Fire and Emergency New Zealand (COVID-19—Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Amendment Regulations 2020

2020/96

Coat of Arms of New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (COVID-19—Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Amendment Regulations 2020

Patsy Reddy, Governor-General

Order in Council

At Wellington this 18th day of May 2020

Present:
The Right Hon Jacinda Ardern presiding in Council

These regulations are made under sections 187, 191, and 192 of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017—

(a)

on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council; and

(b)

on the recommendation of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Regulations

1 Title

These regulations are the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (COVID-19—Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Amendment Regulations 2020.

2 Commencement

These regulations come into force on 22 May 2020.

3 Principal regulations

These regulations amend the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Regulations 2018 (the principal regulations).

4 Regulation 29 amended (Requirements for trial evacuations of building to which regulation 25(c) or (d)(i) applies)

After regulation 29(4), insert:

(5)

Despite subclause (1)(a), the owner of a building is not required to undertake trial evacuations of the building’s occupants while the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 (the COVID-19 Notice) is in force.

(6)

For the purposes of calculating the interval of not more than 6 months referred to in subclause (1)(a), any days when the COVID-19 Notice is in force must be excluded.

(7)

This subclause and subclauses (5) and (6) are revoked immediately after the expiry of the 6-month period that starts on the date on which the COVID-19 Notice expires or is revoked.

5 Regulation 33 amended (Evacuation training programmes)

After regulation 33(2), insert:

(3)

Despite subclauses (1) and (2), the owner of a building is not required to implement an evacuation training programme while the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 (the COVID-19 Notice) is in force.

(4)

For the purposes of calculating the interval of not more than 6 months referred to in subclause (2), any days when the COVID-19 Notice is in force must be excluded.

(5)

This subclause and subclauses (3) and (4) are revoked immediately after the expiry of the 6-month period that starts on the date on which the COVID-19 Notice expires or is revoked.

6 Regulation 34 amended (Building owner must notify FENZ of evacuation training programme)

After regulation 34(3), insert:

(4)

Despite subclauses (1) and (2), the owner of a building is not required to notify FENZ of the evacuation training programme for the building while the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 (the COVID-19 Notice) is in force.

(5)

For the purposes of calculating the 6-monthly interval referred to in subclause (2)(b), any days when the COVID-19 Notice is in force must be excluded.

(6)

This subclause and subclauses (4) and (5) are revoked immediately after the expiry of the 6-month period that starts on the date on which the COVID-19 Notice expires or is revoked.

Michael Webster,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

Explanatory note

This note is not part of the regulations, but is intended to indicate their general effect.

These regulations, which come into force on 22 May 2020, amend the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fire Safety, Evacuation Procedures, and Evacuation Schemes) Regulations 2018. The effect of the amendments is to temporarily suspend requirements for owners of buildings to conduct 6-monthly trial evacuations and to notify and implement 6-monthly evacuation training programmes from the time when these regulations come into force and for the remainder of the period when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 is in force. The 6-month periods for conducting trial evacuations and implementing evacuation training programmes must be calculated without counting any days when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 is in force.

Regulatory impact assessment

The Treasury has determined that this proposal is a direct Covid-19 response and has suspended the RIA requirements in accordance with Cabinet decision (CAB-20-MIN-0138).

Issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2012.

Date of notification in Gazette: 21 May 2020.

These regulations are administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.