Our Specialised Services
We'll work with you to ensure you meet all of your Building Compliance requirements
Our Specialised Services
We'll work with you to ensure you meet all of your Building Compliance requirements
What is Passive Fire Protection?
Passive Fire Protection measures are items which prevent the spread of a fire from one area to another, such as a fire and smoke doors, fire rated building materials, and construction joints. Meanwhile, Active Fire Protection includes items which are activated in a fire emergency such as a sprinkler or fire extinguisher.
What are Essential Safety Measures?
Essential safety measures (ESMs) refer to the services, equipment and safety features installed within a building that are designed to protect occupants in the instance of a fire.
Essential safety measures are listed in the National Construction Code of Australia Series Volume One, Building Code of Australia Class 2-9 Buildings (BCA) and include safety systems such as emergency lighting and exit signs, fire extinguishers, hydrants and hose reels, fire detection and alarm systems, fire sprinkler systems and means of egress.
What is involved during an Emergency and Exit Lighting test?
An Emergency and Exit Lighting test involves disconnecting the 240v mains power to the emergency lights to simulate a power outage in an emergency. This will allow the battery back-up power source to kick in and illuminate the lights. To pass the test, the emergency lights need to remain illuminated for at least 90 minutes on battery power.
When does an Annual Essential Safety Measures report need to be prepared and why do I need one?
An AESMR is a report that lists all required ESMs for a property and stipulates whether those ESMs have been serviced, inspected, and tested to their required standards of maintenance in the preceding 12 months.
The AESM reporting period is determined by the date indicated on the building’s certificate of occupancy (CofO) or maintenance determination (MD). The report must be prepared and published within 28 days of the issue date of the CofO/MD and include all ESMs listed on the CofO/MD.
In the absence of a CofO/MD, the AESMR is to be issued within 28 days of the 13th of June each year.
Why does my Fire Door need to be tagged?
Australian Standard 1905 determines that all fire-rated doors (both sliding and hinged/pivoted) are required to have a tag installed on both the door and its frame. The tags give crucial details as to the performance standard and fire resistance level of the door and frame itself, which indicates how long the door and frame is designed to contain a fire.
Without these tags, it can’t be verified that the door is indeed fire-rated and meets the resistance level required for the building size and type. If one of your fire doors or frames are missing a tag, you may need to contact the original installer to have it recertified. Failing that, the door and frame will need to be replaced.
What is a Fire Extinguisher 5-yearly pressure test?
As a building owner or tenant, you need to trust that your fire equipment is going to function as it is intended to in a fire situation. As such, Australian Standard 1851-2012 sets out the requirements for the ongoing maintenance of fire equipment. A crucial part of these requirements is to ensure your fire extinguishers are tested and refilled every 5 years.
The testing involves a visual inspection of the exterior of the extinguisher, before it is discharged, and the internals are inspected. Following this, the extinguisher is hydrostatically tested to ensure that the equipment can withstand the required pressure. It is then refilled and recharged, ready to be placed back onsite.
At Compliance Services Australia, we adopt a ‘swap & go’ system for all extinguisher pressure testing to ensure you’re not left without protection for the duration of the process. We also replace all dry chemical extinguishers that are due for testing with brand new units as it is more cost effective.