Mass Rapid Transit :: SINGAPORE ::

Safety/Security on the MRT

To make sure that safety and security are not compromised on the MRT, many measures have been taken.

Emergency Equipment

At all MRT stations and trains, many forms of equipment are installed to aid commuters in the event of an emergency. These equipment include the Emergency Stop Plunger (North South Line and East West Line stations), the Emergency Train Stop (North East Line stations), the Emergency Telephone, the passenger intercom at General Ticketing Machines (North East Line stations), fire extinguishers, the Emergency Stop Button on escalators, and the Emergency Detrainment Ramp.

These equipment ensure that in an emergency situation, passengers on board the trains and on the platform can be evacuated as quickly as possible, and the train can be stopped almost immediately for evacuation.

Announcements

The responsibility of ensuring the safety and security on the MRT stations and trains does not lie on the MRT staff alone, but also on the commuters as well. Their cooperation is required in order to make the MRT and the ride itself a safe and enjoyable one.

This is achieved through the frequent announcements in the stations and trains. These announcements include reminders to “stand behind the yellow line” when waiting for the train to arrive, to “mind the platform gap” when boarding the train, and to “inform the staff or call 999 (Singapore Police Force)” when a suspicious article is left unattended.

These announcements help to ensure that the commuters do not endanger their lives or expose themselves to bomb threats, preventing them from harm.

The Yellow Line

There have been a few accidents whereby commuters attempt suicide by jumping onto the tracks or get run over by a train after accidentally falling onto the tracks, after crossing the yellow line which acts as a safety barrier.

To protect commuters, the yellow line is installed at all elevated stations to prevent such accidents from occurring. Commuters can be fined up to S$500 if they cross the yellow line before the train has stopped, or up to S$5000 if they are caught on the tracks.

Safety announcements reminding passengers not to step across the yellow line are played whenever the train is about to arrive. These announcements are played in 4 main languages: English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. The English version is as follows: "Your attention please, for your own safety, please stand behind the yellow line. Thank you."

Platform Screen Doors

Platform screen doors by Westinghouse (a member of the Knorr-Bremse Group) are installed at all underground MRT stations. Singapore's MRT system was the first heavy rail system in the world to incorporate the platform screen doors at its stations in 1987. These doors serve to prevent commuters from attempting suicides, enable climate control within the station (better ventilation and air conditioning), better security control as access to the tunnels and tracks is restricted, and for passenger safety considerations.

There are 2 series of the platform screen doors in use. The first series, installed at the underground stations along the North South Line and the East West Line (except Changi Airport station), have been in use since 1987. These cost about S$1 million per platform. The latest series of platform screen doors, featuring a sleeker design and incorporating more glass, are installed at the Changi Airport station and all stations along the North East Line in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

All MRT stations are equipped with many recordable digital CCTV systems. As the staff are able to monitor the commuters’ movement, this ensures their safety. At the same time, the risk of a terrorist attack is also minimized, as suspicious characters who might pose a danger to commuters will be caught on the CCTV system.

The MRT stations located in the Central Business District, such as Orchard MRT station, offer tighter security by equipping the MRT station with many CCTV cameras so that there are no blind spots.

Fire Safety

Every MRT station is carefully designed to reduce the risk of a fire breakout. The MRT abides by strict guidelines for enhancing fire safety.

This includes emergency exits made available within every 600m, an emergency evacuation time of maximum 6 minutes, as well as fire extinguishers in all stations.

As for the trains, all North East Line trains are equipped with smoke detection systems and most carriages have at least one fire extinguisher stored in a side compartment.

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