Occupant safety linked to building fire protection checks: ICA and NFIA

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and the National Fire Industry Association (NFIA) have joined forces to remind building owners and managers to ensure they are staying up to date with fire protection safety and maintenance checks for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings.

Fire protection work has been recognised in each state as essential work that must continue even under current restrictions.
The upheaval of the past 18 months and recent lockdowns have made access to buildings by fire protection professionals more difficult because of social distancing requirements and government restrictions.

ICA CEO Andrew Hall said, “Building fire safety maintenance checks by way of inspection and testing is a requirement of many commercial and strata-title building insurance policies, and failure to conduct routine fire protection safety maintenance may affect insurance coverage.”

“People that live, work, or visit a building expect it to be safe, but this can only be assured if fire protection professionals are able to regularly inspect, test, and certify fire related safety equipment which are important components of a building’s risk assessment,” Hall stressed.

NFIA CEO Glen Chatterton said, “By failing to undertake legally required regular inspections, testing, and maintenance, business or property owners could be open to hefty financial risk, fines, safety breaches, and litigation.”

“We’re asking building owners and managers to accommodate fire inspection professionals to allow them to carry out their essential safety checks and repairs to protect the building and its occupants in case of fire,” he added.