FireTalk
Newsletter of Fire Protection Association Australia
The Governor General Visits FPA Australia FPA Australia is extremely proud to have been visited by Association Patron, The Governor General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd). His excellency and Lady Cosgrove toured the Association National Office in Melbourne on Wednesday March 11 and spent time meeting and greeting Board Members and Staff. This was followed by a short presentation where Association National President Trevor Voevodin and CEO Scott Williams presented His Excellency with a small antique brass fire extinguisher with custom engraving as a small token of appreciation. His Excellency then addressed all staff and dignitaries and spoke of the important work being undertaken by FPA Australia as well as his sense of pride in being Patron of the Association.
FPA Australia has a long history of patronage from Governor-Generals. Sir Paul Hasluck PC, GCMG & KSTJ was the first patron, followed by successive Governor-Generals including Sir Peter’s predecessor Her Excellency Dame Quentin Bryce AC. Sir Peter has a strong history of community involvement during emergencies, including as taskforce leader during the Cyclone Larry disaster in 2006 and significant military service. The Association is proud and humbled to have had the opportunity to host their excellencies and we thank Sir Peter for his ongoing patronage and strong support of the work undertaken at FPA Australia. Below: Sir Peter (left) being presented with an antique fire extinguisher by FPA Australia National President Trevor Voevodin (right) and CEO Scott Williams (centre).
Autumn 2015 In This Issue
The Governor General Visits FPA Australia Need for Urgent Enquiry into Building Product Compliance & Fire Safety Get a Free Copy of the BCA Comment on Three Draft Standards EAHL Qualified Persons Licence 2 & 3 Offer Extended Fire Australia 2015 Sets New Standard for Excellence Fire Australia 2015 Awards Important Information on Fire Protection Industry Training Fire NZ Conference & Exhibition Maintenance of Aspirating Smoke Detectors – Advisory Note HazMat 2015 Program Released, Registrations Open Now Events
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Need for Urgent Enquiry into Building Product Compliance and Fire Safety FPA Australia has called for an urgent review of the surveillance and auditing of building approvals, processes and all requirements for occupancy. The Association strongly congratulates the Metropolitan Fire Brigade on its damning report into the Melbourne Docklands apartment fire which highlighted the use of non-compliant, highly combustible external cladding material, along with many other issues. Equally, FPA Australia is pleased that the building practitioners involved in this incident are now being investigated by the Victorian Building Authority. However, the Association believes this issue highlights a much broader, systemic failure of building legislation and urgent action is needed. In 2011 the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) report into the private building surveying industry in Victoria found that 96 percent of permits examined did not comply with the relevant building and safety standards. FPA Australia CEO Scott Williams said that more than three years later little has changed. “Today we still have occupied buildings in Australia that have significant questions over the level of life safety provided for occupants and the public,” he said. “In the building and construction industry it is widely known that non-compliant products are bypassing the building approval process and are being installed in Australian buildings. This is a most significant concern to life safety and yet worryingly, is only identified when a fire event occurs.” “The community has an expectation that, particularly in new, multi storey buildings, they will be reasonably safe from fire. It appears this is not the case in many Australian buildings today. We know anecdotally that there are many other non-compliant products installed in many other buildings around the country.” “In a developed country non-compliant products simply should not be installed in buildings without required approvals.
Photo: The Age
As such the Association again strongly repeats its recommendations made in 2011, in response to the VAGO report, which are as follows: • A review of the building approval system’s effectiveness, particularly regarding the design, approval and commissioning of fire safety measures and associated alternative solutions. • Strengthening and enforcement of the regulations to clearly identify the difference between design, and determining compliance so that a building permit can be issued, in order to enforce the pecuniary interest provisions of section 79 of the Act and prevent building surveyors from issuing building permits for designs they have directly or indirectly been involved in developing. • Comprehensive risk-based surveillance and auditing of building surveyor competency regarding critical safety and technical issues including approval of fire safety alternative solutions.
