In this Code, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions will apply.

“Accessible floor area” refers to the total floor area of all covered spaces within a station, including service ducts, lift shafts, toilets, staircases, areas occupied by fixed/ moveable furniture/ equipment/ facilities, and any open-to-sky habitable areas above or below the first storey of the station.

“Aboveground station” refers to a station with its trainway located at or aboveground level.

“Aboveground trainway” refers to a portion of the guideway supported by elevated structure, ground level structure, embankment, or cut slope.

“Ancillary area” refers to the non-public areas used to house or contain operating, maintenance, or support equipment and functions.

“Area of compartment/ room/ space” refers to the total area of any compartment/ room/ space bounded by the inner finished surfaces of the walls that form the compartment/ room/ space. Where there is no enclosing wall on any one side, the area of the compartment/ room/ space shall be measured by the outermost edge of the floor on that side.

“Area of refuge” refers to an area within a station or in an adjoining station where evacuees can temporarily take refuge, in lieu of the requirement for adequate exit staircase provision. It shall be adequately separated from the rest of the station or adjoining station by fire-resisting construction and connected via an external corridor or open-sided linkway. The area of refuge shall be always accessible.

“Area of roof” refers to the visible roof area on a plane parallel to the pitch of the roof.

“Area of station” refers to the total area of that station bounded by the inner finished surfaces of the enclosing walls. Where there is no enclosing wall on any one side, the area of station shall be measured by the outermost edge of the floor on that side.

Atrium” refers to a large open space within a station created by an opening or a series of openings in floor assemblies, thus connecting two or more storeys. An atrium is covered at the top and is used for purposes other than those associated with small shafts e.g. stairs, elevators, and various services. The sides of the atrium can be open to all floors, to some floors, or closed to all or some floors by non-rated or rated fire-resistance construction.

“Authority having jurisdiction” refers to non-SCDF local entities, which may include an organisation, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirement of a code, standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.

“Backlayering” refers to the reversal of movement of smoke and hot gases counter to the direction of the ventilation airflow.

“Basement storey” refers to a storey of a station for which at least half the storey height is below the ground level, and which also adjoins its perimeter walls for at least half the length of such walls.

a. Exception 1:

Under-Platform Services Ducts (UPSD) and cable chambers conforming with Cl.2.2.4e. and not exceeding 2m measured from finished floor level to ceiling height shall not be considered as a basement in a transit station. The UPSD and cable chambers shall only house cables and services serving the station.

b. Exception 2:

(1) Extended landings that connect transfer exit staircases, ventilation shafts, lift and staircase landings shall not be considered a basement storey in a transit station.

(2) The extended staircase landings shall not be wider than the width of the exit staircase (to prevent other usage i.e. storage).

(3) The ventilation shafts shall not contain mechanical and electrical equipment and cables, other than those serving the shaft itself.

“Boundary” refers to the border demarcating the area surrounding the station, and where applicable (in determining the relevant boundary), it includes the imaginary extension of the border up to the centre of an abutting public street, canal, or river.

“Buffer areas” refer to unenclosed corridors located alongside train-ways beyond the ends of platform screen doors and are inaccessible to the public during normal operation hours. Where buffer areas are designated as part of egress for passengers, they shall be made accessible via the release of electromagnetic/ electromechanical device of the access doors at the ends of the platform screen doors during a fire emergency.

“Cavity barrier” refers to a fire-rated construction that seals or sub-divides a concealed space. The cavity barrier helps limit the spread of smoke and fire into or within that concealed space.

“Ceiling” refers to a part of a station or trainway that encloses and is exposed overhead in a room, circulation space, or protected shaft. A soffit or rooflight is included as part of its surface but, not the frame of a rooflight.

“Circulation space” refers to the means of access between a room or protected shaft and an exit from the station or compartment. It shall not be used for any commercial activity such as information and reception counter, or areas used for exhibitions.

“Compartment” refers to a part of a station or trainway separated from all other parts of the same station or trainway by compartment walls and/ or compartment floors. A roof space above the top storey of a compartment is included in that compartment.

“Compartment wall” and “compartment floor” refers to walls or floors of fire-rated construction provided for the purpose of dividing a rapid transit station into compartments.

“Concealed space/ Cavity” refers to a space enclosed by elements of a station (including a suspended ceiling or raised floor) or contained within an element. It is not a room, cupboard, circulation space, protected shaft or space within a flue, chute, duct, pipe, or conduit.

“Corridor” refers to a passage providing means of access from rooms or spaces to an exit.

“Critical velocity” refers to the minimum steady-state velocity of ventilation airflow moving towards the fire within a tunnel or passageway that is required to prevent backlayering at the fire site.

