If you are an owner, or a business or a person, that is occupying, or managing a building in Queensland, you have a legal obligation to ensure the safety of any person in that building in the event of a fire or other emergency.
The QFES has developed The Fire Safety Management Tool for Owner/Occupier to assist owner/occupiers in managing their compliance with the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 (FESA) and the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (BFSR). The Advisory Notes provide further explanation and clarification of terms referenced. It is important to note that these two resources are guides only. Neither document indicates compliance with all requirements of FESA and the BFSR.
As a building owner or occupier, you are also required to ensure that Fire Safety Installations in the building comply with the requirements of Queensland Development Code Mandatory Part (QDC MP) 6.1. It is the building occupier’s responsibility to appoint and train a Fire Safety Adviser for buildings that are classified as high occupancy. A building is classed as High Occupancy if it is:
- Class 2, 3, 5, 6, 7b, 8, 9a or 9b and a workplace where 30 or more workers are normally employed.
- Class 2 or 3 and more than 25 metres in height.
- Licensed premises that have been identified by the Commissioner as at risk of overcrowding.
For more information and to determine if you require a Fire Safety Adviser, refer to the Overview of which building may need to appoint a Fire Safety Adviser*.
The QFES has established a FSA Network to support Fire Safety Advisers.
Information Sheets
The following Information Sheets provide information for Building Owners and Occupiers.
The QFES is empowered to enforce compliance with the legislated fire safety standards which ensures an appropriate level of fire safety is maintained for occupants of buildings and firefighters who attend these buildings under emergency conditions. The QFES through appropriately qualified officers will work with occupiers of buildings to achieve compliance in set timeframes with the issuing of Notice by Commissioner or Requisition by Commissioner which clearly state the areas of non-compliance and the actions to be taken to achieve compliance. Where more serious breaches of the fire safety standard occur, QFES can issue Infringement Notices (fines). The QFES will utilise all options to ensure compliance including prosecution in the Magistrates Court and or a Supreme Court Injunction.
* This Publication was produced prior to the current government.
