Up in smoke: Firefighters working to extinguish flames engulfing bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, in this file photo. MBAM said the event was a stark reminder of how seemingly minor lapses, such as non-compliant scaffolding netting and inadequate fire-resistant materials, could escalate into catastrophes, especially in densely populated areas. — Reuters
Stricter controls on flammable materials gain industry approval
PETALING JAYA: Stakeholders in the construction industry here are more open towards tighter regulation governing the selection of construction materials, in particular materials used in the external face of buildings, even if their use is temporary.
This change came following last November’s fire in Hong Kong that killed 161 people and injured 79.
It led regulators to look closely at the role of flammable materials used as temporary supporting structures or accessories.
Particular focus was on the green safety netting that formed the hoarding for the eight blocks of the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po that burnt for nearly two days.
Specific attention has been given to the fire retardance of the safety nettings, with some accounts suggesting that not all the nettings used at that site complied with Hong Kong’s regulations, which mandated a certain degree of resistance to igniting.
In Malaysia, the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) welcomed more players to voluntarily adopt Malaysian Standard (MS) 1746 for non-combustible barriers in fire-prone zones, even though there are currently no regulations mandating the use of fire-retardant safety netting here.
Fire safety also comes under the purview of various agencies, such as the Occupation Safety and Health Department (DOSH), the Fire and Rescue Department and the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) 1984, normally enforced by the local councils.
“Fire safety in construction materials is governed more broadly by fire department guidelines, which emphasise overall fire prevention measures such as the use of non-combustible materials where feasible, as well as proper storage of flammables in fire-resistant containers and site- specific risk assessments,” said MBAM president Oliver HC Wee when contacted.
“Going forward, MBAM recommends the voluntary use of fire- retardant netting in high-risk urban or high-rise projects to enhance safety, particularly near populated areas,” he said.
MBAM said the Tai Po event was a stark reminder of how seemingly minor lapses, such as non-compliant scaffolding netting and inadequate fire-resistant materials, could escalate into catastrophes, especially in densely populated areas.
“In Malaysia, vigilance is essential given our own urban growth and high-rise developments. Key lessons from Tai Po underscore the need for rigorous inspections and holistic fire risk management,” he said.
Civil engineer Joyce Shamini Rajendran, who used to serve as a temporary works engineer with a listed construction firm, said the Tai Po fire has more to do with the flammability of the netting than the bamboo scaffolding. She said fire safety for buildings under construction was separate from fire safety for occupied buildings.
“The former is really a grey area,” she added.
The Construction Industry Development Board’s (CIDB) technology development and business sector senior general manager, Rofizlan Ahmad, said CIDB was studying the Hong Kong case.
“But there are no immediate plans to mandate the use of fire-retardant hoarding or netting, as we are cognisant of the cost implications to the industry.
“Any development in this area will also involve dialogue with relevant stakeholders first,” he said.
Rofizlan also said the risk of seeing something at the scale of Tai Po here was relatively low, as high-rise blocks here were less likely to be clustered as tightly as those in Hong Kong.
“It is also rare for a building in Malaysia to have people living in it, as (large-scale) renovation work is ongoing,” he said.
