Building standards for the construction of buildings are worthless if those standards are not maintained throughout the life of the building. You are required by law to maintain the essential features in buildings to ensure that the safety system or measure will remain at the required operational level.
What are essential safety and health features and measures?
Essential safety and health features include fire and smoke detectors, fire fighting equipment, exit doors and exit signs, emergency lighting, fire escapes, smoke alarms and warning systems and emergency evacuation procedures.
All commercial, public and industrial buildings are included if they contain any essential safety and health feature or measures:
Shops, offices, factories and schools
Places of sleeping accommodation such as a block of flats, units or apartments where there are a number of individual dwellings situated one above the other
Hotels, motels, guest houses and other types of tourist accommodation
Night clubs, cafes, theatres or any other building where the public has access.
Many of these buildings have maintenance requirements under the General Fire Regulations. Maintenance performed under those requirements satisfies the requirements for those aspects under the Building Act.
Owners of a detached dwelling house, units that are not situated one above the other, or outbuildings such as domestic sheds do not have to comply with the requirements.
How do I comply with the Law?
Building owners must maintain any essential health and safety features of their building and any essential safety and health measure necessary to ensure the safety of everyone using their building.
An owner must also keep records of when the maintenance or inspection of each safety feature or measure took place and by whom.