Fire Safety Audit

Essential safety measures are the fire, life safety and health items installed or constructed in a building to ensure adequate levels of fire safety and protection over the life of the building.
Essential safety measures include building fire services such as sprinklers and mechanical services and also include passive fire safety measures such as fire doors, fire-rated structures and measures such as paths of travel to exits.

There is a requirement for the safe storage and handling of records relating to essential safety measures to preserve them in the event of a fire.

The means of escape and emergency egress routes, which will include fire stairs, must be clearly identified and provide a safe and unobstructed passage at all times. The emergency exit doors must be able to be opened from within without the use of a key.
The person conducting the Fire Safety Check is to inspect all emergency exit routes, exit doors, emergency ramps and fire stairs.
Reference: Building Code of Australia D2.21, D2.23

An Exit Sign must be clearly visible to persons approaching the exit and must be installed on, above or adjacent to:
(i) each door providing direct access from a storey to an enclosed stairway, passageway or ramp serving as a required exit;
(ii) each door to an external stairway, passageway or ramp serving as a required exit;
(iii) each door leading to an external balcony leading to a required exit;
(iv) each door leading from an enclosed stairway, passageway or ramp leading to a road or open space;
(v) a horizontal exit; and
(vi) doors serving as, or forming part of, a required exit in a storey required to be provided with emergency lighting.
An inspection of Exit Signs is to be carried out. If an exit is not readily visible, then intermediate signs are to be installed and fitted with directional arrows. Visually check signs for damage or missing components and operate the test switch. (Illuminated Exit Signs normally have a test button on the bottom or side of the light fitting)
The Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires that exit signs be illuminated at a level sufficient for them to be clearly visible at all times when the building is occupied by any person having the right of legal entry to the building.
Exit signs are subjected to 6 and 12 monthly testing by competent persons.
Reference: Building Code of Australia E4 and AS/NZS 2293.2/3

Part E4.2 of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires that emergency lighting be installed in every fire isolated stairway, fire isolated ramp or fire isolated passageway and every storey of a Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 building where the storey has a floor area of more than 300 m2.
In the second case the lighting must be installed in every passageway, corridor, hallway or the like that is part of the path of travel to and exit and in every room that has a floor area more than 300 m2. Further requirements can be found at BCA Part 4.2 c to h.
During inspection check for damage and operate the test switch on all Emergency Luminaires. Emergency luminaries are subjected to 6 and 12 monthly testing by contractors.
Within stairways a single, bold, contrasting stripe set back about 35 mm from the front edge of each tread on a stairway helps to make descent of the stairway quicker and safer in an emergency. This form of stripe is more effective than multiple stripes, especially in the relatively dim illumination provided by an emergency lighting installation.
Reference: Building Code of Australia E4 and AS/NZS 2293.2/3

A rated fire door is installed across an opening in a fire wall to maintain the fire resistance rating of that fire wall. This can be via a horizontal exit that passes through a compartment wall or at the access point to the fire stairs.
Smoke control doors are designed to allow occupants a safe path of travel to an emergency exit in the event of fire by restricting the impact of smoke on that path of travel.
The basis of maintenance for compartment integrity is to identify the respective vertical and horizontal barriers and their respective fire-resistance level (FRL) or smoke containment requirements and to ensure all openings or service penetrations and control joints in these barriers do not compromise the performance requirements relating to fire and smoke compartmentation.
The basis of maintenance for structural fire-resistance elements is to identify all the structural elements (beams, columns, girders and trusses), and their respective fire-resistance level (FRL) requirements and to ensure adequate fire protection coverings are incorporated at the correct thickness and that they are in good condition.
A sign to alert persons that the operation of smoke control doors must not be impaired must be installed where it can be readily seen on, or adjacent to, a required smoke door on the side that faces a person seeking egress.

Metal tags
The following provisions shall apply with regard to metal tags:
a. Dimensions. The dimensions of the metal tags for marking shall be not less than 50 mm × 25 mm.
b. Method of marking. The required information shall be etched, embossed or stamped on the metal tags so that it is recessed or projected not less than 0.25 mm below or above the surface of the tag. Alphabetic or numeric characters shall be not less than 1.5 mm high.
c. Location. The location of the tags shall be as follows:
(i) Horizontally sliding door sets. For horizontally sliding door sets, the tags shall be fixed to the trailing edge of the door leaf at approximately 1.5 m above floor level and to the doorframe, if any, at approximately the same height.
(ii) Side-hung door sets. For side-hung door sets the tags shall be fixed to the edge of the hinge stile of the door leaf and to the doorframe at approximately 1.5 m above floor level.
(iii) Two-leafed door sets. Each leaf of a two-leafed door set shall be tagged.
(iv) Tag installation. Where the installation of a tag on the edge of the door is likely to compromise the performance of the door, the tag shall be relocated to the face of the door leaf at its top hinged corner.
d. Method of fixing. The tags shall be firmly fixed to minimize the possibility of detachment during the service life of the door set.
Signs
A sign to alert persons that the operation of fire doors must not be impaired must be installed where it can be readily seen on, or adjacent to, a required fire door providing direct access to a fire isolated exit on the side that faces a person seeking egress.
Checking
Check fire rated/smoke control doors for latching, where hold open devices are installed press test switch and ensure door latches fully.
Penetrations through firewalls and floors must be sealed with fire stopping material to prevent the spread of fire. Fire stop pillows may be used as an interim measure during work on the penetration.
Visually inspect firewalls and floors for fire stopping of penetrations.
Test periods are Three-monthly, Six-monthly and Annually.