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• Increased educational resources and programs to support best practice and the introduction of a mandatory requirement for continuing professional development (CPD) of building surveyors. Until the non-compliance is rectified in the Docklands apartment building, and other buildings where any non-compliance exists, there remains a level of fire safety risk for occupants and the public. This rectification however is a reactive measure that treats the symptoms, not the cause. The Association will continue to advocate for urgent change until the real problems – the failure of the regulatory system around the building approval process and requirements for occupancy in Australia – are resolved.
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Register Now For Your Free Copy of the BCA Pre-registration is now available to access the new, free digital version of the National Construction Code, including the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Australian Governments have agreed to a major building regulation reform agenda and one of the key initiatives of this reform package is making the National Construction Code (NCC) freely available online from the 2015 edition, which takes legal effect from 1 May. The Australian Building Codes Board aims to get as many practitioners to register as possible, in order to assist with building awareness and understanding of the NCC, and in so doing, improve the capacity and capability of all who participate in the Australian building and construction industry.
Comment on Three Draft Standards Over the last couple of years, FPA Australia has been involved in the revision of a number of key Australian Standards for fire protection at the relevant Standards Australia committees. Three of these standards have now been released with the intent that public comment will be resolved and the standards published in time for these to be adopted in BCA 2016. This timeline is crucial as the BCA revision cycle will change from yearly to three yearly as of
EAHL Qualified Persons Licence 2 & 3 Offer Extended FPA Australia has extended its special offer on bundled training for both EAHL Qualified Persons Licence 2 and 3. The bundle includes all nine units required to achieve EAHL Qualified Persons Licence 2&3. Participants can save up to $1045. The training is suited to technicians who currently hold an EAHL Experienced Person’s Licence and want to transition to a Qualified Person’s Licence. It may also be suited to those with industry experience who haven’t previously held a licence.
By registering with the ABCB, other free material will also be made available to you such as access to non-regulatory handbooks, YouTube clips and educational material, as well as access to all previous editions of the NCC. Further material will be developed over time to help support training providers, industry associations, education institutions and regulators. Registering with ABCB will also enable you to be updated about any future changes to the code. To register for your free NCC now, click here.
2016 meaning if the deadline for adoption in BCA 2016 is missed then the next edition when these standards could be adopted is BCA 2019.
Public comment can be submitted direct to Standards Australia by following the instructions on the second page of the public comment draft.
This is your opportunity to provide feedback on the draft revisions of these important standards:
FPA Australia will also be making its own public comment submissions on these draft standards.
• AS 1668.1, The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings – Fire and smoke control in buildings (available here ; comment closes 9 June). • AS 1670.1, Fire detection, warning, control and intercom systems – System design, installation and commissioning – Fire (available here ; comment closes 15 June 2015). • AS 1670.4:2015, Fire detection, warning, control and intercom systems – System design, installation and commissioning – Emergency warning and intercom systems (available here ; comment closes 15 June)
Each participant who enrols will receive a set of self-paced training manuals to work through as well as the written assessment paper. On completion of the training, simply book into an assessment session so that you can be assessed in the practical tasks. Assessment sessions are held regularly around the country. On successful completion of the assessment tasks, students will be issued with a nationally recognised statement of attainment, which can be provided to the Executive Officer of Ozone Protection, Fire Protection Industry (ODS & SGG)
If you have any questions about FPA Australia’s public comment submission or process, please contact Ian Findlay, Technical Coordinator, via email at technical@fpaa.com.au. If you have any questions about supplying comments direct to Standards Australia, please contact Standards Australia’s Customer Information Service on 1800 035 822 or mail@standards.org.au.
Board as evidence towards transitioning to an EAHL Qualified Persons Licence. To take advantage of this offer simply download and complete the enrolment form and return with payment to FPA Australia. We will confirm your enrolment and send you the training materials and assessment instructions. For any enquiries please contact the FPA Australia Training & Education Team on 03 8892 3131.
