First Aid
• First aid kit, stretcher, blanket & AED
• Communication
• Loud hailer & Walkie-talkie

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Tier Classification

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Audit Requirement

• To validate the mandatory regulations and fire safety compliance

• Help identify areas for improvement of their CERT proficiency
• Checks both documentation and practical components. Keep evidence (E.g. Photos,
Videos etc.) & to be produced upon request.
• Premises audited at most once a year
• Transparent assessment
• Audit Checklist available on SCDF website
• Assessment criteria will be based on checklist

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Audit Requirement

• Penalties for failure

• Re-audit
• Issuance of Notice of Offences (NOO)
• Revoke of P&FM storage license
• Offence liable for fine and/or imprisonment if CERT is not formed

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Audit Requirement

Documentation
(50%)

Practical Skills
(50%)
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Documentation

• Floor plan: Accurate

• Concept of operations: Make sense
• Key personnel contact number: Updated
• Table top exercise, emergency & evacuation drill records: Reports attached as
annexes
• Emergency Response Plan: FEP, IPP, APP
• Training Records: Available
• Equipping & maintenance records: Available

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Practical Skills Assessment

• Desired Outcomes for CERT

• Quick dispatch and arrival
• Initiation of emergency response system, assessment of incident scene, update of
situation and request for appropriate resources
• Notify relevant government authorities and neighbouring premises
• Containment and management of threats in accordance with emergency response
plans and safety procedures

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Grading Table

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Useful Resources
Company Emergency Response Team (CERT) | SCDF

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Frequently asked questions

1. Training validity
2. Refresher training
3. FSM & CERT
4. CERT Hours
5. Can we share CERT?
6. Who can be part of CERT?
7. Are equipment and training compulsory?

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1. Training Validity

• Will my certification expire? Is there a validity duration for the training certification?

• Certification is valid as long as refresher trainings are conducted regularly for the
CERT members.

• No retraining required as long as there is regular refresher training.

• Initial training must be from recognised sources, e.g. Accredited Training

Organisations

• For the different requirement on refresher training for Tier 1 P&FM, Tier 1 HRI, Tier 2
and Tier 3 premises, Refer to number 2 of the Q&A, Refresher training.

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2. Refresher training – For Tier 1 HRI, Tier 2
and 3 premises
• How often do I need to attend refresher training?

• Refresher training must be conducted annually.

• SCDF recommends one refresher training every quarter. Components of refresher
training can be conducted in phases.
• E.g. evacuation procedure in March, first aid in June, use of extinguishers and
hosereels in September, in-place protection in December.

• Who conducts the refresher training?

• Internally by FSM, senior CERT members
• Externally by training organisations

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2. Refresher training – For Tier 1 P&FM
premises
• How often do I need to attend refresher training?

• From April 2022, it is mandatory for Tier 1 P&FM premises to engage the Accredited
Training Organisations to enrol for re-certification programme annually.

• For the re-certification programme, please refer to Company Emergency Response

Team (CERT) | SCDF for more information

• Tier 1 P&FM premises may choose to conduct additional training internally or

externally for the CERT members if necessary, on top of the annual mandatory re-
certification programme.

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2. Refresher training – Summary

Premises Tier 1 P&FM Tier 1 HRI/Tier 2/Tier 3

Re-certification All CERT members (SIC Not required
programme and ERT) must attend
once annually
Refresher training Not mandatory as CERT Training for the CERT
members must attend the members can be
re-certification conducted internally or
programme. externally.

However company can

still conduct additional
trainings for the CERT
members.

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3. FSM & CERT

• The appointed FSM cannot be the SIC or the ERT member.

• The SMC, SIC or ERT members have different roles and responsibilities during an
emergency. The FSM may take on the role of the SMC, but failure to properly discharge
the FSM duties during an emergency is an offence under the Fire Safety (Fire Safety
Managers) Regulations.
• Where possible, premises should explore the option of having a dedicated FSM, SMC,
SIC and ERT in order for the various appointment holders to discharge their duties
effectively.

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4. CERT Hours

• CERT is required throughout the operational hours of the premises.

• For premises with extended operating hours, e.g. hotels and investment firms, SMC may
follow the usual working hours and be recalled to site within one hour if there are incidents
after office hours.
• SIC and ERT members must be available throughout the operating hours.
• The definition of each premises operating hours is prerogative of the building owner and
the building management are to ensure that all the occupants abide to it. E.g. No
occupants should be allowed to enter the premises during non-operating hours.

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5. Can we share CERT?

• In general, no.
• A minimum of 1 CERT is required for each FSM premises.
• Premises with longer operating hours or have multiple shifts may be required to establish
more than 1 standby team.

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6. Who can be part of CERT?

• Anyone, as long as they are trained and briefed on their roles in CERT.
• E.g. Employees of the building owner, managing agent, tenants, security guards,
maintenance contractors, cleaners.
• CERT members must be assembled at CERT assembly area within 1 minute & reach the
incident site within 5 minutes (inclusive of activation time).

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7. Equipment & Training compulsory?

• It is the duty of building owner / managing agent to ensure that the CERT is properly
trained and equipped.
• Training and equipment requirements are stipulated in the National CERT Standard.
• Training is compulsory.
• Attend WSQ courses conducted by Accredited Training Organisation.
• Equipment is compulsory.
• Minimum 5 sets of PPE (1 SIC, 4 ERT members).

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Reference

• Fire Safety Act 1993

• Fire Safety (Company Emergency Response Team) Regulations 2013

• Fire Safety (Premises requiring Fire Safety Manager and Company Emergency Response
Team) Notification 2020

• Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations

• Subsidiary Legislation of Fire Safety Act 1993 - Singapore Statutes Online (agc.gov.sg)

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