Engineering Overview Services Cont.
Building Code of Australia (BCA)
Building Code of Australia requires that Safety Measures perform to a standard not less than they were originally required to achieve. Failure to maintain fire safety equipment would be deemed a failure to meet the “duty of care” requirements.
Environmental Planning & Assessment Act (N.S.W.)
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act requires that Safety Measures perform to a standard not less than they were originally required to achieve, and annually certified. Failure to maintain fire safety equipment would be deemed a failure to meet the “duty of care” requirements.
Australian Standards
Australian Standard – AS1851 – 2005 requires specific periodic maintenance regimes, dependent on each essential service, i.e. weekly, monthly, 3 monthly, 6 monthly, annually, three yearly, 6 yearly and 24 yearly. Failure to conduct these tests would be deemed a failure to meet the “duty of care” requirements.
Australian Standard – AS1851 – 2005 requires the owner of the building to arrange for an Annual Compliance Survey to be conducted on the building’s Fire Safety Measures (essential services). The Annual Compliance Survey will produce an Annual Condition Report. The building owner will issue an Annual Fire Safety Statement that will include a statement that on the date on which it was inspected it was found to have been maintained and to be capable of operating (performing) at a standard not less than that to which it was originally designed and installed. Failure to produce “Annual Fire Safety Statement” would be deemed a failure to meet the “duty of care” requirements.
Australian Standard – AS3666 requires monthly inspection, and if required, cleaning of air conditioning components. Failure to do so would be deemed a failure to meet the “duty of care” requirements.
Other Australian Standards state specific performance and maintenance criteria which places additional “duty of care” requirements on building owners and managers.