Queensland Fire Safety Regulations
BY: JUDY CARTER
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One of the "hottest" topics in QLD at the moment, is the new Fire Safety Regulations. How will this affect you? Why were the tighter and much tougher regulations introduced?
Answering the second question first, it was the inquest into the Childers Backpackers Hostel where the deaths of 15 people have now had a profound effect on our regulations into the future. If you live in a building more than 25 meters high (this will exclude stand-alone houses and townhouses) then you need to take the "quiz" below. These are the questions you have to answer "yes" to:
- Does your building have a fire and evacuation plan?
- Does your plan exist in written form?
- Is there a certificate of classification displayed on common property for your building?
- Is there a designated assembly area for evacuees?
- Is there an evacuation plan and assembly area in any tenanted lot in your building?
- If your building is over 25 meters high do you have a fire safety officer?
- Does your fire safety plan incorporate the locations of fire equipment and manual alarms?
- Do you have an annual evacuation drill and keep records of all drills?
- Is there a log-book on site recording equipment inspections by an appropriately qualified person?
- Do all fire doors have unrestricted access to common areas for evacuation?
The Changes will come into effect on July 1st 2009. Queensland Fire and Safety have indicated that the changes to the legislation are focussing on lifting the standards relating to fire safety and fire equipment compliance so that tragedies like those at Childers will never happen again.
