NSW: Is my apartment entry door a fire door under NSW regulations?

Question: Is my entry door to my apartment a Fire Door?

Is my entry door to my apartment a Fire Door?

If YES, to comply with NSW fire door regulations, how often does my apartment entry door require inspection?

Can I fit a hold open device to my door closer on my entry door?

Answer: The apartment entry door should be a fire door

This is a difficult question to answer without any photos or physical reference, but the apartment entry door should be a fire door, yes! Albeit the question says “Is my entry door to my apartment a Fire Door ?” as opposed to ‘should it be a fire door’ but, yes, it should be a fire rated door for at least one hour.

According to AS1851 testing standard in section 12, Fire Doors are required to be tested every 6 months. However in the case of a Sole Occupancy Unit / Apartment Door it is only done annually at LinkFIRE as access often proves difficult more frequently than this.

Oftentimes, the onus is put on to the occupier to ensure any changes, deterioration or damage is reported back to the Owners Corporation Manager.

You can only install a hold open device if it is an automatic fail safe device (closes in the event of power loss or an alarm signal etc.).

This post appears in the May 2021 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.

Chris Chatham
LINKfire
E: Chris.Chatham@linkfire.com.au
P: 1300 669 439