Strap yourselves in…this one is contentious!
In Queensland we are legally bound to follow the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 QLD which sets out the compliance requirements pertaining to developing emergency procedure, training wardens and practicing the procedure through evacuation exercises. The Building Fire Safety Regulation clearly stipulates that a Fire Safety Adviser must perform the above functions for a high occupancy building (buildings with more than 30 occupants).
This is directly at odds with the function of the EPC as set down in section 2.2 of AS3745:2010. The Australian Standard (which has no legislative effect in QLD because of the regulation noted above) says that the EPC’s primary function is to develop procedure and arrange for training of wardens etc). To allow a committee of building occupants to develop the procedures and arrange the training is, as such, against the law in this Jurisdiction for a high occupancy building.
Because these two requirements directly contradict each other, we are bound to follow the requirements of the Regulation, not the standard.
However Low Occupancy Buildings and Secondary Occupiers (tenants) are encouraged to facilitate an EPC within their environments to ensure that internal procedures, staff training etc are adequately meeting your site specific needs.
AS3745:2010 says that external consultants should not be a member of an EPC, but called upon by invitation to provide advice and guidance only – so we are happy to help where we can with the EPC process, but can’t be directly involved in running or facilitating the committee per se.
