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Village operators are legally required to ensure common areas of the village are reasonably safe.
Emergency plans
Operators of retirement villages must have an emergency plan to help protect residents, staff and visitors.
The plan must cover the safety of common areas and outline how emergencies and evacuations will be managed.
Operators must:
- prepare, maintain and implement an emergency plan for the village
- take reasonable steps to ensure all residents and staff are familiar with the plan
- review the plan:
- at least once a year
- after a significant change to the village scheme, premises or land
- after an emergency that affects the village.
What must be included in an emergency plan
Retirement village emergency plan must include:
A list of emergencies covered
For example:
- fire
- floods, storms and other natural disasters
- major power outages.
Prescribed safety information for the village
Basic emergency information that a retirement village operator must provide all residents. It includes:
- a map showing exits, assembly areas, fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment, and
- clear instructions on how residents and staff should evacuate in a fire or other emergency.
If the village has communal areas, this information must be on display in those spaces. See mandatory safety information for communal areas.
Communication methods
- how residents will be alerted in an emergency
- how the operator will communicate with residents during and after an emergency.
Contact details
- local emergency services
- key village staff.
Specific hazards
For example:
- being in a bushfire zone or flood area
- multi-level buildings that may need special evacuation procedures.
Support for residents
- arrangements to assist residents with mobility, hearing or vision impairments, for example, identifying evacuation points for people who cannot use stairs.
What will happen after an emergency
- reviewing the emergency plan and procedures
- reviewing the mandatory safety information
- reviewing the village’s prescribed safety information
- how the outcomes of the review will be shared with residents.
Mandatory safety information for communal areas
If a retirement village has communal areas, the operator must display safety information where residents and visitors can easily see it.
What safety information must be displayed in communal areas
- a map showing:
- emergency assembly areas
- exits
- fire extinguishers
- other emergency equipment in communal areas and residences
- clear instructions for evacuating residents and staff during a fire or other emergency.
Requirements for emergency plans and safety information
The emergency plan and safety information must:
- be written in plain English
- use at least 12-point font.
Operators must give this information to residents:
- in writing
- within 10 business days of preparing or updating it
- or within 10 business days of a resident requesting it.
Safety inspections of communal areas
Operators must carry out a safety inspection of any communal areas at least once a year.
Inspections must also happen:
- after any major change to the retirement village scheme, buildings or land
- after an emergency covered by the village’s emergency plan.
After each inspection:
- the operator must prepare a safety inspection report
- the report must be made available to residents.
Insurance
Operators are legally required to ensure that adequate insurance is maintained for the village. This includes insuring:
- all buildings and improvements to their replacement value, including against:
- risk of damage by events prescribed in the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth)
- risks prescribed in the regulations (currently none)
- against liability in tort
- against any liability determined by residents by special resolution at a meeting of those residents
If an operator is not the owner of the village, they must take all reasonable steps to ensure all buildings and improvements in the village are insured to their replacement value.
Failure to comply can lead to penalties of up to $20,000.
Contact the Retirement Village Unit
Email: retirementvillages@sa.gov.au
Related information
On this site
- Codes of conduct for retirement village operators and staff
- Codes of conduct for retirement village residents
- Residence rules
