What is the Annual Fire Safety Statement?

An Annual Fire Safety Statement when issued certifies that:

• Each essential fire safety measure in the building has been assessed by a properly qualified person
• Each essential fire safety measure in the building was found to be capable of performing to a standard no less than that to which the measure was originally or subsequently designed and implemented.
• The properly qualified person has assessed all paths of travel to the exits including the exit doors, and advised of the status, in connection with the NSW Environmental Planning & Assessment Regulations (2000), at the time of the inspection.

Who is responsible for certification?

Under the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, the owner of the building must ensure that each of the measures have been assessed by a properly qualified person, and then forward a copy of the Annual Fire Safety Statement or Fire Safety Certificate to Council and the NSW Fire Brigades.

A copy of the statement or certificate must also be prominently displayed in the building.

Universal Fire Protection has over 45 years’ experience with building codes and fire safety audits and are industry leaders in testing, maintaining and repairing fire protection systems. With specific expertise in building maintenance and safety, Universal Fire can provide Annual Assessments, BCA Assessments and Fire Upgrade Assessments in accordance with AS4655

Universal Fire Protection can assess key fire safety measures within a building such as:

• Access panels, doors and hoppers to  fire-resisting shafts
• Automatic fail-safe devices
• Automatic fire detection and alarm systems
• Automatic fire suppression systems
• Emergency lighting
• Emergency Warning and Intercommunication Systems (EWIS)
• Exit signs
• Fire control centres and rooms
• Fire doors
• Fire hydrant systems
• Fire seals protecting openings in fire resisting components of the building
• Fire shutters
• Fire windows
• Fire hose reel systems
• Lightweight construction
• Perimeter vehicle access for emergency vehicles
• Portable fire extinguishers
• Safety curtains in proscenium openings
• Smoke and heat vents
• Smoke detectors and heat detectors
• Solid core doors
• Standby power systems
• Wall-wetting sprinkler and drencher systems
• Warning and operational signs
• Paths of travel to exits

Owners Annual Fire Safety Assessment

Where applicable, the law requires building owners to engage a qualified person to assess fire safety measures in buildings each year. If the inspection is not performed properly by a qualified person, the building owner may be held liable.  Engaging Universal Fire Protection for the assessment satisfies this obligation.

Comprehensive fire safety assessment

Our fire protection consultants determine when the fire safety measures were installed in your building and research the performance standards that was applicable at the time of installation.
The inspection identifies whether:

• the fire systems listed on council’s schedule exist on your premises, and are correctly listed by council
• the fire systems can perform to the relevant Australian Standards and legislation
• changes to building structure or use effect fire system performance
• the fire equipment is correctly located and has no obvious damage
• the routine inspection, testing and servicing is being performed and any defects found have been rectified
• the status of the paths of travel to the exits including the exit doors, in connection with the relevant state regulations.

A detailed report, including photos is prepared.

The report:

• identifies fire measures and their relevant standards
• reports on the measures’ capacity to perform to their relevant standards
• recognises relevant issues in respect to paths of travel to the exits
• identifies and classifies any defects
• includes a Fire Safety Statement prepared for the building owner.