Fire safety - minimise the risks and be prepared!
Fire can be deadly at any time but mixed with alcohol it’s an even more dangerous cocktail so it’s critical that licensed venues meet fire safety requirements.
Fire Service inspections of entertainment venues are ongoing throughout Queensland and unfortunately some licensed premises have been found to be negligent in maintaining a safe environment, placing patrons and staff at great risk.
The most common lapses include faulty fire hoses, faulty fire fighting equipment and patron overcrowding. Exits have been found to be blocked by furniture and some venues have escape doors that are actually locked. These are highly dangerous practices.
Overcrowding
If occupants must quickly exit from an overcrowded room loss of life or injury is a real possibility. In this situation a coroner may rule that a licensee should be criminally charged.
Overcrowding can also result in arguments or physical confrontations between patrons competing for space. As a safeguard, many licensees only permit less than maximum occupancy to ensure that patrons do not feel trapped or confined.
Premises can be immediately closed by the Office if they are dangerously overcrowded.
Make sure you are meeting your responsibilities under the Liquor Act 1992 and the Fire Service Rescue Act 1990 by following the checklist below:
- are all emergency lights and exit signs in good working order?
- is a reliable patron counting system in place (eg. hand-held counters used by crowd controllers at the entrance)?
- is a system in place to ensure patron numbers don’t exceed the maximum number permitted by the Queensland Fire & Rescue Authority (eg. crowd controllers refusing admittance when the maximum number is reached and managers checking at least every 30 minutes during peak times to make certain crowd controllers are undertaking this duty)?
- are all exit paths (as far as the street alignment) kept clear of obstructions at all times?
- when the venue is occupied, can any fire exit door be opened from the inside by a single-handed action on a single device that is either a lever or panic bar located between 900mm and 1200mm above floor level?
- is the emergency evacuation plan clearly understood by all staff?
- are evacuation drills conducted at least every six months?
- have all fire extinguishers and hose reels been checked by a qualified contractor within the past six months?
- have all staff been instructed in the proper use of the fire extinguishers and hose reels?
- do you regularly accompany your maintenance/service contractor to ensure all maintenance servicing is carried out in accordance with Australian Standards?
For more information on building fire safety, visit the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service website.
Last reviewed 2 January 2009
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