“Cubical extent” refers to the volume of a space within a station or compartment. This excludes protected lift walls, exit staircases, and other accommodation (such as restrooms and locker rooms) which are enclosed with walls having at least 1-hr fire resistance, and openings protected by doors of ½-hr fire resistance fitted with an automatic self-closing device. It shall be measured according to the following dimensions:

a. The inner finished surfaces of the enclosing walls or on any side where there are no enclosing walls a plane extending vertically above the outermost edge of the floor on that side;

b. The upper surface of its lowest floor; and

c. Where a station or compartment extends to a roof, the under surface of the roof or the under surface of the ceiling of the highest storey within the compartment, including space occupied by any other walls, or any unprotected shafts, ducts, or structures within the spaces to be so measured.

“Dead-end” refers to a situation within a space, normally a corridor or lift lobby spaces where exit is only possible from one end, with no possible escape from the other end.

“Direct distance” refers to shortest distance from the most remote point in a room or space, measured within the external enclosures of the room or space to the relevant exits, ignoring internal walls, partitions, and fittings other than the enclosure walls of exit passageways and exit staircases.

“Door” refers to any shutter, cover, or other form of protection to an opening in any wall, floor, or in the structure surrounding a protected shaft regardless of whether the door is constructed of one or more leaves.

“Electromagnetic” or “Electromechanical locking device” refers to a fail-safe device which provides egress access control. In the event of a fire alarm activation, failure of power supply, and/ or any fault in the locking devices/ components, related to the release of locking mechanism, this device shall:

a. automatically unlock doors immediately to facilitate egress and remain so until power supply is restored; and

b. be provided with a means of manual override located within the occupied space, 1.2m above the floor, and within 1.5m of the door jamb.

“Element of structure” refers to:

a. a member forming part of the structural frame of a station, trainway, or any other beam or column but not a member forming part of a roof structure only, or

b. a load-bearing wall or load bearing part of a wall, or

c. a floor, including a compartment floor, other than the lowest floor (in contact with the ground), or

d. a separating wall, or

e. a structure enclosing a protected shaft (protecting structure).

“Emergency lighting” refers to lighting provided with a secondary source of power supply to illuminate the exits and spaces within a station.

“Engineering analysis” refers to an analysis that evaluates all factors that affect the fire safety of the system. A report of the analysis indicating the proposed method(s) providing a level of fire safety commensurate with this Code shall be submitted.

“Enclosed station” refers to a station or portion thereof that does not meet the requirements of an open station.

“Exit” refers to a means of egress from the interior of the station or trainway to an exterior space. An exit is by the use of the following either singly or in combination: exterior door openings, exit staircases, exit ramps, or exit passageways but not including access stairs, aisles, corridor doors, or corridors. In the case of ancillary area and commercial space in stations are present, exit also include door opening directly to the station public area.

“Exit access” refers to the portion of a means of escape that leads to an exit. It includes the room and station spaces that people occupy, the doors along the escape routes, lobbies, aisles, passageways, corridors, access stairs, and ramps traversed in order to reach an exit.

“Exit access door” refers to a door which provides access to a room or space excluding a toilet cubicle, bedroom, storeroom, utility room, pantry and the like, or installed across the escape path leading to an exit.

“Exit door” refers to a door provided at the doorway of an exit for the passage of people, forming part of the integrity of the exit, including the exterior door opening.

“Exit lighting” refers to the part of emergency lighting that is provided to illuminate the exits.

“Exit passageway” refers to the horizontal extension of a vertical exit via exit staircase or a passage leading from a habitable area to the station public area or an open exterior space.

“Exit staircase” refers to a staircase constructed of non-combustible material and protected from fire (by fire-rated construction or located at the external space) for the purpose of enabling egress to the external space.

“External exit staircase” refers to an exit staircase located outside the station, open to the external space, and that:

a. is enclosed by parapet walls or railing of not more than 1.1m in height;

b. has at least two adjacent sides or one of its longest sides abutting the external space; and

c. is recessed not more than 3m from the station façade.

“External exit passageway” refers to an exit passageway that serves as required exit with at least one of its longest sides open to the external space or air well.

“External wall finishes” refers to materials/ components installed on the station facade for the purpose of providing thermal insulation, weather resistance and/ or to improve the appearance of stations. They can be made of metal, brick/ stone granite, composite materials, etc. It shall include cladding, fins, and any decorative features mounted on the external walls of a station.

“External wall (or side of a station)” refers to an outer wall or vertical enclosure. This includes a part of the roof pitched at an angle of 70º or more to the horizontal if that part of the roof adjoins a space within the station to which persons have access.

