Vegetation Management – Hydrants

Ensure fire safety in your strata building by maintaining vegetation clearances & visibility around hydrant boosters and valves. Learn about essential standards, real-life examples, and tips for keeping hydrants accessible and vegetation managed. Prioritize safety with expert advice from Civil Fire.

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AS1851 in NSW

The Australian Standard for the Routine service of fire protection equipment, AS1851-2012, is being legislated in NSW as of 13th February 2025. What does this mean for building owners? Find out more.

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Fire Dampers

Fire dampers are an essential safety measure that helps to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in buildings. Dampers belong to the ‘passive fire protection’ family.

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10yo smoke alarms in NSW

Civil Fire have recently updated our policy to defect smoke alarms when they are over 10 years old. Previously, this was a recommendation item only.

The reason for this change is the legislation of the Australian Standard for the Maintenance of Fire Protection – AS1851. This standard was legislated in NSW on 16/12/22, and all buildings must be maintained in accordance with this standard by 13th February 2025.

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Types of Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms are essential safety devices that can detect smoke and warn people of potential fires. There are two main types of smoke alarms available on the market: ionisation smoke alarms and photoelectric smoke alarms. While both types of smoke alarms can detect smoke and save lives, they operate differently, and there are advantages to using one type over the other in specific settings.

Ionisation Smoke Alarms

Ionisation smoke alarms use a small amount of radioactive material to ionize the air inside the alarm’s chamber. When smoke enters the chamber, it interrupts the ionization process, and the alarm sounds. Ionisation smoke alarms are particularly good at detecting flaming fires that produce small smoke particles, like those produced by burning wood or paper.

However, ionisation smoke alarms are less effective at detecting slow-burning fires that produce larger smoke particles, such as those produced by smoldering furniture, bedding, or wiring.

Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

Photoelectric smoke alarms use a light source and a photocell to detect smoke. When smoke enters the chamber, it scatters the light, and the photocell detects the scattered light and triggers the alarm. Photoelectric smoke alarms are particularly good at detecting smoldering fires that produce larger smoke particles, like those produced by burning foam or plastic.

Photoelectric smoke alarms are also less likely to trigger false alarms than ionisation smoke alarms, which can be set off by cooking fumes or steam from hot showers. In addition, photoelectric smoke alarms do not contain any radioactive material, so they are safe to use in any setting.

Why Photoelectric Smoke Alarms are Preferred for Residential Settings

For residential settings, photoelectric smoke alarms are generally preferred over ionisation smoke alarms. This is because residential fires are more likely to start with smoldering materials, such as upholstery, bedding, or wiring, which produce larger smoke particles. Photoelectric smoke alarms are more effective at detecting these types of fires, which gives residents more time to evacuate and reduces the risk of injury or death.

In addition, photoelectric smoke alarms are less likely to trigger false alarms, which can be a nuisance in residential settings. False alarms can also lead to residents disabling their smoke alarms, which increases the risk of injury or death in the event of a real fire.

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