Singapore legislation
Clause 65
of Gas Bill
Clause 65
Notified escapes of gas
(1)
Where any gas escapes from any gas service pipe or gas main of a gas transporter, or from any internal pipe, gas fitting or gas appliance used by a consumer to whose premises gas is conveyed by the gas transporter, the gas transporter shall —
immediately after being informed of the escape, take necessary steps to prevent the gas from escaping (whether by disconnecting any premises or otherwise); and
take any other steps necessary to avert danger to life or property.
(2)
If a gas transporter —
fails, within a reasonable time after being so informed, to effectively prevent the gas from escaping; or
fails to comply with subsection (1)(b),he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000.
(3)
In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2)(a), it shall be a defence for the gas transporter to prove that —
it was not reasonably practicable for it to effectively prevent the gas from escaping; and
it did effectively prevent the escape as soon as it was reasonably practicable for him to do so.
(4)
In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2)(b), it shall be a defence for the gas transporter to prove that it took all such steps to avert danger to life or property as were reasonably practicable.
(5)
It shall be the duty of any gas transporter or gas retailer to take all steps necessary to ensure that, if it is informed by any person (“the informant”) of an escape of gas (other than one, in the case of a gas transporter, that it is required by subsection (1) to prevent), it passes the information on, without avoidable delay —
to a responsible person, that is to say, a person appearing to it —
to be responsible (whether under this section or otherwise) for preventing the escape; or
to be the gas transporter from whose gas pipeline network, the gas is escaping; or
to a person nominated by a responsible person to receive information about escapes of gas on his behalf.
(6)
For the purposes of subsection (5)(b), there shall be sufficient compliance if the gas transporter or gas retailer is reasonably satisfied that the informant has passed on the information, without avoidable delay, to the nominated person.
(7)
For the purposes of subsections (5) and (6), references to the passing on of information to a nominated person are references to the passing on of information to that person in such manner, if any, as may be specified by the responsible person by whom that person was nominated.