“Firefighting staircase” refers to an exit staircase that has its enclosure constructed of non-combustible material and shall have a fire resistance of not less than that for the element of structure and designated for use by firefighters.

“Fire lift lobby” refers to a protected and ventilated/ pressurised lobby into which a fire lift opens and from which direct access to a protected staircase can be made for the purpose of firefighting.

“Fire resistance” refers to the minimum time period during which an element of structure or element of a station/ trainway can be expected to function satisfactorily while subjected to a standard fire test.

“Fire stop” refers to a seal provided to close an imperfection of fit or any joint between elements, components, or construction in a station, which serves to prevent/ limit the passage of smoke and flame through that imperfection or joint.

“Guideway” refers to the portion of the transit line within right-of-way fences, outside lines of curbs or shoulders, underground tunnels, cut or fill slopes, ditches, channels and waterways, and including all appertaining structures.

“Habitable floor” refers to all floors in a station, including the roof level. The roof level can be taken as non-habitable if it is not used for any purpose/ activity other than housing M&E plants/ equipment, e.g. lift motors, fire pumps, generators, fire hose reel pumps, water supply pumps, water tanks, cooling towers, solar photovoltaic panels, supply/ exhaust fans with associated ductwork, air-con condensing units, telecommunication equipment, satellite dishes, public warning sirens, green roofs inaccessible to public and for maintenance access only, etc.

“Habitable height” refers to the height measured from the level of fire engine accessways or fire engine access roads, whichever is the lowest, to the finished floor level of the highest habitable floor.

“Heat release rate” refers to energy evolved under a given fire scenario expressed as a function of time.

Height of station or part of a station refers to the vertical distance measured from the average level of the ground adjoining the outside of the external walls of the station to the level of half the vertical height of the roof of the station or part, or the top of the walls or of the parapet (if any), whichever is higher.

“High hazard occupancy” refers to any occupancy in which the contents or activities include one or more of the following:

a. material with auto-ignition temperature lower than 200ºC, or

b. materials that produce poisonous, noxious fumes, or flammable vapour, or

c. materials that cause explosions, or

d. high hazard occupancies classified under SS CP 52, or

e. highly combustible substances and flammable liquids.

“Load bearing wall” refers to a wall that supports any load in addition to its own weight.

“Masonry” refers to brick or concrete construction.

“Mechanical ventilation” refers to any system that uses mechanical means such as ventilation fan, to introduce outdoor air to a space when natural ventilation mode cannot be achieved during normal and fire emergency situations. This includes supply ventilation, exhaust ventilation, pressurisation, smoke purging, mechanical engineered smoke control systems, balanced systems that consist of both supply and exhaust ventilations, etc.

“Non-combustible material” refers to any material which neither burns nor gives off flammable vapour in sufficient quantity to ignite when subjected to the test for combustibility prescribed in BS 476 Part 4, and includes materials of limited combustibility, such as:

a. any material of density 300 kg/m3 or more, which when tested in accordance with BS 476: Part 11, does not flame, and the rise in temperature on the furnace thermocouple is not more than 20°C;

b. any material with a non-combustible core at least 8mm thick having combustible facings (on one or both sides) not more than 0.5mm thick; and

c. any material of density less than 300 kg/m3, which when tested in accordance with BS 476: Part 11,

(1) does not flame for more than 10 sec;

(2) the rise in temperature on the centre (specimen) thermocouple is not more than 35°C; and

(3) the rise in temperature on the furnace thermocouple is not more than 25°C.

“Non-load bearing wall” refers to a wall that supports no load other than its own weight.

“Non-transit occupancy” refers to an occupancy not related to the operation of rapid transit systems.

“Notional boundary” refers to an imaginary boundary which exists at equal distance between buildings/ stations on the same site, or the centre of the width of a public road/ drain/ sewer reserve, provided that the boundary is fronting the respective reserves.

“Occupant load” to a station, or part thereof, refers to the total number of persons that can occupy such a station, or part thereof, at any one time. The “occupant load” shall be determined via the floor area(s) available for occupant based on the appropriate areas per person as stated in Table 1.4.60.

“Open station” refers to a station that is exposed to the atmosphere where heat and smoke from a train fire are allowed to disperse directly into the atmosphere.

“Operation Control Centre (OCC)” refers to a room where the transit system operator controls and coordinates the system-wide movement of passengers and trains. It is here from which communication is maintained with supervisory and operating personnel and with participating agencies when required.

“Passenger Service Centre (PSC)” refers to the room located in a station where communication with the OCC, trains, passengers, and members of the public can be conducted.

