Tasmania Fire Service building does not meet fire regulations
The headquarters of the Tasmania Fire Service does not meet building fire regulations and has no current evacuation plan, as the government body is slammed for “arrogance”.
Tasmania
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The headquarters of the Tasmania Fire Service does not meet building fire regulations and has no current evacuation plan, a union says.
The Community and Public Sector Union wrote to the chair of the State Fire Commission at the end of November last year asking for details about trained fire wardens, including who is the chief warden, the dates of the last three practice evacuations and a copy of the approved fire evacuation plan for the building in Hobart.
When contacted by the Sunday Tasmanian on Saturday the TFS confirmed it was using an outside provider to “upgrade plans”.
“The State Fire Commission is engaging an external provider to upgrade plans and review existing plans,” a media spokesperson said.
“As the TFS is the regulator, it requires an external provider to undertake these processes.”
CPSU acting secretary Tom Lynch said it was inconceivable that the TFS headquarters were not compliant with a number of fire safety acts and regulations.
He said the CPSU wrote to the State Fire Commission chair and copied correspondence to the Chief Fire Officer in November seeking a response by mid-December.
“Surely if there were fire wardens and an evacuation plan was in place they would have responded to our letter the next day,” Mr Lynch said.
“We’ve had no response at all which shows a disregard for staff and a level of arrogance that they are not able to meet the same standards that other building owners have to meet.
“We want to know that our members are in a safe workplace and if not they should get the hell out of there.
“A fire evacuation plan expires after five years and we’re concerned this building may not have had an evacuation plan for five years.”
Mr Lynch said the TFS was responsible for regulating compliance with the fire safety acts and regulations for all buildings in the State.
“While we have had no response from the chairperson of the SFC or from the Chief Fire Officer, we are told staff have very recently been directed to quickly document an evacuation plan and undertake other measures to become compliant,” he said.
In the letter the union warned if the building was not compliant staff would be advised to work elsewhere.
“Should the worksite not be compliant with the requirements within the legislation the CPSU intends to advise employees to work from alternate locations on work, health and safety grounds until such time as the building is compliant,” the CPSU wrote.
“I am sure you can understand the importance of providing a safe workplace and for the TFS to comply with WHS legislation as well as its own regulations when it comes to fire safety.
“It is of great concern to the CPSU and employees within the building if the building is in fact, non-compliant.”
The CPSU believes the TFS headquarters on the corner of Argyle and Melville Streets does not comply with the Fire Service Act 1979, the General Fire Regulations 2021 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
Originally published as Tasmania Fire Service building does not meet fire regulations
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