Fire Code and Australian Standards query

[boomtown]

Door signage: All fire, smoke and exit doors should have signs in accordance with The Building Code of Australia, Clause D2.23 and AS1851 clause 17.2.4.1

Door Stops: All fire doors should have "Door Stops" (Travel limiting devices) in accordance with Australian Standard AS 1905 part 1 1997.

Now someone with a sense of humour wants to charge 10k to stick in some signs and doorstops. How do I sort the wheat from the chaff here and figure out what is 'recommended' and what is 'mandatory'.

Building was completed in 2002 and so far as I know was fully fire code compliant at that time.

 

[kero]

if your building complies to those regulations of 2002, then why 'upgrade' it? you might want to give your local council a ring about putting the right signages etc. Unless you are doing a major renovation to your building or chnaging the use of the buiding, in my opinion, i don't see the necessity to upgrade the existing facilities.

$10g for doing that is a bit over the top. If it is being called up in the Building Code fo Australia, it means the requirements are mandatory. The building code calls up various Australian Standards. Basically, its an extended arm to the building code (orelse you could imagine how thick the codes would be).

 

[boomtown]

There is no change to the building. Its a matter of a consultant called in for one purpose seemingly trying to invent work for himself.

So am I correct in thinking that if a building met fire codes when it was built it does not have to be upgraded every time the fire code changes?

 

[redwing]

There is no change to the building. Its a matter of a consultant called in for one purpose seemingly trying to invent work for himself.

So am I correct in thinking that if a building met fire codes when it was built it does not have to be upgraded every time the fire code changes?

From my understanding yes

 

[kero]

Boomtown,

if I'm you, i would check the drawings that has been approved for the initial usage. There might be work done that geniuely affect the fire escape route etc without your knowledge.

A common one is a fire separating wall. It is usually not required until the owner of the building starts to strata the units with separate owners.

 

[boomtown]

There are no works done post certificate of occupancy. The walls are concrete and a foot thick. Building has been strata from day 1.

 

[craigb]

Kero it is the responsability of an owner to comply with the current fire and safty regulations and not knowing is not an excuse,
The precident was set when a young teen fell of a balcony an a university she was intoxicated and sitting on the safty railing , the railing was old code and had to increse the height to the new safty standard height, they lost the court battle and had to compensate?
Boom walk around to the local fire station and have a yarn to the fire cheif and see if he could recomend somthing or somone to help you! be nice and just chat about it?

 

[kero]

Hi Boomtown,

are your intentions for insurance purpose?

 

[boomtown]

While I expect it is a condition of the insurance policy that the building comply with the fire code - this is a side question of figuring out what the actual requirements are.

We are happy to comply with the fire code for its own sake - but dont want to spend money for nothing.