Fire safety compliance

The consequences of a significant building fire can be wide-ranging, and may include occupant life safety impacts, property loss, reputational harm, and regulatory enforcement action.

State and territory governments, through the adoption of the National Construction Code (NCC) and state-specific legislation, have, to varying degrees, established compliance benchmarks for building fire safety.

Challenges arise for property asset owners and managers in navigating these varying requirements. WSP’s team of fire safety compliance assessors and fire engineers are well positioned to support our clients in meeting their fire safety compliance obligations through the delivery of the following key services:

• Annual Fire Safety Certification

• An annual administrative requirement of many Australian state and territory jurisdictions, such as the QLD Occupiers Statement, the NSW Annual Fire Safety Statement, and the VIC Annual Essential Safety Measures Report. WSP can provide end-to-end management of the certification process, inclusive of managing the receipt of contractor-level supporting certification, and acting as an independent representative of the owner for the purpose of the statutory certification.

• Essential Safety Measures Maintenance Audits

• An assessment of contractor service documentation to ensure that servicing is being conducted satisfactorily and to the appropriate (and/or mandated) standards, such as AS 1851-2012 and AS 2293.2-2019.

• Essential Safety Measures Performance Audits 

• As above, but inclusive of a verification that a site’s fire safety provisions are in compliance with their design, installation and performance requirements, including any additional requirements imposed by site-specific fire engineering performance solutions.

• Systems Interface Testing Facilitation 

• Coordination and facilitation of a test of systems interfaced through a site’s Fire Indicator Panel, in conjunction with relevant site contractors (such as fire, mechanical, lift, standby power and security services), to verify correct performance in accordance with design intent.

• Building Fire Integrity Audits 

• An assessment of the integrity of a building’s fire compartmentation, such as fire walls and lightweight fire-resistant protective material.

• Means of Egress Audits 

• An assessment of a building’s egress provisions, including exit doors, doors in paths of travel to exits, and external egress routes.

• Fire Safety Risk Audits

• A risk-based assessment where a best-practice approach to fire safety is being sought. Includes relevant matters not explicitly addressed in legislation, codes or standards.

• Fire Safety Order Management

• A service involving technical and administrative support where asset owners have been served with regulatory notices such as Fire Safety Orders. WSP can assist with the negotiation of the terms and compliance periods of any orders, and can project-manage the implementation of rectification works.

For more information, contact the WSP Fire Safety Compliance team.