Essential Safety Measures – Are They Important?
It was only months ago the de
vastating building fire took place in North Kensington (London) taking several lives and leaving many homeless. Theories as to why the fire escalated so quickly are still being discussed, blaming features such as the cladding and inadequate safety procedures. The cladding had come under serious scrutiny with experts stating a more fire-resistant type could have been used.
The tragedy in London prompted many to recall the events of the fire at Melbourne’s Docklands in 2014 which sparked an investigation into the cladding on the building. Following a review of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade’s (MFB) report on the incident, it had found that the cladding had not been tested to comply with Australian standards. Both events stress the importance of a regulatory system that has the confidence of both the community and the building industry, for not only physical safety but peace of mind.
As the owner of the building, you are responsible for its ongoing maintenance and implementation of safety procedures. It is also your responsibility to ensure that an Essential Safety Measures (ESM’s) program is available at your building. ESM’s are vital for the life, safety and health of people over a building’s duration and maintaining the program will help to ensure:
- the safe evacuation of all occupants of a building in an emergency
- control any life-threatening situations that may develop
- that your main asset (i.e. building and equipment) can be saved in the case of a fire
- that all exits and paths of travel to exits are maintained and kept clear of all obstructions
- there is some protection against litigation and potential insurance claims.
SPI offers an Essential Safety Measures Program to help building owners with their essential safety measures obligations. In this 5-step process, we help you establish a maintenance program that will assist in understanding your essential safety measures requirements. For more information regarding what’s involved in our service, click here.
To obtain a quote, we require the following information:
- A copy of the occupancy permit
- Address of the property
- Year the building was built
- Size of property (square metres)
- Number of levels
- Use of the buildings (E.g. Office, retail, warehouse)
- Anniversary date from Annual Essential Safety Measure report
- Any documentation that may be relevant including a Floor Plan, Electrical Plan, or correspondence from MFB or council.
It is essential that you meet your compliance obligations. Contact SPI Property Inspections for a quick free quote or phone us directly on 1300 721 032.
