bad workmanship, defective or inferior quality
materials used, negligence, etc.)
Building Delivery (CFO/CCC) Stage
a) Certifying without checking/visiting the project
There have been a number of complaints from
Local Authorities that the Submitting Person who
signed the Form E for the application of a CFO had
done so without visiting the site and some did
not even know the location of the site for small
projects in rural areas.
The case of the structural failure of
Government housing flats (a prefab system from
a Korean company) is an example where the
local consultant certified Form E without active
involvement in the project.
change and it is not noticeable to authority.
Examples of such failures are the Singapore
New World Hotel collapse in 1986 and Korea’s
Sampoong building in 1995, where changes to the
use of the buildings introduced extra loading due
to air conditioner units, water tanks, exterior tiling,
raised floors, etc.
Recommendation
a) Strengthen UBBL to make it a requirement to
submit structural plans to the Local Authority
for endorsement of any renovation that incurs
extra loading. This will imply the engagement
of an engineer as only a PE can sign on the
structure plan. Since it is only to deposit the
plan with Local Authority, it does not impose
any bureaucracy in the process.
Recommendation Maintenance and Management Stage
a) Regular reminders to PEs on their responsibility
and accountability when certifying works and
publicise cases in BEM publications or press
conferences by the BEM/Minister. a) Incompetent technical personnel handling
refurbishment and or repair structural works
b ) Take stern action against PEs who do not act
professionally or ethically.
c ) The contractor’s column in all Form Gs where
contractor column appears, must be signed
by the contractor’s company director and the
site manager jointly.
d) Take stern action against individuals (e.g.
directors and site/project managers) of
contracting companies that act irresponsibly
or fraudulently.
Extension and Renovation Works
a) Performing extension or renovation works
without checking on design capacity of structure
This is a common feature whereby an owner
renovates a structure without the engagement
of an engineer to check against its carrying
capacity due to additional loading. Certain internal
renovations need not require approval from a Local
Authority even if it involves extensive material
Repair or refurbishment works are of ten
overlo oke d from the s truc tur al s afet y
aspect whereby works are often carried out
by incompetent supervisors or left to the
contractors themselves. In the case of the
Johor Bahru Lumba Kuda 16-storey flats’ roof, a
500,000 litre pressed steel water tank collapsed
in 1993 killing a youth and damaging several
cars, and residents were forced to move out for
a day. Although the tank was just repaired by
replacing new struts, the corroded cleats joining
the strut and the tank plate were not replaced.
Hacking and re-joining the struts and the plate
made the joints weaker and they failed two
weeks after the completion of the repair. The
technical assistant, as the most senior technical
officer from Jabatan Perumahan Negeri had no
proper training or experience to pre-empt such
risk and relied upon contractor’s experience to
do a proper job.
Recommendation
a) Repair of structural elements should be
managed by qualified technical personnel. For
complicated structures or slopes, PEs must be
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