Passive Fire Protection
Passive Fire measures are designed to stop (or slow) the spread of fire from one part of the building to another. Most buildings have Passive Fire protection measures – even if they are not specifically listed on the AFSS.
Emergency Lights
In an emergency situation emergency lights should run on their backup battery for at least 90-minutes. Australian Standards require that exit & emergency lights be tested every 6 months. Exit and emergency lights have a shorter lifespan when compared to non-emergency lights.
Smoke Alarms & Landlord Obligations
Landlords have clear obligations when it comes to the installation, repair and maintenance of smoke alarms.
So who is responsible for what?
Landlords can engage Civil Fire to fulfil their obligations for $75 + GST each year.
Paths of Travel
Maintaining exits, and clear paths of travel to exits is critical in ensuring occupants can escape in the event of an emergency. So what are the requirements?
Fire Sprinklers
Fire sprinklers are a highly effective method of fire suppression. But in order for them to operate effectively they need to have adequate clearance and coverage. We’ll explore some of the common issues we see with sprinklers in residential strata buildings.
Soft Touch Door Closers
Fire doors must be able to self-close and self-latch after every opening, which is why it is mandatory for fire doors to have closers. Are you finding that your closer is making your fire door feel so heavy that you can barely open it? There is a solution!
Smoke Alarms for the Deaf & Hearing Impaired
Conventional AS3786 smoke alarms are designed to produce 85dB at a distance of 3 meters when in alarm. Whilst this is adequate to wake most people from sleep, it may not be enough to wake those who have moderate or severe hearing loss.
Smoke alarms save lives, but those who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot depend on the sound of the regular alarm to alert them to a fire.
The solution is to install a specially designed smoke alarm system comprised of:
- A smoke detector – which produces a high frequency alarm sound,
- A strobe – which produces high-intensity light, designed to wake a sleeping person, and
- A vibrating pad – which is placed under the pillow in order to shake the person awake.
In the event of a fire all 3 components will simultaneously activate, which should be sufficient to rouse a hearing impaired person from even a deep sleep.
The strobe plugs into a power point. It can be put on the bedside table, or it can be mounted to the wall near the bed.
This system retails for around $600 + GST.
For more information:
I don’t think we’ve had contractors come through before who were so clean and tidy, helpful and responsive with ideas about how to better maintain the heritage and be compliant and generally respectful of the property.
He was so thoughtful, he stopped the really noisy part of the repair so I could answer calls. I went out at lunch, and he was on his hands and knees washing the floor in the entry because he’d brought in some debris from the street.
