Five fire safety checks you should do each year
Save your strata property and its occupants from fire-related incidents and heavy fines by planning ahead and completing crucial fire safety checks
If you’re a member of your strata committee, you’re likely aware that strata property fire safety is an important consideration each year. However, do you know what exactly needs to be done each year?
You’ll be forgiven for answering“no” because strata property fire safety is quite complex. This is mainly because the rules differ in each state and differ a little between local councils too. Your property’s size and the year it was registered can also influence the strata property fire safety rules that apply.
To understand exactly what you and your strata committee need to do, it’s generally best to get in touch with your local council. They will be able to give clear guidance on fire safety rules and standards that apply to your strata property. You can also visit the website of the government department or body that handles fire safety in your state:
- New South Wales: Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
- Queensland: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
- Victoria: Victorian Building Authority
When it comes to the safety of your strata community, it’s always better to do more than the bare minimum dictated by law. Keep reading to learn about our fire safety recommendations.Do you know what strata property fire safety checks you should be doing each year? The rules will change depending on your state and local council. However, we recommend prioritising these five steps:
Check your fire alarms
Did you know that humans generally cannot smell smoke while asleep? While scents cannot disrupt sleep, sounds most certainly can. That’s why fire alarms are so important – they quite literally sound the alarm if there is a fire while we’re asleep. They also generally give you enough time to exit a building safely if a fire breaks out at any time of the day.
Fire alarms are among the simplest fire safety measures, yet they are one of the most effective at saving lives. That’s why Australia has such strict laws around fire alarms and how often they need to be checked.
You can check your state’s fire alarm minimum standards on the website of the government department or body that handles fire safety. They generally must meet the requirements of Australian Standard AS 3786.
Hardwired fire alarms are generally considered standard for strata properties. These are fire alarms connected to other alarms and devices on your property, which all sound alarms simultaneously when smoke is detected. That means if smoke is detected in one section of the property — say the basement — all alarms in the building will go off, giving owners and residents plenty of time to evacuate safely before the fire reaches their floor.
It’s important to have your fire alarms checked by a qualified practitioner at least once a year to ensure they are in working condition. If you fail to do so, there’s a chance your owners corporation will be slapped with a heavy fine. More importantly, malfunctioning fire- alarms can put the lives of your strata community at great risk.
Ensure you have adequate fire safety measures
The fire measures required for a strata property are determined in the occupation certificate and are generally already installed within a building. However, having additional measures will help increase your strata property’s fire safety readiness. Here are some fire safety measures you may want to consider:
Fire extinguishers
Sprinkler system
Fire hose reels and fire hydrants
Fire dampers
Emergency lighting
Emergency exit signs
Emergency vehicle access
We’ve created a checklist to help you keep track of your fire safety measures. You can download your free copy here.
3. Review or prepare and follow a fire safety maintenance and review schedule
In New South Wales, most strata properties are required to complete a document called an Annual Fire Safety Statement. This document is called an Occupiers Statement in Queensland, and an Essential Safety Measures Report in Victoria.
This document generally lists your strata property’s fire safety measures, as well as your property’s building code and any compliance requirements. It must be completed by a qualified fire safety practitioner and, if required, lodged with your local council.
Even if your strata property is not legally required to document its fire safety checks annually, you should consider having a similar document drawn up. By reviewing and updating it each year, you can be confident in your strata property’s fire safety maintenance and compliance.
We recommend focusing on the following four elements each year:
- Updating or adding fire safety measures
- Ensuring each fire safety measure meets the minimum standards of performance.
- Abiding by the maintenance frequency set it your fie safety schedule
- Recording approval dates, sign offs and administration notes for each fire safety measure.
4. Strata plan and property design
In the event of a fire, your strata property’s fire evacuation route becomes crucial. That’s why it’s important to make sure they are kept clear and unobstructed, and there is clear signage marking out the route. It’s also wise to inspect them at least annually.
Some states have very specific rules around fire evacuation routes. For example, in Queensland, the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 specifies that:
- Evacuation routes must be kept free from obstructions
- Locks and handles on any doors on the evacuation route must be compliant
- Evacuation routes must be kept isolated (no alterations are permitted to any ventilation or air conditioning system that allows airflow onto an evacuation route).
If your state does not have specific rules for this all-important fire safety measure, you may consider using the above as a guide so that the safety of your strata community is never compromised.
Minimise cladding-related risk
There has been a lot on the news about combustible cladding lately. However, this does not mean all cladding is a fire hazard – just the types of cladding that are deemed “combustible.”
Each state has developed a process for identifying, registering and eventually removing combustible cladding that poses fire safety risks to strata properties.
You can learn more about New South Wales’ process here, Queensland’s process here, and Victoria’s process here.
If your strata property is found to have combustible cladding, your strata committee may decide to take extra steps to eliminate fire risks. For example, your committee may consider banning smoking on balconies and investigating installing fire dampers to heating and ventilation ducts to reduce the chance of a fire.
If so, these fire safety measures should be checked and reviewed every year to keep your strata community safe. The fire safety inspector you engage can check and review these measures on your behalf.
Fire safety is incredibly important in community living settings. Having solid fire safety processes in place, completing regular checks, and maintaining all fire safety measures annually will help you and your committee keep your strata community safe while also avoiding heavy fines.
When it comes to managing a strata property, there are various compliance or legislative requirements that are needed to protect owners and residents. When the situation allows, you don’t want to miss out on the chance of an insurance claim. Click here to learn more about Community Health & Safety and related services to ensure your protection. You can also click here to download our FREE Community Living guide series on defects. If you would like to learn more about the services we offer, click here for a free assessment.
