SINGAPORE — Home owners must have a residual current circuit breaker installed in their homes from July 1, said the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Friday (May 12).

The residual current circuit breaker is an electrical safety device that cuts off the electricity supply immediately upon detecting current leakages that may lead to an electric shock. 

Current leakages are caused by ageing or exposed wires, faulty electrical appliances, as well as damaged insulation. The residual current circuit breaker is an essential protective device to prevent electric shocks.

A grace period of two years from July 1 will be given to home owners to install the device. The requirement is applicable to all residential premises.

HOMES BUILT BEFORE 1985

Since July 1985, all new electrical installations including those in new homes built have been required to have a residual current circuit breaker installed. Before this, all homes, including HDB flats and private housing, were provided with fuses to protect against current overload in circuits and appliances. 

"Over the years, most residential premises would have undergone renovations, and had their electrical circuits rewired and installed with a residual current circuit breaker in line with this requirement," said EMA and HDB. 

However, there remains a small percentage of homes built before July 1985 that may be using their original electrical circuits without the device installed. 

"To enhance (the) electrical safety of these premises, it is hence necessary to introduce this requirement," said the authorities. 

Responding to CNA's queries, HDB said that about 1.3 per cent of the one-room and two-room flats completed in and before 1985 are not installed with residual current circuit breakers. 

An estimated 83 such units will be installed with residual current circuit breakers during this exercise. 

For three-room and larger flats completed in the same period, about 2 per cent do not have the device or have residual current circuit breakers that do not protect the whole flat. 

There are about 6,400 such units islandwide.

In a separate reply, an EMA spokesperson said while there were no figures for private residential premises without residual current circuit breakers, it is expected that the proportion should be low. 

"Owners of private residential premises would have over the years been likely to have renovated their premises (and carried out re-wiring works) since the 1985 regulations requiring the installation of residual current circuit breakers were introduced."

For HDB flats built before July 1985, EMA will be notifying home owners to install the device in their homes if it has not been done.

Private home owners will also be notified to check and install a residual current circuit breaker if they do not already have one. 

SUBSIDIES FOR HDB FLATS

To provide support to lower-income households without the device, HDB has been carrying out the installation for home owners of one- and two-room HDB sold flats completed in and before 1985. 

The cost of the installation and necessary rewiring works for these flats are fully funded by the government, said EMA and HDB. 

For three-room and larger flat types completed in and before 1985 and do not have the device installed, HDB will be writing to these home owners to share more information on an assistance programme. 

Under the programme, the Government will subsidise up to 95 per cent of the cost of the installation and necessary rewiring works.

HDB said the installation exercise will take about two years.

Private home owners can engage a licensed electrical worker at go.gov.sg/rccb-lew for installation works.

GRACE PERIOD AND FINE 

All residences will be given a two-year grace period from Jul 1 to meet the requirement. 

After the grace period, EMA or its appointed agent will conduct random enforcement checks, focusing on pre-1985 private homes as well as selected pre-1985 flats. 

Any homes found without a residual current circuit breaker will be issued a written warning and given another eight weeks to install one.

Under the Electricity (Electrical Installations) Regulations, the penalty for non-compliance is a fine of up to S$5,000. 

Home owners found with a faulty residual current circuit breaker in their homes will not be penalised. 

"All home owners are encouraged to test their residual current circuit breaker regularly to ensure that it is in good working condition," said EMA and HDB. 

If they suspect that their residual current circuit breaker is faulty, they should engage a licensed electrical worker to conduct further checks, and have it replaced. 

HDB flat owners may contact HDB if they need help to locate their residual current circuit breakers to conduct the checks. CNA