BCA Reportable Matters Regulations 2025: Incident Reporting Requirements for Lift Owners

Adrian ChiewOct 30, 2025

If a lift safety device fails at 3 PM on Friday, under the BC(RM) Regulations 2025, you have until 9 PM that same day to report it to BCA—or face penalties for non-compliance.

The Building Control (Reportable Matters) Regulations 2025 establish mandatory reporting timelines for lift incidents and defects, effective from 1 October 2025. These requirements now apply to all commercial and residential buildings with lifts across Singapore.

This guide explains what requires reporting, the critical 6-hour vs. 72-hour timelines, and how to ensure compliance as a building owner or property manager.

If you're looking for information on other BC(FI) Regulations topics, click on the following links to learn more about:

What Are the Building Control (Reportable Matters) Regulations 2025?

The BC(RM) Regulations work alongside the BC(FI) Regulations to create a comprehensive safety framework through mandatory incident reporting. Both regulations took effect on 1 October 2025, fundamentally changing how Singapore manages lift safety across the entire building lifecycle.

Purpose: Early Detection and Prevention

Mandatory reporting enables BCA to identify safety patterns across Singapore's lift population before widespread problems occur. When a manufacturer defect affects multiple buildings, early reporting allows BCA to issue proactive alerts and coordinate manufacturer responses—preventing accidents rather than reacting after they occur.

Consider a scenario without mandatory reporting: a manufacturer defect affects 50 lifts across Singapore, with each building experiencing failures independently. Without coordination, multiple accidents could occur before the pattern is recognized. With mandatory reporting, BCA identifies the pattern quickly from initial reports and issues manufacturer alerts before widespread failures occur.

Who Must Report

Building owners (including MCSTs for condominiums), property managers and managing agents, contractors (lift service and maintenance companies), and consultants (QPs, SPEs, professional engineers) all have reporting obligations.

The obligation arises when any responsible party "becomes aware" of a reportable incident or defect. Multiple parties may be aware simultaneously—all should report. It's better to have duplicate reports than miss the deadline. Property managers and MCSTs typically coordinate reporting while working with maintenance contractors to ensure comprehensive incident documentation.

The Two Reportable Categories

The regulations establish two distinct reporting categories based on incident severity and required response time.

Category 1: Safety Incidents (6-Hour Reporting)

Category 1 covers immediate safety threats including component failures that directly affect safe lift operation, any injuries or fatalities involving fixed installations, and device malfunctions that could cause immediate danger. The reporting deadline is strict: 6 hours from becoming aware of the incident. There are no exceptions, extensions, or grace periods. Critically, the clock starts from awareness time, not incident occurrence time.

Category 2: Systemic Defects (72-Hour Reporting)

Category 2 focuses on investigation-required issues including component defects affecting safety but requiring analysis, patterns of problems across multiple lifts or installations, and critical safety system issues requiring detailed assessment. The extended 72-hour deadline allows for proper investigation, coordination with manufacturers, and systematic documentation before submitting the report.

Category 1: Safety Incidents Requiring 6-Hour Reporting

The BC(RM) Regulations specify six types of safety incidents requiring immediate 6-hour reporting.

1. Speed Monitoring or Limiting Device Failures

Speed monitoring and limiting devices continuously track lift car movement speed and prevent lifts from exceeding safe operating speeds. Reportable failures include situations where the overspeed protection system fails to activate when the lift exceeds safe speed limits, speed sensors malfunction and prevent proper monitoring, speed limiting devices become damaged, bypassed, or non-functional, or testing reveals the speed monitoring system is not responding.

Speed control is fundamental to lift safety. Uncontrolled speed can cause catastrophic accidents, making immediate reporting essential.

2. Door Locking Device Malfunctions

Landing and car door locking devices prevent doors from opening when unsafe, while interlock systems ensure doors cannot open in dangerous situations. The most dangerous malfunction occurs when a door opens while the lift car is not at the landing level. Other reportable malfunctions include lock mechanisms that are physically broken, damaged, or bypassed, electrical or mechanical failures preventing proper door locking, and testing that reveals door safety systems are not functioning properly.

Door interlocks prevent passengers from falling into hoistways—one of the most serious lift-related accident types requiring immediate professional attention.

