What are Essential Safety Measures?

Essential safety measures are building design features and pieces of equipment mandated by the Victorian State Parliament to make your hall safer to occupy and easier to get out of should an emergency occur in the hall.

They apply to every Hall.

a.     Use the Basic ESM provided in the absence of a prescribed schedule:

·        See report attachment…………

b.    Use the prescribed AESM provided when the Hall:

·        Is New

·        Has undergone major refurbishment

·        See example attachment…………

For all items on this list your main responsibility is to ensure that the mandated regular inspection and maintenance is done and properly recorded.

c.     AESMR (Annual Essential Safety Measures Report)

It is a regulatory and SV requirement that all our Halls maintain the Essential Safety measures and can provide documented evidence to enable the annual ESM certification to sign off compliance.

·        See example attachment…………

d.    Evacuation Plan

An evacuation plan is,

 A simple outline drawing of the hall floor plan with all the ESM marked (displayed inside the main entrance and all internal rooms)

·        Designated Exits

·        Fire extinguishers

·        Designated Assembly point

An evacuation/fire drill should be conducted at least annually and recorded in the ESM Inspection logbook.

e.    Paths of Travel to Exits MUST be:

·        Always inspected and kept clear both internal and externally

·        Never locked

-          Designated Exit doors are not permitted to be locked internally at any time

-          All exit doors must be fitted with approved door hardware to allow ease of egress

-          Exit doors must be locked externally only when the hall is not in use to keep secure.