{"id":4137,"date":"2012-06-01T15:29:09","date_gmt":"2012-06-01T05:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=4137"},"modified":"2012-09-11T19:51:28","modified_gmt":"2012-09-11T09:51:28","slug":"aged-care-homes-get-big-tick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2012\/06\/01\/aged-care-homes-get-big-tick\/","title":{"rendered":"Aged Care Homes Get Big Tick"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bruce<\/a>
Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg ... fire audit released<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 1, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

The South Burnett has fared well in an audit of fire safety standards released today by Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Mr Flegg released the findings of an audit of Queensland’s pre-2007 residential care buildings.<\/p>\n

The South Burnett has 16 such buildings but only one still requires sprinklers to be installed to bring it up to standards that become mandatory on September 1, 2014.<\/p>\n

“The recent Quakers Hill Nursing Home tragedy in Sydney highlights the risk that fire plays to the elderly and infirm,” Dr Flegg said.<\/p>\n

“We need to make these existing buildings as safe as we can for those who live and work in them.<\/p>\n

“To date, fire safety reforms have been implemented in budget accommodation buildings and \u2018new\u2019 RCBs built after June 2007.<\/p>\n

“This audit included 926 RCBs built prior to June 1, 2007 and assessed what work, if any, was required to ensure they complied with new fire safety standards.<\/p>\n

“Of the 926 existing RCBs assessed, 784 were found to be non-compliant. Of these, 644 of the non-compliant RCBs are built of fire-retardant materials or are only one storey in height and have until September 1, 2016 to comply.<\/p>\n

“The remaining RCBs are built of more combustible materials and have more than one storey, so owners must ensure their building complies by the earlier date of September 1, 2014.”<\/p>\n

Dr Flegg said the reforms would be phased in to give industry time to comply.<\/p>\n

“The inspection of so many RCBs within a six-month period demonstrates the combined commitment of government and industry to improve fire safety standards for some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” he said.<\/p>\n

Dr Flegg said depending on a building’s construction type and its associated fire risk, it may be necessary to install sprinkler systems, bedroom door closers or fire resistant walls in order to comply with the standard.<\/p>\n

“Other buildings, with lower levels of fire risk, may be able to comply by changing their fire safety management plans or adopting higher staff ratios.<\/p>\n

“This might involve a capital outlay for some operators but we will continue to work closely with the federal government and industry to help owners meet the requirements.”<\/p>\n