3. Overspeed Governor Problems

Overspeed governors monitor car speed, identify dangerous overspeed conditions, and trigger safety gear to stop the car when speed limits are exceeded. This is the last line of defense against uncontrolled descent. Report immediately if the governor fails to activate safety gear when overspeed conditions occur, mechanical damage or wear prevents proper governor operation, the governor is incorrectly adjusted or calibrated, or testing reveals the governor system is non-functional.

4. Buffer Failures

Buffers cushion impact if the lift car or counterweight travels too far, providing final protection when other systems fail to stop the car properly. Reportable failures include buffers that fail to absorb energy effectively (compressed, damaged, or bottomed out), structural damage to buffer mounting or support systems, hydraulic buffers leaking fluid or becoming non-functional, and buffers that are completely missing or displaced from their proper position.

5. Fallen Exterior Features

Any components of lift installation that detach, fall, or become dislodged require immediate reporting. This includes hoistway door panels, ceiling panels, wall components, fixtures, fittings, or any debris falling from the lift shaft. Falling objects pose immediate danger to building occupants and may indicate structural problems affecting other building systems.

6. ANY Injuries or Fatalities Involving Fixed Installations

This is the most critical requirement: report ANY injury, regardless of perceived severity, all fatalities regardless of cause, and any person injured including passengers, maintenance personnel, or bystanders.

Examples requiring 6-hour reporting include passengers injured while entering or exiting the lift, persons trapped in lifts who suffer any injury during entrapment, maintenance technicians injured during service work, and building occupants struck by lift-related components. Whether the injury is minor (cuts, bruises, sprains) or serious (fractures, head injuries requiring medical treatment), all must be reported.

Critical requirement: Do not self-assess injury severity. Report ALL injuries regardless of how minor they appear. Even minor injuries may indicate serious underlying safety problems that require investigation.

When the 6-Hour Clock Starts Ticking

Understanding when "becomes aware" applies is crucial for meeting reporting deadlines.

For building owners and property managers, the clock starts when management staff learn of an incident from any source—residents, tenants, visitors, security staff, or contractors. For service contractors, awareness begins when technicians discover issues during maintenance, testing reveals device failures, or emergency call-outs reveal reportable conditions.

Critical timeline examples:

Resident reports at 3:00 PM → Owner "becomes aware" at 3:00 PM → Deadline: 9:00 PM same day
Technician discovers at 10:00 AM → Contractor "becomes aware" at 10:00 AM → Deadline: 4:00 PM same day
Weekend incident at 8:00 PM Saturday → Management aware Sunday 9:00 AM → Deadline: 3:00 PM Sunday

The clock starts from awareness time, not incident occurrence time. Prompt internal communication is essential for meeting these strict deadlines.

Category 2: Systemic Defects Requiring 72-Hour Reporting

Category 2 focuses on broader safety issues requiring investigation and analysis before reporting.

1. Component Defects Affecting Safety

This category covers manufacturing defects discovered in safety-critical components, design flaws that compromise safety performance over time, material failures in critical lift components, and defects that don't cause immediate failure but compromise future safety.

Examples include safety gear manufactured with incorrect specifications discovered during inspection, door locking systems designed with vulnerabilities making them prone to failure, hoisting rope material showing premature degradation due to manufacturing defects, and electronic safety circuits with design flaws creating potential failure modes.

2. Systematic Issues Across Multiple Units

Pattern recognition is key here: the same problem occurring in multiple lifts within a building or across buildings indicates a manufacturer or design issue. For instance, if three lifts in your building experience identical door lock failures within a short timeframe, multiple lifts of the same model show identical safety gear wear patterns, or all lifts from a specific manufacturer batch exhibit the same component defect, these patterns require reporting.

Pattern recognition requires time to identify across multiple incidents and coordination with manufacturers to determine the full scope of the issue.

3. Critical Safety System Failures

Complex system issues involving ACOP (Ascending Car Overspeed Protection) system failures, UCMP (Unintended Car Movement Protection) system failures, PESSRAL (Programmable Electronic Systems) malfunctions, or other multi-component safety system issues fall into this category.

These complex systems require detailed technical investigation and may need manufacturer technical support for proper diagnosis, justifying the extended 72-hour reporting window.