Fire Australia 2015 Sets New Standard for Excellence The Fire Australia Conference 2015, held on Queensland’s Gold Coast on March 25 and 26, has set a new benchmark for excellence. The Conference set new records in the history of the event, including most sponsors, most exhibitors, most delegates and, for the first time, the annual charity dinner completely sold out. Importantly the Conference also highlighted a number of critical issues for the fire protection industry, particularly in relation to product compliance. Many local and international subject matter experts spoke on the complex, problematic and often confusing nature of building and construction product compliance as it relates to fire protection and these discussions helped greatly to inform the conference resolutions, which are as follows:
The Association is proud and humbled by the extraordinary support shown by everyone at this year’s Fire Australia Conference and we would like to thank all sponsors including our Platinum sponsors FlameStop and Tyco Fire Protection Products, Gold Sponsors Brooks and Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers, Silver Sponsors Kidde and all other sponsors including Chubb, Pertronic, Ampac, Reliable Fire Sprinklers and Globe Fire Sprinklers. This event would not have been possible without your support. The Association would also like to thank all international and local speakers, every company that exhibited and all of the Conference delegates and trade show
attendees. We hope to see all of you again when the Fire Australia Conference & Exhibitions comes to Melbourne in 2016. If you were unable to attend Fire Australia 2015 you can still order the proceedings USB which includes all of the presentations from both days. To order your proceedings USB please contact events@fpaa.com.au.
1 FPA Australia supports the establishment of a clear and meaningful product compliance framework that is aligned to the risks. Without such a framework, the safety and performance objectives of Australian construction regulations and standards are unlikely to be delivered and the community is at risk. 2 FPA Australia has resolved to constitute a Fire Products Reference Group for the purpose of establishing best practice technical schedules for the assessment and certification of fire protection products for the Australian market. 3 FPA Australia will in future establish a product listing scheme (FPAL) that provides a single point of reference to validate fit for purpose products.
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Fire Australia Conference Dinner Awards This year the Fire Australia Conference Charity Dinner, sponsored by Chubb, was the most successful ever and a complete sell out. Held at the beautiful Jupiter’s Casino outdoor marque ballroom, the evening featured plenty of laughs courtesy of MC and stand-up comic legend Vince Sorrenti. In the spirit of Queensland’s Gold Coast, guests could also try their hand at surfing with a mechanical surfboard competition. As well as plenty of fun and games, the event also featured an important cause – raising money for the Burns Unit at the Brisbane Children’s Hospital through a range of raffle prizes and direct donations. FPA Australia is happy to advise that around $8,000 was raised – a fantastic result. Importantly also, for the first time, this year’s dinner featured the presentation of awards, allowing recipients to be recognised in front of their peers. Four individuals received awards this year as follows: A.V. Viscogliosi Award for Fire Safety Excellence Awarded to Mr Alan Wilson The most prestigious award presented at the conference, the Award recognises those individuals who have had a significant involvement in the work of FPA Australia and associated activities such as Industry, Government, Australian and International Standards.
Above: MC Vince Sorenti (top) and the mechanical surfboard competition (bottom).
Meritorious Service Awards Awarded to Mr Garry Kwok and Mr Alan Short The Meritorious Service Award is given to FPA Australia members who have made a significant contribution to the Association that requires special acknowledgement. These awards are given at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Award Presentations, right: Mr Chris Orr, FPA Australia Senior Vice President presenting awards to (from top), Mr Alan Wilson, Mr Garry Kwok, Mr Alan Short and Mr Colin Wood.
The Ron Coffey Award Awarded to Mr Colin Wood The Ron Coffey award is recognition of outstanding academic excellence and the highest academic result in the Bushfire Planning & Design course through completion of the Diploma in Bushfire Protection at the University of Western Sydney. FPA Australia proudly congratulates all award winners and we gratefully thank all those who attended the conference dinner and contributed donations.
