There are few disasters as terrifying as outbreaks of fire. Fire can start slowly, spread rapidly and cause extreme devastation. So, it’s always essential for building owners to understand and follow fire compliance regulations to make their buildings as safe as possible.
Fortunately, following fire safety regulations isn’t that difficult. Most steps are very straightforward and can be done efficiently in a short timeframe. Plus, these small measures could end up saving lives.
It’s difficult for people who have never faced fire incidents to fully realise the gravity of how damaging fires can be, and some people may think that if a fire hasn’t broken out before, then it won’t in the future. But, you should absolutely always do whatever you can to prevent future disasters - regardless of if you’ve experienced them personally or not.
It goes without saying that fire can cause extreme damage to people, property and lives. Sometimes small fires cause damage that can be easily fixed, but sometimes the damage can never be repaired.
Fire compliance regulations and fire safety rules are set to prevent fires as much as possible. Everyone, from building owners to residents, should do everything they can to stay safe.
Additionally, you may be required by NZ law to uphold certain aspects of fire safety, and you could face penalties if you put your building’s staff, residents and guests in danger.
What can you do to be safe from fires? Following these steps could help you maximise the safety of your building and your people:
Have A Fire Safety Report Conducted. A fire safety report involves a qualified person coming and checking your building’s fire engineering. They’ll examine if your structure has the components it needs to deal with a fire.
This is one of the best things you can do to determine if your building is safe. A qualified person will have the knowledge needed to inspect your building and give you good advice about what to do regarding any fire compliance issues they find.
Once they’re done, they can provide you with a written report of their findings. Remember to keep a copy of the report!
Conducting regular inspections is already a good idea for the safety of your building, regardless of fire-specific problems. Be sure to responsibly keep your building warrant of fitness up to date as this states that the specified systems on site have been inspected and maintained for the last 12 months and are in operating order.
Ensure All Of Your Fire-Related Tools And Devices Are Functional. Every building has some things put in place to deal with fires. For example, your building probably has fire extinguishers ready and a sprinkler system to drench fires. Please make sure your fire-control items and devices aren’t expired and are functioning well.
You should also ensure that all of your staff members know how to use a fire extinguisher if they ever need one.
Create A Fire Evacuation Scheme. In many circumstances, you are required to have a fire evacuation procedure in case of fire. This procedure is designed to highlight how people can safely and efficiently exit the area in case of fire. Without fire compliance and procedures set in place, there could be mass confusion and panic, which could lead to serious injuries.
Be sure to have a publicly available diagram of your building’s fire evacuation route displayed in your building. Make sure this diagram is easy to see and very easy to understand.
You can find more information about a fire evacuation scheme here.
Some of the listed criteria to note are:
Keep Exits Clear. Always keep your fire exits clear. You should never obscure your fire exits, even temporarily. Fires can be extremely sudden, and if a fire starts and your fire exit is obstructed, it could cause serious issues for the people trying to escape.
Take Precautionary Measures. Make sure your employees know what to do if a fire ever happens (and this can be site specific) This can involve holding meetings to discuss fire compliance procedures and answer any questions anyone has.
This can also involve teaching everyone how to easily use a fire extinguisher if they ever need to and pointing out the fire evacuation route that should be clearly displayed around the building.
If you get the right help and follow smart fire safety rules, you should significantly reduce the chance of fire in any event you host in your building. Even if a fire were to occur, everyone would be safer due to the procedures set in place.
Our team at Compliant Consultants would love to help you fully maximise your building’s potential. We help New Zealand building owners by offering our services, including our fire evacuation services.
Would you like our help? Call us today at 0800 325 435 to reach us.
Compliance Consultants is here to make New Zealand buildings safer.