What is Building Fire Integrity?
Building Fire Integrity is a term used in the Building Code of Australia (“BCA”) and in some jurisdictions to describe a range of 12 safety measures or features of building or structure that promote the integrity or compartmentation of a building when subjected to fire.
Why you should inspect your fire sprinkler heads in exhaust ducts!
Fire sprinkler heads in kitchen hoods and exhaust ducts are required to be inspected every year for an excessive accumulation of grease or any other foreign matter. Checking these fire sprinkler heads is a task that is not regularly completed by inspectors let alone even knowing where these sprinkler heads are located in a building. In this article we will explain what are the requirements and how to identify sprinkler heads that need to be replaced.
Kitchen Hood & Duct Fire Sprinkler Systems
Australian Standard AS2118.1 specifies the requirements for the design, installation and commissioning of automatic fire sprinkler systems in buildings, including areas around commercial type cooking equipment in kitchens and associated ventilation systems. Where the cooking equipment includes a deep fat fryer, there are other considerations that installers and maintainers MUST take into consideration.
Smoke Detector Contamination & Nuisance Alarms
Over time, smoke detectors can accumulate airborne contamination such as dust, pollen, microscopic insects and other aerosols that can make the detector more sensitive to false alarms. Firewize provides a service for the fire industry that helps identify then replace these detectors before the cause a false alarm.
What is a Fire Hose Reel
A fire hose reel is a cylindrical spindle made of metal and is used for the storing of a fire hose. The typical length of a fire hose reel is 36m however longer lengths are available. A fire hose reel is used as a first attack apparatus by first responders. A hose reel is great for Class A fires including paper, wood, textiles, most plastics and rubber.
What is a Smoke Alarm?
A smoke alarm is a is an apparatus for the detection of airborne particulates (smoke) as a byproduct of combustion (fire) that incorporates an integrated alarm sounder. A smoke alarm may be stand alone, or interconnected with other fire detectors to alert the occupants of a building in the event of a fire. A smoke alarm is designed to Australian Standard AS 3786.
Types of automatic fire sprinkler heads
According to Australian Standard AS2118, there are an array of automatic fire sprinkler head types that are used for a wide variety of applications.
Is hand sanitizer a fire risk in buildings?
2020 will go down as a year like no other with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affecting every community across the globe. The first line of defence is social distancing, face masks and good hygiene. Many businesses have substantially increased their reserves of hand sanitizer and we have been asked the question, does this place our building at an increased fire risk?
What is an Essential Safety Measure?
In Victoria, an Essential Safety Measure ("ESM") is defined in Regulation 214 of the Building Regulations (Vic) 2018. In general, an Essential Safety Measure is provided for the safety of persons in the event of fire.
What are the requirements for the discharge from a required exit?
Two type of required exits are defined in the National Construction Code ("NCC"). This includes a "exits" and "fire rated exits". This articles describes
