If you are an owner, business, individual, or part of a body corporate involved in occupying, leasing, or managing a building in Queensland, you hold the status of an 'occupier' under the Fire Services Act 1990. This status brings with it the important legal responsibility of ensuring the safety of anyone in the building in case of a fire or other hazardous material emergency.
To support occupiers like you in adhering to the Fire Services Act 1990 and the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008, we've created the 'Fire Safety Management Tool for Building Occupiers, Owners, Lessees, and Bodies Corporate.' This, alongside the supplementary 'Advisory Notes,' aims to clarify your responsibilities and assist in managing compliance. However, both the tool and the notes are to be used for guidance only and do not cover all statutory requirements and occupier responsibilities in relation to building fire safety.
Additionally, as an occupier, it's your duty to ensure all Fire Safety Installations in the building fulfill the mandates of the Queensland Development Code Mandatory Part (QDC MP) 6.1.
A building is classed as High Occupancy if it is:
- class 2, 3, 5, 6, 7b, 8, 9a or 9b, and a workplace where 30 or more workers are normally employed; or
- class 2 or 3 and more than 25 metres in height; or
- licensed premises that have been identified by the Commissioner, Queensland Fire Department, as at risk of overcrowding.
To check if your building is considered high occupancy and requires a Fire Safety Adviser, please refer to the 'Overview of Buildings That Must Appoint a Fire Safety Adviser'* document.
Information Sheets
The following Information Sheets provide information for Building Owners and Occupiers.
- Low Occupancy Class 2 Unit Buildings (PDF, 304 KB)
- Town House, Row House and Villa Style Dwellings* (PDF, 374 KB)
- Fire Doors (PDF, 127 KB)
- Classification of Buildings and Structures (PDF, 108 KB)
We are empowered to enforce compliance with the legislated fire safety standards which ensures an appropriate level of fire safety is maintained for occupants of buildings and firefighters who attend these buildings under emergency conditions. Through appropriately qualified officers, we will work with occupiers​ of buildings to achieve compliance in set time frames with the issuing of Notice by Commissioner or Requisition by Commissioner which clearly state the areas of non-compliance and the actions to be taken to achieve compliance. Where more serious breaches of the fire safety standard occur, we can issue Infringement Notices (fines). We will utilise all options to ensure compliance including prosecution in the Magistrates Court and or a Supreme Court Injunction.
Building Forms
* This Publication was produced prior to the current government.