Question: What smoke alarms are compliant for an old class 2 building? Are we required to have hard wired smoke alarms fitted?
Our building was built in 1977. I am getting conflicting information from Council and the contractor regarding our smoke alarms.
Due to the age of the building, are battery operated smoke alarms compliant? The building is old and it seems too complicated to go down the hard wired path.
I’ve heard the EPA guidelines are just an information sheet and, for class 2 buildings, the type of smoke alarm used is the owner’s choice – hard wired or battery operated. Is this correct?
Answer: It all depends on what it says on the schedule of Essential Fire Safety Measures on the AFSS or Council fire order.
It all depends on what it says on the schedule of Essential Fire Safety Measures on the AFSS or Council fire order.
In simple terms:
- If the docs state: “BCA E2.2a” or “Spec. E2.2a”, then hard-wired is the required option (irrespective of how difficult it is to retrofit).
- If the docs state nothing or only AS3786, then battery-only is generally acceptable.
There are some variants depending on whether the property is used for short-term-letting and therefore how the Residential Tenancy Act, smoke alarm regulation and BCA apply, but the above two are the most common determination of compliance.
This post appears in Strata News #636.
Rob Broadhead 2020 Fire Protection E: rob.broadhead@2020fire.com.au P: 1300 340 210