ESM Inspections

When the construction of a building is complete, the owner is responsible by law, for the  maintenance of the buildings Essential Safety Measures.

ESM’s installed in a building may include:

• Sprinkler systems
• Fire Hose Reels
• Penetrations in fire rated walls and ceilings
• Fire/Smoke detectors and alarms
• Fire Doors
• Smoke doors

 

The level of maintenance is determined by the relevant building surveyor. This is achieved by:

The issue of an occupancy certificate, with the attached ESM schedule.
or
Issue of a maintenance schedule under Building Interim Regulations 2017 clause 1206.
or
At the owner’s discretion to AS1851-2012

Unlike the “One Stop Shop” inspectors, Melbourne Fire Doors only carry out inspections in specific sections of ESM requirements. These are Fire Doors, Smoke Doors, Exit Doors, Paths of Travel, Dampers and Penetrations. These are the areas where our expertise lies.

Inspections are carried out by MFD inspectors, not subcontracted out.

Melbourne Fire Doors are unable to make determinations regarding the required frequency of ESM inspections for any buildings. We carry out inspections to the requirements set out in whichever of the above options is applicable to the building to be inspected.

These inspections could be carried out to the requirements of the Essential Safety Measures Maintenance Manual, AS1851-2005 or AS1851-2012.

For a complete list of ESM’s, see schedule 9 of the Building Interim Regulations 2017, or Practice Note 23, Maintenance of Essential Safety Measures, VBA practice note dated February 2016.

If help is required regarding ESM compliance, we suggest a building surveyor be approached to assist .

Melbourne Fire Doors use and recommend Stokes Safety, formerly Stokes Perna Building Compliance, for any issues on clarification of ESM requirements

www.stokessafety.com.au