Make-safe Guidelines
If your school has been damaged in an incident or event and you require assistance to make the site safe, please call the Make-safe service hotline on 1300 133 468.
Program overview
The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) Make-safe Program assists schools that have sustained damage through an incident or event, where that damage presents an immediate health and safety concern for students, staff and/or the community.
These guidelines are also applicable to severe incidents of malicious activity, such as vandalism or break-ins.
The Make-safe Program is delivered via a contracted service provider, Programmed Facility Management (PFM), which provides professional services under the program and oversees all phases of the process. This includes liaising with schools to deliver the urgent make-safe and reinstatement work.
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Schools impacted by bushfires can access assistance through the VSBA. As a first step in this process, the affected area should be isolated and emergency services contacted. Following this initial step, contact should be made to Make-safe on 1300 133 468.
For any other questions about bushfire damage to school infrastructure, please contact vsba.response.program@education.vic.gov.au
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Event
One or a combination of any of the following events:- fire
- flood
- storm
- cyclone/hurricane/typhoon/tornado
- tsunami/tidal wave
- volcanic eruption.
The VSBA has discretion to respond to events not listed above that cause physical loss, destruction or damage of school property or infrastructure.
Incident
Any malicious activity that makes a site unsafe. This includes:- vandalism
- theft of infrastructure critical to safety
- riots
- strikes
- civil commotions
- malicious damage.
The VSBA has discretion to respond to events not listed above that cause physical loss, destruction or damage of school property or infrastructure
Make-safe
Urgent works required to make a school site safe. The works required to make a site safe are assessed on a case-by-case basis.Make-safe scope of works does not include urgent maintenance requirements such as blocked or burst pipes. These are considered school responsibility. Please refer to the VSBA urgent maintenance guide .
Reinstatement works
Works required to return a school site to pre-loss condition. Reinstatement works are not guaranteed and are subject to eligibility criteria.School-funded threshold
The designated dollar threshold ($5,000 plus GST) at which the VSBA may fund reinstatement works. Reinstatement works estimated to cost below this amount are to be funded directly by the school. -
Schools
Principals are responsible for maintaining their buildings and grounds. This includes the responsibility for undertaking urgent maintenance and repairs such as a burst water pipe or a fallen tree limb. For advice on how to address urgent maintenance issues and repairs onsite, please refer to the VSBA Urgent Maintenance Guide .
The school may be supported by other staff members, such as the business manager, facilities manager or assistant principal.
Schools that have sustained damage through an incident or event, where that damage presents an immediate health and safety concern for students, staff and/or the community, are responsible for raising a Make-safe request by contacting Make-safe on 1300 133 468. If required, the school should also isolate the unsafe area until the Make-safe Program can assess it.
VSBA – Response Programs Unit
The VSBA Response Programs Unit oversees the Make-safe Program. Working with the school, the Make-safe Program is responsible for assisting the school in making the site safe for staff, students and the community following an event or incident.
The VSBA may reinstate school facilities to an operational standard in certain exceptional circumstances.
DE Incident and Security Operations Centre
The DE Incident and Security Operations Centre (ISOC) provides an alarm-monitoring function that may trigger awareness of departmental assets being damaged in incidents.
ISOC’s alarm system does not automatically raise a Make-Safe request.
DE regional offices
Regional Offices provide support to the schools as required. Regional Offices do not have a direct role in the Make-safe process, but may facilitate communication between schools and the Make-safe Program. Schools or the VSBA may request PPOs to assist in complex situations.
Make-safe Procedure
Immediate action and notification
In an emergency where there is an immediate hazard to students and staff, schools must contact Emergency Services (Fire Brigade, Ambulance, Police) on 000.
Schools should provide the following information about the incident when contacting the Make-safe Program:
- the name of the person reporting the incident
- the nature of the incident
- the location of the incident (school/campus, building/area/room(s) and so on).
The Make-safe Program will attend the site to assess the scope of the Make-safe works. When the Make-safe Program is notified of the incident by other parties, the Make-safe Program contacts the school to commence the make-safe process.
The Make-safe Program are required to be on-site within:
- 4 hours of the agreed scheduled site attendance in metro area
- 8 hours of the agreed scheduled site attendance in a regional area.
Examples of works included in the Make safe Program include:
- investigating the source of identified water ingress, which is the result of an active weather event (that is, roof leak/flooding) and conduct water extraction and drying of affected building materials as required
- removing fallen trees/tree branches which have fallen on school infrastructure (for example, buildings, playground structures, fencing).