How to Report: Submission Process

BCA provides two reporting methods to ensure incidents can be reported 24/7, including weekends and holidays.

Primary Method: FormSG Online

The primary reporting method uses FormSG with 24/7 online access via the BCA Fixed Installations Regulations webpage at https://www1.bca.gov.sg/regulatory-info/lifts-escalators/lifts-and-escalators-legislation/fixed-installation-regulations. The system is always accessible, including weekends, holidays, and after-hours.

To submit a report, access the FormSG link from the BCA FI Regulations webpage, complete all required fields systematically, upload supporting documentation (photos, maintenance records, certificates), review your submission for completeness and accuracy, submit the form and receive confirmation, then save the confirmation number and email for your records.

Secondary Method: BCA Hotline (1800 342 5222)

Use the BCA hotline when the 6-hour deadline is approaching and you need immediate BCA contact, when serious safety concerns require urgent professional guidance, or when clarification is needed on whether an incident is reportable.

Important: Phone calls do not replace written FormSG reports. You must still submit a formal online report and document all phone call details (time, officer name, advice given).

Required Information for Reports

Your report should include your full name and contact information, mobile phone number and email address, your role or relationship to the building (owner, property manager, contractor, QP/SPE), and company name with professional registration numbers if applicable.

For the incident itself, provide the complete building address and specific lift identification, date and time of incident occurrence and when you became aware, a clear factual description of what happened, components involved and failure mode, and injury documentation if applicable.

Supporting evidence strengthens your report: include photos of the failure condition with date/time stamps, videos showing malfunctions, recent maintenance logs and previous incident records, and contractor technical reports with professional assessments.

Establishing Incident Response Procedures

Building owners should establish clear procedures before incidents occur to ensure timely, compliant reporting.

Designate Responsible Personnel

Appoint a primary incident response coordinator—typically the property manager for commercial buildings or managing agent representative for residential condominiums. This person must have authority to make decisions (including taking lifts out of service and contacting BCA), availability during business hours at minimum, and emergency contact capability for 6-hour incidents occurring after hours.

Equally important is appointing a backup response coordinator. The 6-hour deadline doesn't pause for weekends, holidays, or emergencies. Your backup must have the same level of training, access to emergency contacts, and authority to submit reports.

Create Emergency Contact Information

Prepare a contact sheet listing BCA Reporting (Hotline: 1800 342 5222, FormSG link from BCA FI Regulations page), your primary response personnel (property manager with 24/7 mobile and email, backup manager with same), technical support (lift contractor with 24/7 emergency number, QP/SPE contact details), and building management contacts (managing agent for business and after-hours, security control direct line).

Display this information prominently in your property management office and security control room. Distribute copies to MCST committee members and service contractors.

Basic Incident Response Protocol

When an incident occurs, immediately ensure safety and secure the scene. If passengers are trapped, initiate immediate rescue procedures through your lift contractor's emergency service. If dangerous conditions exist, secure the area and prevent access. For serious injuries, call emergency services (995) immediately. Document the scene with photos and videos before any changes occur.

Take the lift out of service by posting warning signs ("LIFT OUT OF SERVICE - DO NOT USE"), physically preventing access with locks or barriers if necessary, notifying building users immediately, and identifying alternative arrangements.

Determine the incident category by reviewing the 6-hour checklist (speed devices, door locks, governors, buffers, fallen features, any injuries) and the 72-hour criteria (component defects, systematic issues, critical system failures). Contact your lift contractor for technical assessment to help determine reportability.

For 6-hour incidents, call the BCA Hotline (1800 342 5222), submit the FormSG report within 6 hours of becoming aware, and save the confirmation number. For 72-hour defects, conduct a detailed technical assessment with your contractor or QP, gather comprehensive evidence, and submit the FormSG with full technical documentation within 72 hours.

What Happens After You Report

Understanding BCA's response process helps building owners prepare for next steps.

BCA Response Process

For 6-hour safety incidents, BCA safety specialists conduct immediate reviews and determine whether site visits are needed based on incident severity. They assess whether industry alerts are necessary if multiple buildings are at risk, and may conduct on-site inspections, issue stop-work orders, or release industry safety alerts.