FlameStop Sweeps Fire Australia Exhibition Awards FlameStop has taken out all three exhibitor awards at this year’s Fire Australia Exhibition. The Corporate Platinum member of FPA Australia and Platinum Sponsor of the Fire Australia Conference took out the Exhibitor’s Choice, People’s Choice and Overall Best Exhibit award; the first time one company has made a clean sweep of these award categories. FPA Australia would like to congratulate FlameStop on their award wins which are a testament to their outstanding exhibition stand as well as the availability of product on show and the knowledge and friendliness of staff on the booth. The closing session of the Conference also featured the presentation of the 2014 outstanding editorial contribution award. This recognises the best article submitted to the Fire Australia Magazine in the preceding year and was awarded to Martin McGettrick from ARA Fire for his article on Oxygen Reduction Fire Protection. FPA Australia congratulates Martin and the team at ARA Fire on their excellent contribution.
Important Information on Fire Protection Industry Training FPA Australia is urging all potential students considering enrolling in fire protection industry training to closely consider the credibility of course offerings before signing up to any potential training. The Association notes the recent enforcement action taken in Victoria where more than 1,000 students have had certificates in Childcare, Aged Care and Business Studies revoked after the regulator (The Victorian Registrations and Qualifications Authority) found the qualifications to be sub-standard, despite them having been delivered by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). You can view the full ABC News story here. FPA Australia is aware of some providers in the fire protection industry delivering courses in a shortened and inexpensive format. This is despite the fact that qualifications being delivered are complex and therefore require sufficient delivery time and proportionate costs. The Association views quality training and education in our industry as being of the utmost importance, as fire protection
Fire NZ Conference and Exhibition Association members are encouraged to consider attending the upcoming Fire NZ Conference and Exhibition to be held in Wellington on October 15 and 16. Fire NZ is New Zealand’s annual forum for Fire Protection and Fire Engineering professionals. This two day event provides a comprehensive national forum for fire industry professionals and draws delegates from a variety of places and countries throughout the pacific. This year, keynote speakers have been invited from the USA, Australia and New Zealand. The conference program is designed to provide insight and learning and to extend current thoughts on the various speakers presentation topics, and will provide robust debate around key industry issues. If you have an interest in fire safety, you should attend. The Conference will provide information for, among others: • Fire Protection Contractors • Fire Consultants
systems are critical to life safety and must operate correctly when called upon in a fire emergency.
to ensure the quality of training offered by these organisations meets your expectations before enrolling.
The Association does not wish to see any students forced to relinquish qualifications which are below the standard required to undertake work. With this in mind, FPA Australia advises anyone considering training in the Fire Protection Industry to consider the four key points below before engaging a training provider:
4 Speak with your peers. If you have colleagues or friends who have undertaken study in your selected area, ask them about their experiences with their training provider, particularly in relation to whether they feel the information provided satisfied their desired learning outcomes.
1 Is the course significantly shorter in time duration than other course offerings? For example: If the majority of training providers in the industry deliver a certificate II over the course of five days, students should be wary of providers offering these courses in one or two days.
FPA Australia is proud to operate a nationally recognised training organisation, governed by the national quality framework for training: the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). to learn more visit www.fpaa.com.au/training.
2 Is the course significantly cheaper than other similar courses? Market rates are likely to be reasonably similar between quality providers. If one training provider is offering the same qualification at a vastly reduced price, you should be asking why. 3 Be careful about added incentives. Some training providers will offer inducements such as free laptops or tablet computers. While not objectionable in itself, remember
• Fire Engineers • Architects • Building Surveyors • Property Developers • Distributors and Installers • Insurance Professionals • Fire Equipment Manufacturers • Fire Survey Personnel • Regulatory Authorities • Fire Service Operational and Volunteer Personnel • Fire Risk Management • Personnel, Property and Facilities Managers In recognition of the partnership between FPA Australia and FPA New Zealand, FPA Australia members will be entitled to FPA NZ member rates. (registration brochure coming soon, visit www.fireprotection. org.nz for more info). If you would like to exhibit you can download the exhibitors prospectus here or if you are interested in presenting at the conference click here. For all Fire NZ 2015 Conference & Exhibition enquiries please email fpanz@fireprotection.org.nz.
