A door that is secure but cannot be opened in a fire is a life-safety problem. In Singapore, the main reference is the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) Code of Practice for Fire Precautions in Buildings, known as the Fire Code. The current edition is the 2023 edition.

The Fire Code addresses access control on exit routes directly. It defines an electromagnetic or electromechanical locking device as a fail-safe device that provides egress access control. Where one is installed on an exit door or exit access door, excluding revolving doors and doors to residential units, the door must meet the requirements set out in the Code’s tables.

Several related points in the Code are worth knowing before you design a layout:

• Locking devices on doors in the escape path have to be connected to the building’s fire alarm system so they release in an emergency. The Code also addresses how that connection may be made, including linking through other systems such as access control or building management systems, so do not assume your access control software can provide the release.
• Locking exit doors is generally restricted. For certain healthcare and detention and correctional occupancies, locking is allowed only with prior SCDF consent.
• Where one-way locking devices or electromagnetic and electromechanical locks are fitted to exit staircase doors, warning signage is needed to tell occupants they cannot re-enter from the stairwell.
• Digital locksets installed on exit or exit access doors have their own provisions.

These are summaries of selected provisions, not a substitute for the Code. Which clauses apply depends on the building, the occupancy type, whether the door is on an escape route and whether it is fire-rated. Your Qualified Person or fire safety consultant should confirm the approach for each door before installation, and your landlord or building management may impose further conditions.

A biometric door access system on the main entrance of a small office, away from the escape route, will face different considerations than one on a staircase door. Identify which doors are exit doors early. Changing a design after the hardware is bought is expensive and, in some cases, not permitted.

A thumbprint lock reads a thumb. A fingerprint lock reads whichever finger is enrolled. In everyday use the terms overlap, and many devices let each user enrol more than one finger.

Asking the MCST council to consider common-area coverage is a legitimate route if corridor safety is your real concern. Whether it succeeds is up to the MCST.

When homeowners feel their security is compromised, they often rush into buying and mounting surveillance equipment. However, making missteps during this process can lead to costly fines, forced removal of your equipment, and strained relations with your neighbors. Be sure to avoid these frequent errors before and during your project:

• Installing First and Asking Later: Mounting a camera without prior authorization is the fastest way to get flagged by property management. You should always secure written approval before any work begins on the property.

• Assuming the Corridor Outside Your Door Is Private: The hallway right outside your main entrance is legally classified as common property. Treating this shared walkway as your own personal zone will likely breach your estate’s structural and aesthetic regulations.

• Pointing the Camera at a Neighbor’s Entrance: Aiming a lens directly at another resident’s front door or private entryway is a major violation of privacy. Your camera should be strictly angled to cover your own immediate doorstep.

• Running Exposed Cables Through Common Areas Without Approval: Leaving loose, unsightly power or data wires dangling along shared corridor walls or ceilings creates an immediate tripping hazard and a visual eyesore that MCST councils will reject.

• Choosing a Wide-Angle Camera When a Narrow View Would Do: Purchasing a fish-eye or wide-angle lens often captures unnecessary footage of the entire floor. Opting for a camera with a narrow field of view helps you focus purely on your entryway while respecting public boundaries.

• Treating the Safety-Equipment Provision as Automatic Permission for Any Camera Anywhere: Misinterpreting local laws to mean you have a blanket right to mount hardware wherever you please is a major legal risk. The safety provision has strict limitations, and it never gives you automatic permission to install CCTV outside condominium units on shared walls without checking building guidelines first.

If you are planning to install CCTV cameras for your home, office, shop, or warehouse, you will often hear the term NVR. Many people feel confused because it sounds technical — but in reality, an NVR (Network Video Recorder) is easy to understand once explained properly.

This guide explains what an NVR is, how it works, why it is important in modern security systems, and how it compares with older DVR systems — all in simple, non-technical language.

Modern NVR (Network Video Recorder) systems offer powerful features that make them reliable and easy to use for homes and businesses. Each feature below explains what the NVR does and how it improves your CCTV system.