Reference: Building Code of Australia D 2.20/2.20, Specification C3.15 – 4/7, AS1851-2012 Section 17 TABLE 17.4.3.1 and AS1905.1/2-2005. Building Code of Australia E2 and AS/NZS 1668.1

Fire extinguishers must be installed to the degree necessary to allow occupants to safely undertake initial attack on a fire appropriate to:
a. the size of the fire compartment
b. the function or use of the building;
c. any further fire safety systems installed in the building; and
d. the fire hazard.
Primary extinguisher protection (AS 2444-2001 Sec 4.2.1)
For Class A fire risks, extinguishers shall be distributed in accordance with Table 4.1 of AS 2444. Notwithstanding the requirements of Table 4.1, the travel distance from any point to the nearest extinguisher shall be not greater than 15 metres.
Office electrical and electronic risks (AS 2444-2001 Sec 4.4.3)
The maximum distance from an extinguisher’s normal location to the risk shall be either—
(a) 20 metres, in areas where there is a large density of electrical/electronic equipment (e.g. computer centres, broadcasting studios, telephone exchange equipment rooms and the like); or
(b) 40 metres, in areas where there is a lesser distribution of electrical/electronic equipment (e.g. offices using computers and photocopiers).
Inspect each fire extinguisher as marked on the Emergency Procedure Plan for that floor/zone to ensure they are correctly identified, unobstructed and serviceable for use in an emergency. The extinguishers should be mounted in the path of travel to an exit.
Appropriate location signs should be mounted above the extinguisher so that the position is visible from at least 20 metres.

A fire hose reel system must be installed to the degree necessary to allow occupants to safely undertake initial attack on a fire appropriate to:
a. the size of the fire compartment
b. the function or use of the building;
c. any further fire safety systems installed in the building; and
d. the fire hazard.

Australian Standard 3745-2010 details the requirements for having written emergency procedures, the establishment of an Emergency Control Organisation and the need to train all staff on the facilities emergency response procedures on a regular basis.
Emergency Plans
An emergency plan must be developed for every facility and must detail the facilities arrangements, systems, strategies and procedures that relate to the management and response to emergencies. The plan must include a clear identification of the fire safety and emergency features of the facility, the roles and responsibilities of the Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) and the facilities emergency response procedures and training arrangements.
Emergency Control Organisation
An Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) is required to direct and control the implementation of the emergency response procedures within facilities and must manage an appropriate emergency response to emergencies which prioritises the safety of occupants and visitors.
Evacuation Diagrams
Facilities are required to display evacuation diagrams which have been correctly orientated in regards to the direction of egress and the location of a ‘You Are Here’ point relative to a person viewing the evacuation diagram. The Emergency Planning Committee (EPC) shall determine the location and number of evacuation diagrams, which are to be displayed where occupants and visitors are best able to view them.
Training
Training must be provided to at least one member of the Emergency Planning Committee (EPC), the Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) and for all facility occupants upon the commencement of their duties and at intervals of not more than 12 months. Training should be conducted by a competent person, be based on the facilities emergency response procedures and ensure that participants have sufficient knowledge to understand and react to emergencies according to the facilities emergency response procedures.
Inspection and Testing
Section 14 and Appendix J of Australian Standard (AS) 1851-2012 details the requirements for inspection, checking and test of Emergency Planning in Facilities.

A good standard of housekeeping is required to ensure the environment of the complex is maintained in a fire safe state. To this end a general inspection internally and externally is required to detect hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions.
General Reference: AS 1851-2012 Appendix J Table J6

A visual inspection is to be carried out on electrical appliances, leads and installations. A system of regular maintenance/checking by a competent person should also be in place.
Check at the mains power board for any installed maintained Residual Current Devices (RCD) and verify that records of maintenance for the RCD are in place and up to date.
As a defined risk, any cabinet housing live electrical distribution equipment should have appropriate warning signs displayed to deter the use of inappropriate firefighting mediums such as water in the event of a fire occurring.
If portable Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units are in use, ensure that the unit is on a non-combustible stand (off carpeted or combustible floor coverings) and clear of combustible materials.

There is a legislative requirement for the storage and handling of hazardous materials, including separation distances and storage locations. This check relates to basic fire safety precautions only and is based on the assumption that the installation/s is/are compliant with the legislative requirements.