What types of buildings do these laws apply to?

All commercial, public and industrial buildings are included if they contain any essential safety and health feature or measures. They include

• shops, offices, factories and schools
• places of sleeping accommodation such as a block of flats, units or apartments where there are a number of individual dwellings situated one above the other
• hotels, motels, guest houses and other types of tourist accommodation
• night clubs, cafes, theatres or any other building where the public has access.

Many of these buildings have maintenance requirements under the General Fire Regulations. Maintenance performed under those requirements satisfies the requirements for those aspects under the Building Act.

Owners of a detached dwelling house, units that are not situated one above the other, or outbuildings such as domestic sheds do not have to comply with the requirements.