“Permitted limit of unprotected area” refers to the maximum aggregate of unprotected areas in any side or external wall of a station or compartment.

“Point of safety” refers to an enclosed fire exit that leads to a safe location outside the structure, an at-grade point beyond any enclosing structure, or another area that affords adequate protection for passengers.

“Pressurisation” refers to a mechanical ventilation system that introduce positive differential pressure to a space/ room to prevent smoke ingress during a fire emergency.

“Protected shaft” refers to an exit staircase, exit passageway, lift, chute, duct, or other shaft which enables persons, things, or air to pass from one compartment to another.

“Protecting structure” refers to a wall, floor, or other part of the station or trainway which encloses a protected shaft. It is not:

a. A wall which also forms part of an external wall, separating wall or compartment wall, or

b. A floor which is also a compartment floor, or a floor laid directly on the ground, or

c. A roof.

“Public area” refers to any part of the station normally accessible by members of the public. It includes pedestrian linkways connected to the station.

“Railway” means a network or system of fixed horizontal rails, tracks, grooves, or other guideway on, under, or above the ground along which a train moves or runs and includes all tunnels, viaducts, bridges, crossings, stabling yards, depots, stations, and other infrastructures constructed or intended to be constructed for any railway and any extensions thereto.

“Rapid Transit System (RTS)” means any railway line, or a combination of 2 or more railway lines, and any part thereof comprised in that line, or those lines set up under this Act (Rapid Transit Systems) to meet the transport requirements of the public and includes the Mass Rapid Transit system set up under the repealed Act (Rapid Transit Systems).

“Relevant boundary” refers to a boundary in relation to a side or external wall of a station/ building or compartment, including a notional boundary.

“Roof light” refers to any element in a roof intended to admit daylight.

“Room” refers to an enclosed space though not an enclosed circulation space, protected shaft, or an enclosed space at most 750mm in depth.

“Separated part (of a station)” refers to a form of compartmentation separated from another part of the same station by a compartment wall which runs full height of the part and is in one continuous plane.

“Separating wall” refers to a wall dividing or portioning adjoining buildings/ stations.

“Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)” refers to the Commissioner of Singapore Civil Defence Force and includes officers authorised by him generally or specifically to exercise the powers, functions, and duties conferred by the Fire Safety Act.

“Smoke-free lobby” refers to a lobby located at the entrance to an exit staircase. This exists to help to prevent or minimise the entry of smoke into the staircase.

“Station” refers to a place designated for the purpose of boarding and alighting passengers. This includes public areas, commercial spaces, ancillary area, and trainway associated with the same structure.

a. Stations with multiple transit lines are stations with one or more train platforms and concourse public areas serving different transit lines within a station.

b. Stations with interchange-link are stations provided with direct transfer between transit lines.

c. Stations connected to non-transit occupancy are stations with:

(1) A pedestrian link connected to non-transit occupancies, and/ or

(2) Station entrance integrated with non-transit occupancies.

“Station platform” refers to the area of a station used primarily by passengers boarding and alighting trains. See Diagram 1.4.80.

Diagram 1.4.80: Layout of Station Platform

Type of trades and services permitted in station commercial spaces are stated in Table 1.4A.

“Trainway” refers to the portion of the guideway where the transit vehicles operate.

“Train-peak load” refers to the full seating and standing capacities that a train can carry, specified in Table 1.4.83.

“Transit station” refers to station accommodating only passengers and employees of the RTS and incidental occupancies in the station.

“Underground station” refers to a station with its trainway located in the basement storey.

“Unprotected areas”, in relation to a side or external wall of a station refers to:

a. a window, door, or other opening; and

b. any part of the external wall which has less than the relevant fire resistance.

“Ventilation openings” refer to fixed natural ventilation openings located in external walls for any space, which shall be always unobstructed, and exclude windows or louvres that are openable or operable. Where fixed louvres are used in natural ventilation openings for exit staircases, smoke-free lobbies or exit passageways they shall consist of a single bank of louvres with blade width not exceeding 150mm, with effective ventilation openings calculated based on the free area calculation stated in Diagram 1.4.87.

“Vertical exit” refers to an exit staircase or exit ramp serving as required exit from one or more storeys above or below ground level.

“Wall surface”, in the context of internal surfaces, refers to the surface of glazing, and any part of the ceiling sloping at an angle of 70º or more to the horizontal. It does not include:

a. door frames and unglazed parts of doors, or

b. window frames and frames in which glazing is fitted, or

c. architraves, cover moulds, picture rails, skirtings, and similar narrow members, or

d. fitted furniture.

Diagram 1.4.87: Ventilation Opening Size