KWAZULU FIRE SERVICES

It is estimated that a large percentage of all companies in South Africa do not comply with the basic requirements for fire safety within their organizations. Company executives may be unaware that should one of their employees be injured or killed in a fire whilst on the company premises, they could be personally liable in the form of fines or even prison sentences.

Government regulations require fire equipment and systems to comply with a standard of performance and to be regularly tested, serviced, and maintained.

All employers have a legal and moral obligation to assure the safety of their employees and anyone visiting their premises. The 1994 Occupation Health and Safety Act (OHSA) gives employees the right to a healthy and safe working environment, and non-compliance can result in stiff penalties.

SANS 10400 is the standard of the Building and Occupancy Act and must be followed by every type of building in terms of firefighting equipment required. This is often monitored by the local fire departments, but due to the many tasks and community duties they perform, many organizations are not monitored, resulting in them being non-compliant.

Tackling a fire with the wrong type of fire extinguisher can be ineffective and even dangerous. Extinguishers must also be properly serviced and maintained annually in accordance with SANS 1475 Part 1. Every business should have the peace of mind of knowing that it complies with SANS 10105, SANS 10400, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act with regard to the quantity required and type of equipment in the workshop.

All fire equipment must be serviced and maintained by an SABS approved and SAQCC accredited Fire company. All servicing is done on an annual basis.