Technical
Legal obligations?

Building owners and managers have specific responsibilities for maintaining essential safety measures under the Building Act Focus Audits Solutions and Engineering (FASE) can assist you to meet them all.

  1. Building Act and Safety Measures: Under the Building Act (or similar legislation in various countries), building owners and managers are often required to maintain essential safety measures within their properties. These safety measures may include fire safety equipment, emergency exits, fire-resistant construction materials, and more. The specific requirements and standards for safety measures can vary based on the type of building and its usage.
  2. Government Regulations: Government regulations regarding fire and safety in buildings are generally strict and demanding to ensure public safety and prevent potential disasters. Compliance with these regulations is crucial for all building owners and managers.
  3. Compliance Requirements: Building owners are legally obligated to comply with the prescribed safety standards and regulations. Failure to meet these requirements can lead to serious consequences.
  4. Consequences of Non-Compliance: If a building owner fails to comply with fire and safety regulations, several potential consequences may arise:
    • Jeopardized Building Insurance: Non-compliance might invalidate the building's insurance policy, leaving the owner financially responsible for any damages or losses resulting from a fire or safety incident.
    • Penalties and Fines: Government authorities can impose penalties and fines for non-compliance. The severity of these penalties can vary based on the jurisdiction and the seriousness of the violation.
    • Legal Liability: Non-compliance could lead to legal liabilities if someone is injured or killed due to safety violations. In such cases, the building owner may be held accountable for damages and face potential lawsuits.

To avoid these risks and ensure compliance, building owners often seek assistance from Focus Audits Solutions and Engineering (FASE) which specialize in providing services to meet safety standards and regulations.

The owner of a building is required to comply with the following
  • Regulations 1008:
  • Regulations 1209:
  • Regulations 1204:

FASE professional expertise can help you to minimise fire risk and maximise safety at all your sites at considerable savings to you by taking the responsibility off your shoulders - made possible from experience and economies obtained across a broad customer base.

We offer
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
in the Application of Codes, Standards, Regulations and Practices Relating to Fire & Safety
Standards Application of
Codes Regulations &
Practices
Fire Protection Association Australia
www.fpaa.com.au
Victorian Building Authority
www.vba.vic.gov.au
Victorian Legislation (Building Act 1993, Building Regulations 2006)
www.legislation.vic.gov.au
Work safe Victoria
Victorian Workcover Authority (VWA)
Australian Building Codes Board
The Australian Building Codes Board
Fire Rescue Victoria
Fire Rescue Victoria
We believe in establishing
SOUND & RESPECTFUL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS
with Building Managers and Owners Alike
Owners Building
Managers
  • What is a certificate of occupancy?
    The building surveyor who issues the building permit carries out building inspections and issues an occupancy permit or a certificate of final inspection (as applicable) on completion of your building work. You need an occupancy permit before a building can be occupied if the building permit states that one is required. Building work for a new home (including units or apartments) will always require an occupancy permit to be issued. It is an offence to occupy a new home that does not have an occupancy permit. Occupancy permits also play an important role in establishing the start date for builders’ warrantees and, often, when the builder gets final payment. They are only issued when the building work is complete. If you’re unsure of what Essential Safety Measures are required to be maintained in your building, contact us on +61 3 9854 7300. Focus Audits Solutions and Engineering(FASE) can arrange a site inspection to identify what is required to be maintained, and provide a detailed quotation.
  • What is a Fire Engineering Report(FER)?
    Fire Engineering Report(FER) is a document that describes the design principles and performance solutions for a building with regard to fire safety. The FER is used by all stakeholders throughout the planning, design, product & finish selection, construction & installation methods, commissioning, functional testing and ongoing maintenance of both passive and active fire safety strategies employed within the building. In the FER, it will also be outlined that should there be any changes to the building such as a change in use or layout, the FER will need to be reviewed and its validity confirmed by an accredited Fire Safety Engineer.
  • Why is my fire equipment inspected so regularly?
    Australian Standards require all fire equipment gets serviced at regular intervals set by the Australian Standards. Fire equipment needs to be maintained by accredited service providers to ensure if the need arises, the equipment will be ready for use. Having these services completed at the correct intervals and repairing any defects confirms you are meeting your requirements.
  • Do I need to maintain my building's Essential Safety Measures (ESM)?
    When the construction of a Class 2-9 building is complete, owners are responsible for ensuring that its safety features are maintained regularly. The building’s Certificate of Occupancy outlines which ESMs require maintenance, including the frequency and detail of servicing.
  • Whats critical defect really mean?
    Referenced initially in Australian Standard AS 1851:2012 a critical defect is a form of defect or fault that renders a system or item of equipment inoperative or is likely to render the system or item of equipment inoperative placing a one or more people at significant risk (death or injury) or an asset (or building) at significant risk (loss or damage) of from fire or related emergency. Australian Standard AS 1851 introduced the terms non-conformance, non-critical defect and critical defect in the 2012 edition of the Standard.
  • What is an emergency plan and why it is required?
    An emergency plan is a written set of instructions that outlines what workers and others at the workplace should do in an emergency. An emergency plan specifies procedures for handling sudden or unexpected situations. The objective is to be prepared to prevent fatalities and injuries. Reduce damage to buildings, stock, and equipment. An emergency plan must provide for the following:
    • Emergency procedures, including: − an effective response to an emergency − evacuation procedures − notifying emergency service organisations at the earliest opportunity − medical treatment and assistance, and − effective communication between the person authorised to coordinate the emergency response and all people at the workplace.
    • Testing of the emergency procedures—including the frequency of testing, and information, training and instruction to relevant workers in relation to implementing the emergency procedures.
  • What is a block plan? why its is required?
    A block plan is a type of document and form of baseline data set out in a number of Australian Standards such as AS 1670, AS 2118 and AS 2419 to provide information to first responders, building owners, managers and maintenance providers to communicate important aspects of the design, operation and location of fire safety measures, systems and equipment in buildings. A block plan is typically A3 (297mm x 420mm) or greater in size so as to effectively communicate its contents and the fire safety features of a building. A block shall be suitably protected so they remain legible and resist deterioration from ongoing handling and use. Bock plans are generally either a Sprinkler Block Plan or a Hydrant System Block Plan.