Replacing an internal door
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Replacing an internal door

When my house was renovated in the 1970s they replaced the beautiful old doors with cheap plywood doors. I wanted to replace our current doors with some feature doors that help to emphasise the beautiful dimensions of our house while allowing us to make the most of the light and warmth in the different rooms. I have compared options with a range of different doors before making my final decision. This blog talks about our project to select new doors in our home and I hope it will be useful to other people who are trying a similar project and replacing their internal doors.

Replacing an internal door

A Simple Compliance Guide for Annual Fire Safety Statements (AFSS) in Australia

Priscilla Graham

Under EPAR (Environmental Planning & Assessment Regulations), all commercial premises in Australia must possess an AFSS (annual fire safety statement). Besides, owners must present the statement annually to their respective state's fire brigade and the local councils. While some councils issue notices for submitting the AFSS, not all do, and it'll be your sole responsibility to comply with this. 

Read on for insights on AFSS and the necessary steps you must follow during compliance assessment. 

What Does AFSS Involve?

As mentioned above, you need to conduct a fire assessment for your business premises and present the statement form to the relevant authorities. Therefore, you must enlist a certified and qualified expert to complete the evaluation of your premises' fire safety protocols. This may be in the form of an annual fire assessment report and inspection.

Who's More Qualified to Conduct Assessment?

There are no set minimum legal requirements for assessment qualification. It is thus your responsibility to find the most suitable assessor. An excellent individual for this job should have proper auditing skills and experience as well as practical knowledge of safety standards and regulations. Besides, the expert must understand your premises' fire safety measures and have adequate qualifications in fire safety matters. Steps involved include:

Step 1: Auditing

For you to meet the critical regulation's requirements, you must identify, assess and review fire safety measures as per the set Performance Standards. Auditing helps determine the exact condition of your building's essential services, possible maintenance flaws and any other non-compliance aspects. Standard safety measures you can assess include:

  1. Fire doors

  2. Fire alarms and detectors

  3. Emergency exits and lighting

  4. Fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems

  5. Fire hydrants/fire hose reels

Step 2: Presenting the AFSS

After conducting the audit, you must set a course of action to mitigate any identified deficiencies. Proceed to organise your annual safety statement, which you or your representative must sign within the first three months of auditing. Additionally, make copies of the AFSS and forward them to your relevant local council and fire brigade department and display one in your premises. Remember to safely keep any records of repair work handy for later audits and inspection.

Step 3: Maintenance of Fire Safety Systems

Through an integrated maintenance program, you must inspect, test and maintain fire safety systems regularly. Conduct this as per the Australian and BCA standards.

Final Thoughts

Non-compliance can cause potential safety and health risks to workers in or around the premises during fire emergencies, and it may also result in stiff fines.


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