For 72-hour systemic defects, BCA engineering specialists conduct technical reviews and perform pattern analysis across other similar reports. They coordinate manufacturer investigations when appropriate and develop industry advisories for widespread issues.

Your Follow-Up Responsibilities

After reporting, keep the lift out of service until safety is confirmed by a qualified professional. Respond promptly to any BCA requests for additional information, and update BCA when corrective measures are completed with evidence of proper repairs.

Maintain comprehensive documentation including original BCA reports with confirmation numbers, all correspondence with BCA throughout the incident response, technical assessments and professional opinions, and corrective action documentation including invoices and certifications.

How Regular Maintenance Prevents Reportable Incidents

Professional maintenance is your first line of defense against reportable incidents. Well-maintained lifts rarely experience the catastrophic failures that trigger mandatory reporting requirements.

Regular maintenance catches component wear before failures occur. Speed monitoring systems, door locks, governors, and buffers all show warning signs before complete failure. Professional technicians identify and address these issues during scheduled maintenance visits, preventing emergency situations that require 6-hour reporting.

BCA-registered contractors like Hin Chong conduct systematic inspections during maintenance that identify potential reportable defects early. This includes recognizing patterns across multiple lifts that might indicate systematic issues requiring 72-hour reporting, catching manufacturing defects during installation or early operation, and maintaining detailed records that support any necessary incident reports.

When incidents do occur, having an established relationship with a professional maintenance contractor ensures prompt, accurate technical assessment. Your contractor can help determine whether an incident is reportable, provide the technical documentation required for BCA reports, and coordinate the professional response needed for incident resolution.

Quick Reference: Reporting Checklists

6-Hour Incident Checklist

Report within 6 hours if ANY of these occur:

Speed monitoring or limiting device failures
Door locking device malfunctions
Overspeed governor problems
Buffer failures
Fallen exterior features
ANY injuries or fatalities (regardless of severity or cause)

Immediate actions: Secure safety and take lift out of service, call BCA Hotline (1800 342 5222), submit FormSG report within 6 hours of becoming aware, document everything and maintain incident file.

72-Hour Defect Checklist

Report within 72 hours if ANY of these are identified:

Component defects affecting safety
Systematic issues across multiple lifts
Critical safety system failures

Investigation process: Conduct technical assessment with qualified professionals, gather evidence (photos, tests, manufacturer consultation), analyze patterns across multiple installations if applicable, submit comprehensive FormSG within 72 hours.

Conclusion

The Building Control (Reportable Matters) Regulations 2025 establish clear, mandatory timelines for reporting lift incidents and defects. Understanding these requirements is essential for compliance: 6-hour reporting applies to immediate safety threats including device failures and all injuries regardless of severity, while 72-hour reporting covers systemic defects requiring professional investigation.

Key takeaways for building owners:

First, understand what's reportable—six incident types trigger 6-hour reporting, three defect types require 72-hour reporting. Second, report ALL injuries, even minor ones, even when equipment doesn't appear to be at fault. Third, establish procedures now by designating responsible personnel and creating emergency contact lists before incidents occur. Fourth, remember "when in doubt, report"—there are no penalties for reporting non-reportable incidents, but significant penalties exist for missing reportable ones.

The reporting clock starts when you "become aware" of the incident, not when it occurred. Prompt internal communication and established procedures are essential for meeting strict deadlines.

Need professional support for incident response and regulatory compliance? Hin Chong provides expert lift maintenance services that help prevent reportable incidents through proactive component monitoring and systematic safety inspections. When incidents do occur, our technical team provides:

Emergency Response & Technical Assessment: 24/7 emergency service for incident evaluation and technical support
Preventive Maintenance Programs: Regular inspections that catch component wear before failures occur
Lift Modernisation Services: Upgrading aging systems with modern safety features to reduce incident risk
Professional Documentation: Comprehensive maintenance records that support regulatory compliance

Our preventive maintenance programs are designed to identify potential issues before they become reportable incidents, helping you maintain safe, compliant lift operations while minimizing emergency situations.

Learn more about our lift maintenance services to support your incident prevention and regulatory compliance needs.

This guide provides comprehensive information based on BC(RM) Regulations 2025. For the most current information and specific technical queries, always consult directly with BCA through their official channels.