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Maintenance of Aspirating Smoke Detectors – Advisory Note FPA Australia has published a new Technical Advisory Note (TAN-03) on Maintenance of Aspirating Smoke Detectors (ASD). This TAN addresses identified issues with the AS 1851-2012 requirements for maintenance of ASDs that have resulted in application of activities in excess of what is intended or appropriate for these detectors. Also, the current AS 1851-2012 requirements for ASDs may be misinterpreted as requiring actions in excess of what is intended or appropriate for these detectors. To address these issues, FPA Australia has developed this Technical Advisory Note to: • document these issues; • explain how FPA Australia believes the requirements for servicing of ASDs should be satisfied; and • advise industry of what changes FPA Australia believes are required to AS 1851-2012 to resolve these issues and provide clarity of intent. A preview version is available here while the full version is available to members via CONNECT and non-members on request to technical@fpaa.com.au.
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HazMat 2015 Program Released, Registrations Open Now The HazMat 2015 Conference & Exhibition Program & Registration has recently been released. This year’s conference will be held at Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh, NSW, on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 June 2015. HazMat 2015 is the leading conference for the chemical management, dangerous goods and hazardous materials industries. It brings together topical speakers and presentations that cover the many niches of these industry sectors.
Conference
Information, Understanding, Safety – The theme of HazMat 2015 focuses on creating a safer world through ensuring required information is accurate, appropriate and available for anyone who interacts with dangerous goods and hazardous chemicals. The two day program will include a single stream of presentations, many of which relate to the conference theme.
The conference will also include two outstanding keynote speakers along with many local expert speakers. Preconference workshops will also be on offer for those interested. In addition, an industry exhibition will be open for anyone to attend and a networking dinner function will be held on the first evening in Darling Harbour.
Exhibition
To complement the conference presentations a selection of exhibitors will display their products and services to delegates and industry personnel. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with the exhibitors to learn about the latest technology and practices emerging across the industry. Exhibition opening times are as follows: Tuesday 16 June 8.00am - 5.00pm Wednesday 17 June 8.00am - 4.00pm
Who Should Attend?
• Professionals involved in the production of regulations and codes • Personnel involved in storage, handling or transportation of dangerous goods • Specialists responsible for approval, classification and labelling of hazardous substances • Emergency services personnel • Industry specialists and agents • Government authorities • Industry consultants • Community participants Register to attend via the program and registration brochure. (Print friendly version here ). For more information about HazMat 2015 visit the conference webpage or call 03 8892 3131.
Events
Fire Protection Maintenance In South Australia Seminar – 24 & 25 June FPA Australia has announced a detailed seminar on understanding your responsibilities and obligations for maintaining fire protection systems and equipment and learning about the changes to Minister’s Specification SA76 and AS 1851-2012 to be held in Adelaide over two days, June 24 and 25.
obligations to maintain fire systems and equipment as well as the administrative and technical requirements of AS 1851-2012.
On 1 May 2015 the South Australian Government introduced changes to Minister’s Specification SA76 that introduce the ability to adopt AS 18512012 Routine Service of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment.
