FIRER SAFETY AND BUILDING EVACUATION REGULATIONS 2006

The Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 2006 came into effect in October 2006. The regulations are more prescriptive on the evacuation scheme approvals process, hazardous substances and warden training programmes.

A building experiencing an emergency situation, particularly a situation which is life threatening to the building's occupants such as a fire, requires the safe evacuation of people from the building by appropriately trained staff.

Building Owners, Property Managers, Occupant Groups and Employers have a legal obligation and moral responsibility to comply with certain legislative requirements that may affect the safety of employees or occupants of buildings, structures and workplaces.

 

WHAT ARE THE CHANGES AND HOW DO THEY AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS?

Fire safety legislation makes it the responsibility of building owners to take fire safety precautions in their buildings including fire evacuation procedures. Some buildings must have in place an evacuation scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service. 

The legislation also requires the occupants of buildings to comply with those precautions and follow the fire evacuation procedures put in place by the building owner and employer. 

Primarily the changes will affect building owners and employers, but it could be anyone who has some control over premises. The main change to the legislation is that building owners and employers must develop an evacuation training programme which must include details of how the permanent occupants are going to be trained and assessed at intervals of not more than 6 months in relation to:

• the matters referred to in regulation 17(b) and (c); and
• the use of any fire extinguishers and hose reels in the building; and
• the use of Building, Floor and Area Wardens equipment to assist occupants to evacuate from the building, once alerted to a fire emergency; and
• the use of any emergency equipment in the building for assisting occupants who are persons with a disability to evacuate from the building.

In addition permanent occupants of the building must receive regular training to ensure they fully understand their roles in managing the evacuation. For some buildings the total evacuation of the occupants will be the most effective method to train for the safe and timely evacuation of the building.

In either case you must appoint a competent person to manage this requirement who is responsible for ensuring that all occupants entitled to be in the building across all shifts undertake trial evacuations, evacuation and fire suppression in the workplace training and assessment programmes.

FIRE EVACUATION SCHEME AND EVACUATION PROCEDURES

Fire & Rescue New Zealand does more than just assist organisations in meeting their legal and moral obligations; we develop, implement and help maintain Fire Evacuation Schemes and Evacuation procedures, we also conduct Workplace Emergency Warden training, trial evacuations and  practical hands-on fire extinguisher training that is customised to the specific requirements of your workplace and liaise with the New Zealand Fire Service, and deal with all the administration and regulatory requirements on your behalf in accordance with the Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 2006, OSH Regulations and AS/NZS 3745-2002.

DOES YOUR SITE COMPLY?

A building emergency can develop from a number of causes: fire, structural fault, bomb threat, gas leak, civil defence emergency, earthquake and others. Emergency procedures are designed to ensure the safety of occupants in any of these happenings  - Australian Standard AS 3745-2002 as amended (Emergency Control Organisations for buildings, structures and workplaces)

Legislation requires the occupants of buildings to comply with those precautions and follow the fire evacuation procedures put in place by the building owner.  In particular:

Section 21B(1) of the Fire Service Act 1975 (the Act), requires owners of relevant buildings to provide and maintain evacuation schemes. The scheme must be designed to enable evacuation from the scene of a fire safely and in a reasonable time.

Regulation 6(1) of the Fire safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 2006 (the Regulations), requires owners of schedule 1 buildings to have evacuation procedures in place for the safe, prompt and efficient evacuation of the buildings occupants in the event of a fire emergency requiring evacuation.

Duty of Care - You and management have a Duty of Care to ensure that staff and other occupants know:

• how to raise the alarm if they discover a fire
• how to contact the fire brigade
• how to use the fire-fighting equipment
• how and where to evacuate the building
• where to assemble and who to report to
• participate in a fire safety and evacuation drill ever six (6) month

TAKING ALL PRACTICAL STEPS

Initial Service:

• Undertake Evacuation Scheme / Evacuation Plan compliance and training needs analysis
• Undertake Warden Identification and Evacuation equipment compliance needs analysis
• Update Fire and Evacuation Scheme / Evacuation Plan to meet the Legislative requirements
• Update Fire and Evacuation standard operating procedures to meet the Legislative requirements
• Provide structured training plan for initial fire suppression equipment and evacuation training
• Conduct initial trial evacuation of workplace with notification of conducted Trial Evacuation
• Provide the New Zealand Fire Service with notification of training, conducted Trial Evacuation

• Inspect Warden Identification equipment and Evacuation Tally Boards
• Conduct 6 monthly trial evacuation of workplace with report of evacuations
• Provide the employer with record of learning for staff and evacuations register for site
• Provide the New Zealand Fire Service with notification of training and conducted trial evacuations

DO YOU AN INDEPENDENT FIRE SAFETY ADVISOR

Let Fire & Rescue New Zealand be your Fire Safety Adviser to enhance the workplace emergency response expertise within your workplace to safely and effectively deal with workplace emergencies. 

Fire & Rescue New Zealand has provided Fire Safety Advisory services to organisations in a variety of industries since 1996.  For a low annual fee, our Fire Safety Advisor service provides following services:

Fire Risk Assessment Service  – Fire & Rescue New Zealand can provide a full Fire Risk Assessment service, using fully qualified and experienced Fire Safety Advisors. Fire & Rescue New Zealand will handle your complete Fire Risk Assessment (Fire Safety Measures, Fire Safety Management and Fire Safety Training) Audits and Report, leaving you to run your business without worrying about compromising the safety of your employees.

• Evacuation Audit – We can conduct an annual "Evacuation Planning, Instruction & Practice" audit in accordance with Fire Safety and Evacuation of Buildings Regulations 2006, OSH Regulations and AS/NZS 3745-2002.

• Evacuation Scheme and Emergency Evacuation Procedures  – We can work closely with management to produce  an integrated, professional and cost effective evacuation procedures unique to your site

• Evacuation Plans, Evacuation Diagrams and notices – We can also provide customised Flip Cards, branded with your corporate logo and containing emergency procedures unique to your site. 

• Evacuation Exercises – Once an Evacuation Scheme has been approved by the NZ Fire Service, regular 6 monthly trial or emergency evacuations are required to be held and documented.

• Emergency Equipment - Advice on what is required i.e. PP and Emergency Equipment to suit your workplace risk and situation.

Fire & Rescue New Zealand can run this process for you, ensuring that the correct procedures are followed before during and after the trial evacuation, including a Briefing and Debrief for all staff, liaising with the NZ Fire Service and submitting a written exercise report on recommendations to all relevant parties.

YOUR INVESTMENT

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