This article discusses strata fire panel fault response requirements and when faults should be investigated rather than delayed.
Question: Should the fire contractor be checking all registered faults on the fire panel? Our committee will often leave these until the next system check.
Our strata building has a predominantly wireless fire system. When the fire panel shows a fault, the strata committee will often say “It can wait to be rectified when the fire contractor next comes out to check the system under our contract, as the cost of the call out is not warranted”. That may save money, but does that save lives?
Currently the fire panel indicates a fault in the underground garage. It is an area, due to the presence of petroleum, that should be fire safety compliant at all times.
A fault is a fault and should be attended to. Some faults may not require an out of hours call out, that’s a judgement call.
Answer: A fault is a fault and it should be looked at.
This is a difficult one because there are so many factors involved. But I would agree with the statement that ‘A fault is a fault’ and it should be looked at.
What we mostly don’t know when it comes to a fault is: how big is the fault? Is the fault one detector that has spiders or water that has run through it, or a cable disconnected? Or is the entire car park not functioning? Sometimes the strata and the fire contractor can work together to identify how big the problem is because it may be indicated on the fire panel screen. Maybe there is a battery in one detector that is low or broken. Fair call, it might be a risk management versus costs decision to leave it for the next inspection because it’s still probably going to work and there are probably other detectors within 10 metres of it that will cover off most of the risks.
But if it’s just registering as a fault and you can’t identify how big it is, I think it’s important to go and investigate. The orange light on the panel showing fault could be the entire system no longer functioning or it could be that one detector with a low battery. An investigation is very important but yes, some of it can be done over the phone If the panel on that system gives you enough information.
This post appears in the September 2022 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Rob Broadhead
2020 Fire Protection
E: rob.broadhead@2020fire.com.au
P: 1300 340 210
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