Essential Safety Measures
ESM Inspections
There are many different types of Essential Safety Measures (ESMs) that require inspection and servicing on a regular basis. Essential safety measures apply to all buildings apart from a private residence or outbuilding.
A list of the most common ESMs can be found on the Victorian Building Authority website, but this is not all of them!
Services DFEM Can Provide
WHY DO I NEED TO MAINTAIN E.S.M's?
ESMs that are not maintained, can put anybody in or near your site at risk if an emergency occurs. Well maintained ESMs ensure :
- occupants have more time to exit a building,
- adjoining buildings and their occupants are less likely to be impacted, and
- emergency services have a greater chance of dealing with the emergency in a prompt and safe manner.
This helps to ensure the primary goal of
zero harm!
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR E.S.M's?
The regulations provide only one answer to this question, and that is the building owner is responsible for the maintenance
of all ESMs.
Lease agreements may try to pass on the costs of the maintenance to tenants, but ultimately, if servicing and inspections are not conducted the owner is legally responsible.
Take a look at the VBA’s fact sheet for more information.
WHAT E.S.M's DO I HAVE ON MY SITE?
Your Occupancy Certificate, signed off by a registered surveyor, will state all of the emergency safety features in your building that require inspection and service.
The certificate will also state the National Construction Code section or Australian Standards the safety features are required to be maintain to.
If your building was erected before 1994, you may not have an Occupancy Certificate. If that is the case, a registered building surveyor will be able to create a Maintenance Determination outlining your site’s requirements.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T MAINTAIN MY E.S.M's?
If ESMs are not maintained, you will not be providing a safe environment for anyone in or around you site.
If your site is audited by the authorities, fines can apply! Infringement notices can be issued by your Council or the Fire Authority and can amount to over $35,000 for an individual and over $245,000 for companies.
You may also find that you are not covered fully by your insurance.
WHEN DO MY E.S.M's GET INSPECTED AND MAINTAINED?
Different ESM’s are required to be inspected and maintained on different schedules. Most inspections take place on a six monthly and annual basis, such as fire extinguishers and exit lights, while others require more frequent visits, such as alarm panels and sensors and fire pumps.
The date on your occupancy certificate will determine when ESM visits are required. For example if your certificate is dated in April, all future visits need to be scheduled from this date.
Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world and things can get in the way of conducting inspections on time. Luckily Australian Standards have some leniency’s build in. Table 1.11(b) in AS1851-2012 tells us the following plus or minus tolerances :
- three monthly visits – 10 working days
- six monthly – one month
- yearly (annual) two months
If a visit is late, the original schedule still needs to be maintained. Remember, we get our schedule dates from the Occupancy Certificate, NOT the date of the last inspection.