With the amount of news coverage and publicity they get, you’d think that smoke alarms are in every building across Victoria.
But, according the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, across Melbourne many homes either don’t have one or the ones they do have don’t work properly. More worryingly, their stats indicate that if you fail to have a working smoke alarm in your home or workplace, it’s 57% more likely that you’ll suffer property damage or loss, 26% more likely that someone will be injured and a whopping FOUR times the likelihood of death.
For all commercial premises, and, depending on the type of business you’re operating, the requirements for your site to have what’s known as ‘essential safety measures’ comes into force. These safety measures are contained within the Certificate of Occupancy for the building and must be on display in an accessible spot so anyone can read them.
In addition, the smoke alarms and all other fire equipment must be regularly inspected and maintained by a qualified professional in order for the building to remain compliant, with the option of replacing old alarms with photoelectric smoke alarms. Careful attention must also be paid to ensuring all systems are accessible for people living with a disability.
Navigating the rules and regulations of smoke alarms in commercial buildings can be difficult, but our friendly expert team is here to help! If you have any questions about smoke alarms in Victoria or want to know more about regular scheduled maintenance and inspection, simply give us a call.
