Did you know that version 4 of the annual fire safety statement came into effect on 1 September 2022?  What does this mean for you? Don’t panic, here’s a quick reference to the information you need to stay up-to-date.

What are fire safety statements?

Here’s a quick refresh.

As part of the construction of a building, a variety of essential fire safety measures are installed to comply with the Building Code of Australia. This can include a range of items such as fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, exit, and emergency lighting, fire detection systems, and fire sprinkler systems.

An annual fire safety statement AFSS is a declaration by or on behalf of a building owner that an accredited fire safety practitioner assessed, inspected and verified the performance of each essential fire safety measure that applies to the building.

A building owner must ensure that an annual fire safety statement for the building is issued each year and that a copy of the statement is provided to the local council and Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW.

What template do I use now?

For statements issued on or after 1 September 2022, use Version 4.0 of the template form. This is available on the NSW Planning Portal and the Fire safety certification page of the department’s website.   The template revision was brought in to align with the updated regulation which came into effect in early 2022.  Previously, it was known as the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000. Now known as the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.

What are my responsibilities?

The building owner is responsible for maintaining each fire safety measure to the required minimum standard of performance contained in the fire safety schedule. For fire safety measures that apply to buildings but are not specified in a fire safety schedule, the measures must be maintained to the standard to which each measure was originally designed and implemented.  An agent cannot be made responsible for this.

What is an accredited fire safety practitioner?

An accredited fire safety practitioner is a person who is accredited under a government-approved industry accreditation scheme as an ‘accredited practitioner (fire safety)’.  A building owner must select an accredited fire safety practitioner from a government register. The practitioner must hold relevant accreditation from a government-approved scheme to assess the specific fire safety measure or inspect the fire exit systems serving the building.

Fire safety regulations might feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to be that way.  With a reliable fire safety provider to assist you at every step of the process, you can confidently prepare your fire safety statements.

Want a quick and reliable way to secure your AFSS? Contact Global Fire. We offer a convenient, secure, and reliable process for completing your fire safety statements.

Call us now on 1300 88 70 18 or email inquiries@globalfire.com.au