'Safety check on buildings every 2 years' proposal
Published on: Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Kuala Lumpur: The Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) and Registered Building Survey (RBS) practitioners have proposed that the Government comply with periodic safety inspections of high-density buildings once every two years, rather than the current practice of once every 10 years.RISM Vice-President Sr Mohd Amin Mohd Din said the provisions under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133) needed to be updated to meet current needs, besides ensuring the safety of premises."The period of compulsory inspection once every 10 years is too long, especially for high-density premises such as schools and welfare homes," he told reporters at the RISM office, here, Monday.ADVERTISEMENT Mohd Amin, who is also an RBS exco member, said this in response to instructions by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who wants both bodies to assess the physical status of all buildings in the country, following the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre in Datuk Keramat, here, last month that claimed the lives of 21 students and two teachers.Welcoming the move, he said building owners should be required to carry out the periodic safety checks.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"The surveyors' inspection and assessment of a building is not only from a security standpoint, but also covers audit of the entire building, including aspects of function, health and safety conditions at the time," said Mohd Amin.He added that safety checks should be conducted each time there was a change of ownership, changes in the function of the premises and renovations carried out.