Initial Fire Safety Measures Assessment

The SC has arranged for annual and biannual fire safety measure assessments to meet our minimum fire safety statutory obligations with Complete Fire Certification (CFC). As expected, our fire safety measures had significantly degraded over the years without adequate assessment or repairs. So far, we have not yet had Council oversight since we have been quietly under their radar. However, it is likely that Council will audit our building and would impose strict compliance and upgrade requirements for our fire safety measures and other standards. It is in the Owners Corporation's best interest to urgently meet our minimum statutory obligations.  CFC has complete an initial draft of his report (see link below) which has an extensive list of critical defects with our fire safety measures.

CFC Initial Assessment 20201018071354.pdf
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At a first read of the assessment, it appears very concerning, and it is. However, the SC is taking a considered and a methodical approach to addressing the many and varied fire safety measure issues. Many of which resulted from long-term neglect. The most important measures to consider are:

• Fire Hydrant System;
• Smoke Detectors in Units; and
• Fire Doors.

Emergency lights have not yet been tested as an isolation switch could not be readily identified. The SC has rectified the isolation discrepancy and will arrange for CFC to return and test the emergency lights.

Fire Hydrant System
For many years, the only fire measure to have regular inspection was the fire hydrant system which was most recently conducted by Wormald. The SC has terminated Wormald and that service is now conducted by CFC. Despite the years of inspection by Wormald, our fire hydrant system had significantly degraded with failed components such as:

• failed hydrant landing valves on the roof, Level 3 and garage;
• failed hydrant booster connection in front of the building near the footpath;
• failed hydrant isolation valve near the booster connection.

The SC is working with CFC to address these and other issues with the fire hydrant system.

Smoke Alarms in Units
It is generally understood that smoke alarms in individual units are the responsibility of the unit owners. Property managers have pushed investors to undertake their recommended services to annually check smoke alarms in the investment unit. This has created some redundancy and some gaps in servicing of smoke alarms. Despite any possible mutual responsibility, the Owners Corporation is ultimately responsible to ensure that smoke detectors are continuously operational and routinely checked.
CFC identified many smoke alarms that failed assessment due to a range of reasons including: broken; flat battery; too old; and improperly located. It would be prudent for the strata to assume primary responsibility for servicing and installing all smoke alarms.
Council fire orders generally include a requirement for all smoke alarms to be hard wired for power. If strata assumed responsibility for unit smoke alarms, then it is prudent for strata to introduce a standard smoke alarms which is hard wired. The SC is currently assessing the feasibility of hard wiring smoke alarms.

Fire Doors
Fire doors are another fire safety measure that has been neglected for many years with critical defects such as:

• door closures removed and not replaced;
• door hardware replaced with non-compliant hardware; and
• with excessive gaps and/or not adjusted properly.

A number of service providers and door suppliers have speculated that our fire doors have an asbestos core; and CFC has explicitly noted that our doors have an asbestos core.
There is an observable millboard core, but asbestos use in fire doors was generally discontinued by 1982. The SC is skeptical about the presence of asbestos in our doors; and has taken a sample for testing by a laboratory which showed negative for asbestos. Now, the SC will arrange for formal sampling and testing of a few fire door cores so the Owners Corporations can make informed decisions about fire door rectification.

Unraveling the many years of neglect and misunderstanding of fire safety measures requires careful consideration and measured actions to get us onto an appropriate path for responsible fire safety measure assurance. The SC is actively taking actions to define required actions and associated costs for consideration by the Owners Corporation.