Alan Short – Managing Director – Fire & Emergency Services SA
This two day seminar will provide information on the regulatory and technical requirements for maintaining fire protection systems and equipment in accordance with SA76 and AS 18512012. Delegates can choose to attend the regulatory session, specific technical sessions or all sessions across both days. It is critical that all building owners, tenants, facility managers, fire protection companies and other stakeholders have a good understanding of the regulatory requirements in South Australia and their
The Speakers Mary Andruchowycz – Chief Project Officer – Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
Jason Lohf – Regional Manager SA / NT – Brooks Peter Butler – National Technical & Customer Service Manager – Promat Australia Bernie Steer – Municipal Building Surveyor – Adelaide City Council Bill Lea – Director Technical Services – Prime Pumps Chris Wyborn – Engagement & Education Manager – Fire Protection Association Australia
Who Should Attend? • Facility Managers • Property Owners & Managers • Building Tenants • Design Consultants • Regulators • Local Council Representatives • Fire Technicians • Fire Services Personnel • System End Users
Where & When: Wednesday 24 & Thursday 25 June BioSA Conference Centre 40/46 W Thebarton Road, Thebarton, Adelaide
How to Register: Register your attendance via the application form or on the CONNECT member portal.
For more information about FPA Australia events please visit www.fpaa.com.au/events To register and pay for FPA Australia events online please visit connect.fpaa.com.au
New Members
FPA Australia would like to welcome our latest members.
Individual
QLD
NSW
Mr Ljubodrag (Louis) Slankamenac Ross Brown Mr Peter Laver
Valiant Systems Pty Ltd Maxi Doors Pty Ltd ATF The Theodore Family Trust Degree Of Saturation Pty Ltd
SA
NT
Bushfire Defence
QLD
Thermac Pty Ltd Stainless Steel Wire & Mesh Pty Ltd Blaze Fire Services Limitlez Pty. Ltd.
Rob Hangan
VIC
Mr Ian Brougham Mr Nigel Pattinson Mr Chris Miller
VIC
Mr Peter Luzinat Mr Andrew Matiszak Ms Janet Healy Mr Colin Fewster Dr Khalid Moinuddin
WA
Mr Gary McMahon
Corporate Bronze (1-4 staff)
Corporate Silver (Fewer than 15 staff)
ACT
Scorch Fire Solutions Pty Ltd
NSW
WA
Fixt Fire and Electrical Solutions Pty Ltd A & M Freeman Enterprises PTY LTD for Freespot Trust A1 Fire Risk Services (WA) Pty Ltd Onsite Safety Services Pty Ltd ADCO Red Essential Fire Maintenance Control Fire Systems Pty Ltd
PEPT Pty Ltd Wise Group Security Pty Ltd HelexZone Pty Ltd Infinity Electrical & Communications W.S. Benchmark Building Services Actual Bushfire Protection Highlands Fire and Safety M-Fire Pty Ltd Ausfire Protection PL Elysium Fire Services
ACT
Pacific Facilities Maintanence Pty Ltd
NSW
Molino Stewart Pty Ltd RCA Services P/L Inovin Pty Ltd
SA
Metal Worx Pty Ltd Overland Services Pty Ltd RNW Fire Services Pty Ltd
Corporate Gold (More than 15 staff) NSW
Trimevac Pty Ltd FlameSafe Fire Protection Pty Ltd
QLD
AE Smith and Son (SEQ) Pty Ltd
WA
Executive Risk Solutions
Organisation Bronze QLD
Steve Bartley & Associates Pty Ltd
Upgraded Members Corporate Silver SA
United Fire Protection Pty Ltd
Corporate Gold NSW
Compass Fire Solutions
NT
Acecom Fire and Security
QLD
Lewie Fire Protection
VIC TCM Solutions
VIC
Allstaff Air Conditioning (VIC) Pty Ltd
WA
Fire & Safety WA
PO Box 1049 Box Hill VIC 3128 T: (03) 8892 3131 E: member@fpaa.com.au W: www.fpaa.com.au
FireTalk is brought to you by Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers速 Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers provide FPA Australia Members with your own insurance facility designed specifically for your industry with affordable premiums and wider benefits. Approved by FPA Australia and ACCC. For more information please phone 1300 888 111 or email fpains@awib.com.au