Essential Safety Measures Identification

Essential Property Services staff are well versed in essential safety measures identification for all types of buildings in Western Australia under current regulations and Section I Maintenance Building Code of Australia.

In Western Australia there are no specific essential safety measures provisions other than those described in Part I1 of the BCA, for new buildings. General building control matters are regulated by the Building Codes and Regulations Branch of the Department of Housing and Works who administer the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1960 and the Building Regulations 1989.

However, most State building regulations currently make it mandatory for building owners to establish the essential safety measures installed in their building.

Establishment of the essential safety measures ensures that when an inspection, maintenance and reporting system is developed, that the outcome is in compliance with the State's regulations. Various States, including Western Australia, have nominated the Building Code of Australia, Section I - Maintenance, Essential Safety Measures - maintenance manual as their principal essential safety measures. Other elements can also be nominated as essential safety measures under their local regulations, while at other times performance solutions under the building approval system result in essential safety measures being created and nominated. Essential safety measures in the main are nominated in State based regulatory forms issued by Building Surveyors/Certifiers.

The following are typical essential safety measures that may be installed in a building depending on the buildings essential safety measures age, classification, type of construction, height, floor area and maintenance determination or maintenance schedule:

Essential Safety Measures Table

A number of the above essential safety measures items appear in Australian Standard AS 1851-2005 Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment.