Fire safety regulation introduced in April, 2020 legislates that only persons accredited as competent fire safety practitioners under Fire Protection Association Australia’s Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS) will be authorised to endorse plans and specifications of fire safety systems. The move has been made following several largely-publicised incidents like the Opal and Mascot Tower fires which have called into question safety features within building planning and construction.
The FPAS scheme is the only fire safety scheme approved by the NSW Government. Accredited practitioners must approve the design of relevant fire safety systems, including sprinklers, fire hydrants, fire hose reels and fire detection and fire alarm systems. All fire safety systems must comply with the Building Code of Australia prior to instalment and must be accompanied by a construction certificate or complying development certificate.
Accredited practitioners will also be responsible for annual assessment of essential fire safety measures and the annual inspection of fire exits and paths of travel towards fire exits. They may endorse exemptions to the Building Code of Australia for minor works to existing relevant fire safety systems.
The only way to obtain endorsement of fire safety plans and specifications other than from a certified fire safety practitioner is to obtain a compliance certificate from an accredited certifier, like Smoke Control.
The new fire safety regulation relies on the expertise of industry associations who accredit individuals as competent fire safety practitioners. The move by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has been made to strengthen the state of New South Wales’ building regulation by improving the quality of checks made. Construction will continue as before the regulation was introduced, but not at the expense of safety.
Assurances were made prior to the legislation being approved that there were enough resources available to ensure a sufficient number of persons accredited in both fire safety assessment and fire systems design are in circulation.
The new fire safety laws will go a long way to guaranteeing the safety of consumers. New and existing buildings will require builders to increasingly comply with regulation before fire safety compliance can be issued. The laws ensure that adequate provisions are set in place to prevent and handle building fires and that building occupants can enjoy a heightened sense of safety while at home.
Contact Smoke Control For Fire Protection Systems Sydney
Smoke Control supplies and installs fire curtains, fire shutters, smoke curtains, fire windows, fire resistant glazing, smoke vents, sliding fire doors and other specialty systems systems in buildings across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Contact our technical team if you have any questions about how to protect your property from fire hazards. We’ll recommend products based on your situation and will install everything for an affordable fee. We also have accredited staff available for annual fire safety inspections. You can reach us on 1300 665 471 Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.
