Checking your property after a major incident
A step-by-step guidance for how to approach your school property after a major incident.
Level of compliance | Main audience | Other |
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Required |
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Schools are required to follow emergency procedures after an incident. If schools are going to make an insurance claim, they must contact their property advisor in advance of undertaking any repairs on their property.
- Step 1: Schools and ECEs must visually check buildings and grounds
- Step 2: Property professionals may organise urgent repairs
- Step 3: Property professionals may engage an engineer
- Step 4: Schools organises non urgent repairs
- Step 5: Schools may make an insurance claim
- More information
Step 1: Schools and ECEs must visually check buildings and grounds
After a major incident such as an adverse weather event or earthquake, a school or ECE representative must visually check the school buildings for any signs of damage before the school can open.
If schools are concerned about buildings after this check, they must contact a property professional (see step 2). Use the emergency response checklist to note areas with damage.
Emergency response checklist [DOCX, 131 KB]
Schools may need to isolate unsafe buildings and grounds. |
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For grounds |
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For buildings |
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Step 2: Property professional may organise urgent repairs
What is a property professional? |
A property professional is either:
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How to contact a property professional |
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What will a property professional do? |
A property professional can organise urgent repairs for things like:
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The property professional will organise an engineering check if needed (see step 3).
If anyone identifies an urgent health and safety issue at your school, you must get it resolved immediately.
Step 3: Property professional may engage an engineer
There's a limited number of structural engineers and after a major incident like an earthquake egineers will need to prioritise their workload to concentrate on buildings which have the highest risk.
We can assist with arranging an engineer to survey school buildings.
Buildings over 2 storeys
School buildings which are over 2 storeys and of heavy construction are checked by structural engineers after every significant earthquake as a precaution.
Other buildings
A structural engineer will do a thorough survey if requested by a property professional.
Step 4: School organises non-urgent repairs
Find more detailed information on the maintenance, repairs and security page.
Property maintenance, repairs and security
For non-urgent repairs | |
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Contact a property advisor |
If the damage is not causing an immediate hazard, email your property advisor with details of the damage including:
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Manage your water supply | How to safely manage your water supply:
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Clean up broken fluorescent lights | How to safely clean up broken fluorescent lights:
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Step 5: School may make an insurance claim
If you're going to make an insurance claim, you must contact us before you make any repairs.
Find out about the school building insurance funding programme and how to apply.
School building insurance funding programme
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