Plans

Reviews and Reflections

Kia ora e te whānau hāhi

It was recently brought to my attention that it is time to reflect on change. How have things changed since we first put our plans in place and what sort of questions should we target in those plans? Apart from ‘it just makes sense’, we are also obligated to keep our safety plans as relevant as possible.

The two plans that spring immediately to my mind are our asbestos management and evacuation plans, however I am sure we have more than two plans in place at any one time. When was the last time your plans were reviewed?

Asbestos management reviews

All of our buildings should have a current asbestos management plan by now, as it was agreed at Conference 2018. Now would be the right time to reflect on whether those original plans are still fit for purpose.

• Has building use changed, and could those changes affect the risk that the known asbestos poses? If, for example, the building use has changed from sedentary activity to something more robust, then the risks associated with not knowing where asbestos is or creating dust from known asbestos-containing materials will also increase and the plan needs to reflect a greater level of care.

• Have the building tenants changed, have the new tenants been informed about the current asbestos management plan and do they know what to do in the event of an asbestos risk occurring through changes to the building, or if emergency services attend the site i.e. fire in particular. At the start of every new tenancy, the tenant must be informed of the asbestos status of the building and what they should do in the event of any activities that trigger the asbestos risk.

• Has the condition of the known asbestos-containing materials changed (for the worse), such as vinyl flooring becoming more worn/loose/frayed? And when should those changes be actionable/remediated? Regular property inspection should include inspecting the condition of known asbestos-containing materials but has your inspection process been amended to do so?

• Confirm that all of the management plan updates are fully documented and the documentation is all together. Ensure that all the documentation is up-to-date, including original plans,  amended plans and the documents that support the amendments, such as the demolition/refurbishment surveys and clearance certificates.

• Have there been any personnel changes whereby the new people need to know about the asbestos status of the buildings: parish councils, property teams, tenants, presbyters, etc? Have we kept everyone informed who needs to be informed?

Evacuation plan reviews

There are similar things that need to be considered for building evacuation plans that are lodged with Fire and Emergency New Zealand

• Have there been any personnel changes since the evacuation plan was lodged? If so then a new plan needs to be lodged with the correct names.

• How old is the lodged plan? Plans that are older than ten years need to be renewed.

• Has the primary building use changed? The plan will need to be renewed and relodged with FENZ.

• Have you got a new building that is able to accommodate more than 100 people? A new plan will need to be lodged with FENZ.

Please contact me if you require assistance. I am happy to help.

He hokinga mahara. He haere whakamua.

Reflecting on our past and moving forward (Conference 2023 theme).

Nā Trudy Downes