Introduction
Fire safety compliance is more than just a regulatory requirement—it is a critical component of risk management that ensures the safety of people, assets, and businesses. However, achieving consistency across Australia is a complex challenge due to the varied Essential Safety Measures (ESM) regulations in each state and territory.
At Oratos Consult, we bridge these gaps by providing a structured, independent approach to ESM compliance, ensuring that organisations not only meet legal obligations but also enhance their fire safety strategies. This paper explores best practices for ESM compliance and how a proactive, nationwide approach can drive better safety outcomes.
The Challenge: Navigating Australia’s ESM Compliance Landscape
Each state and territory in Australia has distinct ESM requirements, making compliance a fragmented and often inconsistent process. Without a standardised approach, asset owners and facility managers face risks such as:
• Regulatory penalties for non-compliance.
• Operational disruptions due to unaddressed safety risks.
• Legal and reputational consequences from compliance failures.
• Over-reliance on self-reported documentation, leading to potential oversights in fire safety.
State & Territory Requirements: What Organisations Must Comply With
| State/Territory | Regulatory Requirement |
| New South Wales (NSW) | Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) |
| Victoria (VIC) | Annual Essential Safety Measures Report (AESMR) |
| Queensland (QLD) | Annual Occupiers Statement |
| South Australia (SA) | Form 3 – ESP Maintenance Certificate |
| Western Australia (WA) | Annual Maintenance Declaration (Best Practice) |
| Tasmania (TAS) | Annual Maintenance Declaration (Best Practice) |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | Annual Maintenance Declaration (Best Practice) |
| Northern Territory (NT) | Annual Maintenance Declaration (Best Practice) |
A Smarter, Proactive Approach to ESM Compliance
Oratos Consult provides independent oversight to ensure organisations meet best-practice compliance standards, going beyond regulatory minimums.
Key Benefits of Our Approach
✔ Physical Verification Over Self-Reporting – We conduct onsite ESM inspections and risk assessments to eliminate gaps in compliance and ensure the integrity of fire safety measures.
✔ Consistent Compliance Across All States – Our approach standardises compliance across Australia, ensuring organisations don’t have to navigate the complexity of state-specific variations alone.
✔ Proactive Risk Identification – We help organisations identify non-compliance issues early, providing clear remediation strategies before regulatory deadlines.
✔ Comprehensive Compliance Documentation – Our process ensures that all assessments, baseline data and onsite documentation meet the required regulatory standards, reducing administrative burden for organisations.
✔ End-to-End Management of ESM Compliance – From onsite assessments to regulatory submissions, we manage the entire process, giving organisations peace of mind that their buildings are protected and compliant.
✔ Technology-Driven Compliance & Real-Time Reporting – Technology plays a critical role in achieving national ESM compliance, and Oratos Consult integrates intelligent reporting solutions to enhance efficiency
and oversight.
• Real-Time Capture of Findings & Instant Reporting – Our specialists record findings as they happen, generating reports within minutes of project completion and sign-off, using our automated and intelligent reporting infrastructure. This allows clients to action any critical findings in an efficient and effective manner.
• Custom ESM Compliance Dashboards – A centralised, data-driven ecosystem providing 24/7 access to all compliance findings, with real-time updates at the site, asset, state, and national levels.
• Holistic Fire Safety Oversight – By consolidating state and territory-specific compliance data into a single platform, organisations gain a clear, structured view of their Fire Safety & Compliance obligations, supporting proactive risk management and informed decision-making.
For All Organisations Nationwide
✅ Onsite ESM review to align with AFSS (NSW) and AESMR (VIC) requirements.
✅ Non-compliance identification with remediation recommendations
✅ Review emergency planning management and procedures
✅ Maintenance contractor evaluation and gap analysis
For South Australia, Queensland & Other States
✅ Physical ESM compliance assessments for:
• South Australia (Form 3 verification)
• Queensland (Occupier Certification compliance)
• Western Australia, Tasmania, ACT, and NT (Annual Maintenance Declaration validations)
✅ Review emergency planning management and procedures
✅ Maintenance contractor evaluation and gap analysis
Key Compliance Deliverables
✅ Annual physical ESM assessments instead of self-reported compliance
✅ Ongoing compliance support & risk management
Conclusion: Driving a Higher Standard for Fire Safety Compliance
With growing regulatory scrutiny, fire safety compliance is no longer an area where organisations can afford to take shortcuts. A reactive, self-reported approach is not enough—a proactive, structured compliance strategy is the key to ensuring safety and operational resilience.
At Oratos Consult, we provide nationwide consistency, in-depth compliance oversight, and strategic fire safety solutions that give organisations the confidence to operate safely to comply with relevant regulations.
If you’re looking to streamline your ESM compliance, reduce risk, and ensure regulatory peace of mind, let’s start a conversation today.