There is a major shift coming to fire safety standards in New South Wales, and if you are a strata manager, building owner, or commercial property manager, this affects your legal and financial liability directly.

The core subject is AS1851-2012 (the Australian Standard for routine service of fire protection systems and equipment). After a deferral, the NSW Government has set a new, firm deadline: these standards are set to become mandatory law on February 13th next year.

The era of vague compliance is over. At Promaster Protection, we’re here to break down the complex regulation into plain English and tell you exactly why building owners are currently feeling “panicky”.

The biggest change is the shift in legal responsibility: the compliance onus is legally shifting to the building owner.

Previously, the responsibility for fire safety maintenance was often vague, leading to loose enforcement. From February 13th next year, all essential fire safety measures in Class 1b and Class 2 to Class 9 buildings in NSW must be maintained exactly in accordance with AS1851-2012.

What This Means for Building Owners:

• You Are the Responsible Party: Strata committees, owners corporations, and facility managers are legally required to ensure maintenance is done correctly. The maximum penalty for a corporation failing to comply with these maintenance requirements can reach 600 penalty units.

• The End of “Dodgy” Practices: The law is becoming strict. The era of simply getting a stamped Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) without meticulous, ongoing work is over. You must now have an audit trail.

Proof is Non-Negotiable: If a fire occurs, or an auditor from the Council or Fire & Rescue NSW inspects your building, they will demand detailed records to prove that you followed the AS1851 schedule.

AS1851 is not a simple annual checklist. It is a comprehensive standard that dictates the routine service schedules for every piece of fire equipment in your building, including sprinklers, alarms, extinguishers, and hydrants.

It introduces rigorous requirements for:

• Increased Frequency: Many maintenance activities are required more frequently than annually, including weekly and monthly checks. For example, the hydrostatic pressure testing of fire hose reels and hydrants is a major, costly service required every five years that cannot be skipped.

• Meticulous Record Keeping: You are now legally required to keep detailed records of all inspection, testing, and servicing activities for at least seven years. This record, or logbook, is your only legal defence in an audit or liability claim. 

Qualified Technicians: Building owners must ensure that maintenance is conducted by competent persons. “Dodgy” practices won’t fly anymore. At Promaster Protection, our team is actively retraining to ensure all certifications and qualifications are compliant with the new regulatory environment.

This new mandate is a long-overdue requirement to enhance life safety, but it requires immediate action to prepare your budget and your documentation.

1. Review Your Contract: Ensure your current fire maintenance contract explicitly states that all services will be conducted in strict accordance with AS1851-2012.

2. Budget for Major Services: Start putting money aside for the mandatory 5-yearly, 10-yearly, and 25-yearly service intervals required by AS1851.

3. Engage the Experts: Choose a professional, communicative service provider like Promaster Protection that is already aligning its systems with the mandatory standard.

Don’t wait until the February 13th deadline. Promaster Protection is your authority on these changes, offering the meticulous service and audit-ready documentation you need to protect your assets and occupants.

Contact Promaster Protection today to ensure your building’s fire safety measures meet the new letter of the law.