Old Blocks, New Regs – 2

Hi SR

The short answer is: 1) only a properly qualified person can issue an Annual Fire Safety Statement; and 2) the failure to obtain an Annual Fire Safety Statement puts at risk the insurance coverage you have.

I provide more information on the relevant issues below:

An Annual Fire Safety Statement certifies that each Essential Fire Safety Measure installed on a premises has been assessed by a properly qualified person and was found to be capable of performing to the standard required by the most recent Fire Safety Schedule.The annual fire safety statement must be in a prescribed format.

Essential Fire Safety Measures means measures such as fire hose reels, exit signs or portable fire extinguishers required for fire safety in a building. A list of measures is contained in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.

Final Fire Safety Certificate – a certificate that must be furnished to Council after installation of essential fire safety measures, before a building is occupied, certifying that all the measure in the Fire Safety Schedule are installed and operating to the required standard of performance. 

Fire Safety Schedule means a list of essential and critical fire safety measures required on the premises and the relevant standards of performance the measures must achieve.

The owner of a premises is required to provide a statement to the Council and Fire & Rescue NSW every 12 months and to display a copy of the current statement in a prominent position at the premises, such as in the entry foyer.

The requirements have applied to premises subject to an approval, fire safety order or development consent since 1988 (at the time under Ordinance 70 Part 59), and now required by the https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community/Safety/Fire/AnnualFireSafetyStatements.asp#Link15