This article discusses fire damper inspection requirements, explaining Queensland’s legal framework, inspection frequency, and why long-standing standards may now be more strictly enforced.
Question: What does the Qld legislation say about fire damper inspections?
We live in a 10-story, 20-year-old complex in Qld with 60 units. Our units’ exhaust vents are ducted to the main risers. In the event of a fire, a fire damper closes at the junction with the riser to prevent fire from spreading into the riser or into an apartment.
We’ve been told that 20% of units must be inspected each year for the next five years to confirm the dampers work. If more than 10% of the sample is deficient, all dampers must be checked in the next 12 months.
We have never been inspected for this previously. Is this a new QLD law?
Answer: Check with your building or strata management to confirm the inspection schedule and ensure that the required inspections are carried out in accordance with the standard.
The situation you’re describing is not a new law, but rather a combination of fire safety regulations, standards, and maintenance requirements that have been in place for some time. The key legislation here is AS 1851-2012, the Australian Standard for Routine Service of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment. This standard outlines the requirements for fire protection system inspection, testing, and maintenance, including fire dampers.
Under AS 1851-2012, fire dampers (such as those in the exhaust vent system of your complex) must be regularly inspected to ensure they remain functional in the event of a fire. This includes testing their operation and checking for any deficiencies that might impair their performance. The standard requires that at least 20% of fire dampers in a building must be inspected every year, and this should continue over a 5-year period to cover all dampers in the building.
While the AS1851-2012 standard has been around for a number of years, it’s possible that your building has not undertaken regular inspections of its fire dampers. Fire safety regulations have become increasingly stringent over time, especially after the Grenfell Tower fire in the UK and other similar incidents globally. This has increased the emphasis on ensuring that all fire protection systems, including dampers, are regularly checked and maintained.
MP6.1 (Mandatory Part) has called up AS1851 since its inception and therefore the requirements of the AS1851 are law. The obligation for regular inspections of fire dampers under AS 1851-2012 has been in place for years, though enforcement and awareness may have become more rigorous in recent times. If your building has never been inspected for fire dampers before, it may simply be that the complex is now coming into compliance with these long-standing regulations.
Check with your building or strata management to confirm the inspection schedule and ensure that the required inspections are carried out in accordance with the standard. If your building is part of a body corporate, it may be worth having a qualified fire safety consultant assess the situation and assist with ensuring compliance with both the standard and any local fire safety laws.
This post appears in the February 2025 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
Stefan Bauer
Fire Matters
E: sbauer@firematters.com.au
P: 07 3071 9088
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