5-Yearly Servicing of Hydrant & Sprinkler Systems
With the legislation of AS1851 in NSW coming into force in 2025, the 5-yearly service of the fire hydrant system and sprinkler system
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.
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.
Ionisation Vs Photoelectric Smoke Alarms
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.
Hydrostatic Testing of Fire Hydrants
Hydrostatic testing is a process of testing the integrity and strength of a pressurized system, such as a fire hydrant system, to ensure that it can withstand the required pressure and flow.
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.
Managing Vegetation / Gardens around Hydrant Valves & Hydrant Booster
FRNSW requires fire hydrants to be always accessible, and will comment on hydrant accessibility in reports issued under s28, s50 and s51 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.
While having a lush garden is lovely, it’s crucial to ensure that plants and greenery do not obstruct access to hydrants. Vegetation should be pruned regularly to maintain at least a 1-meter clearance around hydrants on all sides. This maintenance prevents overgrown plants from hindering visibility and accessibility.
Regular garden maintenance is essential, especially during the growing season, to prevent plants from encroaching on the required clearance zones. Overgrown vegetation can significantly hinder firefighting efforts, delaying response times and potentially exacerbating fire emergencies.
Under AS1851 your fire contractor should be performing regular checks to make sure all valves & boosters are accessible. If a breach is recorded, you will be asked to conduct garden maintenance.
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.