Example of works not included in the Make-safe Program:
- investigations and repairs of burst or leaking pipes and associated water extraction and drying works
- investigations and repairs of faulty lighting or building maintenance systems.
Identification of works
The Make-safe Program will attend the site and determine the works necessary to make the site safe for staff, students and the community. The Make-safe Program will also complete a Make-safe report and submit a quote for any identified reinstatement works to the Make-safe Program Manager at the VSBA.
Delivery of immediate Make-safe works
The Make-safe Program will complete Make-safe works to eliminate the risk of immediate hazards resulting from the incident or event. For example, Make-safe Program may:
- cordon off dangerous areas
- secure hazardous structures
- install drying equipment
- investigate identified roof leaks.
Should a school require temporary relocatable classrooms due to a Make-safe incident, the Make-safe team may facilitate this process alongside the Relocatable Buildings Program.
Once Make-safe Program have completed Make-safe works, the Make-safe Program will issue an email notification to the school that Make-safe works are complete. Make-safe Program will advise the school when the affected areas are safe to reoccupy. If an area cannot be made safe during the initial works, Make-safe Program will work with the school to minimise disruption.
Reinstatement works
Following the completion of emergency make-safe works, the VSBA will assess the requirements for any reinstatement works that may be required to repair or restore the site to its pre-loss condition.
Reinstatement works may include:
- painting and replastering of ceilings and walls
- replacing carpet or vinyl
- minor roof works, such as replacing skylights or installing flashings.
As part of this process, the VSBA receives a detailed report, scope of works and quote from the Make-safe Program. Based on the eligibility criteria listed below, the VSBA reviews the reinstatement quote and determines whether to fund and coordinate any reinstatement works.
When the VSBA has completed its assessment, the school will be notified via email. The VSBA aims to inform schools of their assessment outcome within 10 days of receiving the reinstatement quotation. This may vary as works are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility criteria
Where damage to a school facility is severe enough to warrant reinstatement, the VSBA will determine a school’s eligibility based on whether:
- the safety of students and staff is at risk
- the damage has been caused by an incident or event
- the school has insufficient funds from all sources (including in reserves) to fund the repair work. Assessment of funds includes:
- the school’s bank balance
- the school’s committed contracted works and
- a base budget requirement calculated by the number of students enrolled in the school
- the minimum cost of the works exceeds $5000
- the work is urgent, and unable to be addressed in the School Maintenance Plan (SMP) or the Rolling Facilities Evaluation (RFE)
- the damage is not covered under separate insurance purchased by the school through the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) and
- the site of the works is considered entitled space (works at Special Development Schools (SDS) and Special Schools will not be subject to facility area allocations).
Schools should note that entitled space extends to school grounds and issues such as fallen trees are within scope for the Make-safe Program.
Approved reinstatement works
The approved scope of works is carried out by the Make-safe Program and their sub-contractors. A nominated project manager contacts schools directly to arrange a suitable date to attend the site and commence works. Contractors will make every effort to minimise the impact on school operations while works are being completed.
Declined reinstatement works
Where reinstatement works are declined, schools have several options:
- proceed with the proposed scope of works as a school-funded project, which can be arranged through the VSBA and managed by a VSBA project manager
- contact your regional Provision Planning Officer to provide advice for the school moving forward
- apply for a financial review if the VSBA has judged the scope of works as being within the school’s capacity to undertake using available funds. Schools apply for this review by replying to the declined reinstatement email and providing documentation to explain the school’s financial position.
Contacts
If your school has been damaged in an incident or event and you require assistance to make the site safe, please call the Make-safe Program on 1300 133 468.
Victorian School Building Authority
School Asset Assessments Unit
03 7022 5800
vsba.annual.contracts@education.vic.gov.au
Victorian regional offices
South-Western Victoria Region
Ballarat, Footscray, Geelong, Keilor and Warrnambool
1300 333 232
swvr@education.vic.gov.au
North-Western Victoria Region
Bendigo, Coburg, Greensborough and Mildura
1300 338 691
nwvr@education.vic.gov.au
North-Eastern Victoria Region
Glen Waverley and Benalla
1300 333 231
nevr@education.vic.gov.au
South-Eastern Victoria Region
Dandenong, Frankston, Moe and Sale
1300 338 738
sevr@education.vic.gov.au
Central DE Office
Victorian School Building Authority
Response Programs Unit
Email: vsba.response.program@education.vic.gov.au
33 St Andrews Place
East Melbourne 3001
Reviewed 25 July 2024