SINGAPORE — After a string of fires sparked by personal mobility devices (PMDs), the authorities are ratcheting up measures to put a lid on the menace.

They will bring forward by six months a deadline for all vehicles to meet UL2272, a safety standard that will reduce the risk of fires, and make it mandatory for registered electric scooters to be inspected from April next year.

Delivering a ministerial statement on PMDs in Parliament on Monday (Aug 5), Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) would require PMD users to ensure their devices comply with the UL2272 standard by July 1, 2020 — half a year before the original deadline of Jan 1, 2021.

The LTA adopted the UL2272 standard in September last year to improve fire safety. It also mandated that all devices sold from last month be UL2272-certified.

UL2272 evaluates devices at the “system level”, which means it covers the full spectrum of use conditions, instead of assessing only individual parts, thus significantly lowering the risk of fires. Certification entails a series of electrical, mechanical and environmental tests.

Singapore remains the only country around the globe to impose “such a rigorous fire-safety requirement” for electric scooters, Dr Lam said.

The earlier deadline of July 1, 2020 was “a reasonable” one that will also give retailers time to get hold of enough stock of certified devices, he added.

Dr Lam acknowledged that the authorities could have simply banned devices that were not UL2272-certified.

“But retailers and users who had just bought such PMDs pleaded for some grace period,” he noted.

But even with the grace period, many retailers complained bitterly about the adverse impact on business, Dr Lam said. Users, too, were disgruntled about having to give up their PMDs that were still in working condition, and having to fork out significantly higher amounts for UL2272-certified vehicles, he added.

Notwithstanding these concerns, the recent fire incidents meant that the LTA had to take further steps to deal with the situation and bring forward the deadline, he said.

When pressed by Members of Parliament (MPs), including Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency), on why the authorities did not impose an immediate ban on uncertified devices over safety concerns, Dr Lam said many Singaporeans rely on such vehicles not only for daily commutes, but for their livelihoods.

Banning uncertified devices would “impose a lot of hardship and inconvenience to many Singaporeans”, he said.

MANDATORY INSPECTION

As for the mandatory-inspection regime, the LTA will schedule all registered electric scooters that were declared UL2272-certified by users for inspection from April 1 next year.

The authorities made it compulsory for riders of electric scooters to register their vehicles by June 30. So far, 90,000 electric scooters have been registered, with only 10 per cent declared UL2272-compliant. This means nine in 10 do not adhere to the standard, Dr Lam said.

The LTA will also, from April 2020, require all new electric scooters to receive the all-clear for the UL2272 certification, as well as for width, weight and speed, before they can be registered.

Electric scooters cannot exceed 20kg and a width of 70cm, and must have their speed capped at 25kmh before they can be used on public paths. The speed limit is 10kmh on footpaths and 25kmh on shared pathways, such as cycling paths and park-connector networks. 

On the frequency of inspections, Dr Lam said in response to a question from Dr Lee Bee Wah, an MP for Nee Soon GRC, that the authorities are working this out. He noted that PMDs have a lifespan of two or three years, and the considerations would include whether regular inspections would be necessary or cost-effective. 

Dr Daniel Goh, a Non-Constituency MP with the Workers’ Party, asked if the Government or owners will bear the inspection costs. Dr Lam answered that the LTA was ironing out the details and would make an announcement soon.

WHY NOW?

The measures come on the heels of a string of fires blamed on PMDs. All fires so far have involved devices that were not UL2272-certified, Dr Lam said.

They may also have been the result of “inappropriate charging practices”, such as using incompatible chargers, overloading sockets or charging near flammable materials, Dr Lam said.

On July 22, a fire gutted a flat in Ang Mo Kio, forcing the evacuation of about 60 people. It was traced to a PMD in the kitchen of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat.

Four days earlier, a fire broke out in a high-rise HDB flat in Bukit Batok, resulting in the death of a 40-year-old man. Scores of residents were also evacuated from their homes in the early hours of the morning. Two electric scooters were to blame.

In the first half of this year alone, there were 49 reported fires linked to PMDs. This number is comparable to 52 such fires reported in the whole of last year.  

ASSUAGING COST CONCERNS

Acknowledging concerns over the costs of switching to UL2272-certified devices, Dr Lam said the LTA will work with food-delivery firms to offer riders more attractive rental rates. The companies have announced their commitment to helping riders convert to — or rent — certified vehicles, he noted. 

“I strongly urge all users and owners of the non-UL2272-certified PMDs to switch them out as soon as possible,” Dr Lam said.

“They can be a fire risk if you still keep and charge them at home. These devices should be properly and safely disposed of as soon as possible.” 

The transport authorities are studying ways to encourage users to discard these devices early, Dr Lam said, adding that they will announce more details later. 

The LTA is also teaming up with the National Environment Agency to ensure the uncertified devices may be discarded safely and conveniently. It did not give details of this plan.

Dr Lam warned that users who modify the electrical system of a UL2272-certified device would render its certification invalid. UL2272 cuts off charging automatically once a vehicle’s battery is fully charged, thus avoiding the risk of overcharging — a cause of fires.

Users should also refrain from adding battery packs, which could affect the circuitry and safety of the device. 

“While UL2272 is a rigorous standard, users still have a part to play by adopting safe-charging practices,” Dr Lam said.