Under the Queensland Development Code, all Budget Accommodation Buildings must adhere to the fire safety standards set open them by Queensland Legislation. These types of buildings carry a special risk since they serve as housing to multiple tenants, increasing the risk of someone sustaining injury from fires.
In this blog, we’ll go about the basic requirements owners and operators need to adhere to, in order to deem their property safe and up to code.
What are Budget Accommodation Buildings?
By definition, budget accommodation buildings are properties which provide accommodation to 6 or more tenants sharing a common bathroom or sanitary facility. From this, we can see how they differ from the usual hotel where each guest can enjoy more independence from each other. And we can deduce that budget accommodation buildings are relatively smaller in area, and have a higher tenant-to-floorspace ratio. Per the Building Act of 1975 and Building and Other Legislation Amendment Bill of 2008, some examples of Budget Accommodation Buildings can include but are not limited to:
- Boarding Houses
- Backpacker Accommodation
- Hostels
- Guesthouses
- Share-Houses
- Bed-and-Breakfasts
- Farmstays
- Special Need Care-Facilities
Safety Compliance
In essence, if your budget accommodation building has been built, applied or approved prior to 1st January 1992, the structure must comply with the Building Code of Australia, Building Fire Safety Regulation of 2008 and the Fire and Emergency Services Act of 1990. The Fire Safety Standards in Queensland Development Code Mandatory Part MP 2.1 - Fire Safety In Budget Accommodation. includes the following:
- Smoke Alarm Compliance (Early Warning)
- Emergency Lighting
- Emergency Exits
- Fire-Fighting Equipment
- Fire Safety Management Plan
- Evacuation Diagrams
- Evacuation Drill
More information regarding Fire Safety In Budget Accommodation Buildings is also available from https://www.business.qld.gov.au
Fire Safety Compliance Assistance and Evaluation
Australian Fire Protection has been in the business of providing fire safety and compliance solutions to a wide range of industries. With more than 30 years of experience under our belt, you can rest assured that we can confidently guide you through the ins and outs of keeping your tenants safe and keeping your property up and beyond safety standards.
Get in touch with us today for a personal consultation.