Homeowners in Singapore can be prosecuted for fallen windows.
The number of fallen window cases in Singapore rose to 41 in the first 11 months of 2016 from 30 cases over the same period last year, reported Channel NewsAsia, citing a joint statement from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB).
Majority of the cases involved casement windows that had fallen due to corroded aluminium rivets.
Since 2005, homeowners have been required to replace the aluminium rivets of their casement windows to stainless steel ones. This covers all residential units, except those on the ground floor of buildings and in landed properties.
Homeowners who fail to comply with the mandatory requirement can face a jail term of up to six months and be fined up to $5,000.
In cases where the windows fell due to lack of maintenance, homeowners can face a maximum jail term of one year and / or a fine of up to $10,000.
Some 78 people have so far been prosecuted and fined for failing to replace the aluminium rivets of their casement windows with stainless steel ones, while 303 people had their offences compounded.
Meanwhile, the town councils in charge of the public housing blocks which saw parts of the facades fall off recently are taking measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring, revealed a BCA spokesperson.
The first incident involved a calcium silicate cladding panel that fell off Block 51, Circuit Road on 19 October. The day after the incident, the HDB explained that the panel was non-structural in nature and was a design element of the facade.
An investigation into the case revealed that the panel became dislodged due to wear and tear, said the BCA.
Following inspections of Block 51, including the other 24 blocks within the precinct, the professional engineer appointed by Marine Parade Town Council recommended the removal of similar calcium silicate cladding panels from all blocks, while replacing those at the service ducts with new metal panels.
The other incident involved a slab of plaster that fell off Block 449, Hougang Avenue 10. Upon inspection, the professional engineer appointed by Ang Mo Kio Town Council found all existing plaster surfaces within the block to be in “satisfactory condition”.
“Based on the professional engineer’s investigation report, the fallen plaster had dislodged as it had deteriorated due to exposure to weather over time,” said the BCA. “We understand that Ang Mo Kio Town Council will be repairing the affected area and stepping up checks on the surrounding blocks.”
These incidents come after a concrete sunbreaker partially dislodged from Block 201E, Tampines Street 23. Investigations showed that the sunbreaker did not have reinforcement bars.
As a result, the BCA stated that it would conduct further investigations into the case to determine if building regulations were violated when the sunbreakers were built.
It noted that building owners are responsible for their buildings’ maintenance, including facade elements and exterior features. As such, they should conduct regular checks and maintenance of their buildings’ facades.
“(The) BCA is currently carrying out a review on measures to enhance facade safety,” it added.
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
