Baseline Data Required for AS 1851-2012 Name: Brett Dundules Position: Technical Officer Organisation Fire Protection Association Australia
Introduction Brief History of AS 1851-2012 Introduction of Baseline Data Misinterpretation & Queensland Regulation 54 Clause 1.8 Current and Potential Future Definition Verification of a routine service activity result System Baseline Data & AS 1851-2012 Baseline Data Approved Design Who is responsible for providing Baseline Data? Where can a building owner obtain Baseline Data?
AS 1851-2012 - History
Development History AS 1851 2002; consolidate the existing 16 separate maintenance standards relating to fire protection systems and equipment into one common document... 2005; consolidated standard released 2006; Amendment 1 minor changes 2008; Amendment 2 50 + significant changes 2011; After abandoning Amendment 3 new draft standard released for public comment
Development History AS 1851 Instead of developing Amendment 3, the Standards committee determined that a new edition was required. The reasons being: The need for regulatory acceptance Major structural changes required to simplify tables The need for overhauling every section table Clearer definitions and examples were required Improved readability and comprehension was desired Clearer outcomes for building owners and managers was needed AS1851-2012 Published in December 2012
Key changes in AS 1851-2012 Name Change From: 2005 Maintenance of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment To: 2012 Routine Service of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment A thorough overhaul of the general requirements of Section 1 to remove administrative requirements and avoid regulatory conflict Several new appendices have been included to expand on Section 1 content, such as, baseline data and systems interface testing Easier for the responsible entity and service provider to implement the Standard Consolidation of sections Consistency across sections Less duplication
Key changes in AS 1851-2012 Sections 6 to 10 in the 2005 edition covering fire detection, alarms, sound systems and intercom systems have been combined in a new Section 6 with the previous Section 8 (Fire alarm monitoring) being removed in this revised document Refinement of the routine service technical requirements in light of field experience and studies. Two normative appendices have been included on: Battery load testing Detector sensitivity testing A new Section 5 has been included covering water storage tanks for fire protection systems to address a new design standard AS 2304 No mandatory weekly requirements
Key changes in AS 1851-2012 From task focus... Inspect, test, preventive maintenance, survey
Key changes in AS 1851-2012 To frequency focus... Monthly, 6-Monthly, Yearly...
AS 1851-2012 - Baseline Data
Baseline Data introduced in the 2012 version of AS 1851 AS 1851-2012 Clause 1.8 states: Baseline data is necessary to establish the performance benchmark of the fire protection system or equipment. This definition appears to be new However, it has been an inherent requirement in routine service & maintenance legislation for many years. For example: Victorian Building Regulations 1994 Reg. 11.4 - condition of occupancy permit.the level of performance and the frequency and type of maintenance required to enable the essential service to fulfil its purpose.
How can an essential service be deemed fit for purpose if its performance cannot be verified? It cannot! How can performance be verified? With Baseline Data! Standards Australia committee FP-001 tried to assist users of AS 1851-2012 by providing informative examples of what baseline data could be Examples were either ignorantly or purposely misinterpreted
Major problems and complaints voiced in Queensland Queensland Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 Regulation 54 Occupier must ensure repair or corrective action is carried out within 1 month Cases of contractors stating that the lack of baseline data requires corrective action Quotes of up to $40,000 to reinstall systems so that they can be routinely serviced This is not the intent of Baseline Data
Possible revision of the Clause 1.8 Baseline Data by FP-001 Baseline Data may be required to verify the result of a routine service activity required by an applicable service schedule. Baseline Data required by this Standard is limited to that: a) necessary to verify a routine service activity result; and b) prescribed by the regulations, codes or standards that applied to the approved design. Irrespective of the availability of baseline data the routine service activity shall be carried out and the result recorded and reported. Where required baseline data is available, the routine service result shall be verified against it. Where required baseline data is unavailable, its unavailability shall be recorded and reported as a non-conformance. The supply and generation of baseline data is beyond the scope of this Standard. Note: This possible Baseline Data definition has not been finalised, voted upon or published by SA.
Verifying a routine service activity result What does Verify mean?? Macquarie Dictionary Definition: Verify to prove something to be true, as by evidence or testimony; confirm or substantiate to ascertain the truth or correctness of, especially by examination or comparison
Verifying a routine service activity result FPA Australia considers FP-001 s proposed revision to mean: Where a routine service item requires a test result (evidence) to be obtained and compared to ascertain the correctness of system performance, then you must have: BASELINE DATA However, if the routine service item doesn t require a test result to be obtained for comparison then AS 1851-2012 does not require Baseline Data to be obtained for those service items, and If the approved design did not require Baseline Data performance benchmark (e.g. sprinkler duty point) - then there is no requirement to retrospectively obtain it.
System Baseline Data: includes all design, all installation & all commission documentation used to construct a system in accordance with the approved design. It includes, but is not limited to: system layout drawings, system specifications, equipment datasheets, hazard classes, system interface diagrams, duty points, cause and effect charts, completion certificates pipe layouts, device type, sections, details, elevations, commissioning test results, block plans, water supply details, reports and consents, alternative solutions, and so on.everything.
AS 1851-2012 Baseline Data: Only required where a routine service item requires a test result (evidence) to be obtained and compared to ascertain the correctness of system performance AS 1851-2012 Baseline Data is only a small part of System Baseline Data. It includes, but is not limited to: System interface diagrams, duty points, block plans, cause and effect charts, fire and smoke wall plans, exhaust flow rates, etc
Example of Baseline Data
No intention to require additional works! AS 1851-2012 Clause 1.9: Absent elements or components of a system or systems that were not required as part of an approved design to a Standard that is now superseded need not be retrofitted and the related routine service activity shall not be considered a defect or non-conformance if not able to be performed. That is; an element or component not required by the approved design means that the routine service item is not applicable If an item is part of the Approved Design, but not installed = inform Building Owner
Approved Design & Routine Service Items The system design as approved by the relevant Building Surveyor or Building Certifier Approved Design may include variations to NCC & AS, reports and consents by statutory authorities or Performance Solutions Do all routine service items in AS 1851-2012 need to carried out? No simple Yes or No answer Relates only to Approved Design Equipment is part of the Approved Design = required to be serviced Equipment is not part of the Approved Design = not required to be serviced
Approved Design & Routine Service Items! If the approved design did not require a Baseline Data performance benchmark (e.g. sprinkler duty point) Then there is no requirement to retrospectively obtain it Carry out the test and record the results As there is no Baseline required for comparison, the test result should be recorded as a PASS In this case FPA Australia recommends using the first available recorded test result
Approved Design & Routine Service Items continued from previous slide: Should future test results vary significantly from the first available recorded test result inform the Building Owner. Building Owner is not required to investigate as approved design did not require a Baseline Data performance benchmark for comparison. The reason for the service provider to inform the Building Owner is carry out their Duty of Care.
What if you do not have AS 1851-2012 Baseline Data? When the routine service item requires Baseline Data - however, none is available Some service providers do not carry out the routine service What benefit does this provide? None FPA Australia recommends carrying out the routine service Without Baseline Data, the result should be recorded as a FAIL, as there is a failure to verify that it achieves the result required by the approved design However, the test results will provide some indication of system performance A competent person will have an idea if the system is significantly bad The building owner shall be informed of the failure
Who is responsible for providing Baseline Data? Newer Building Stock Owner is responsible for providing Baseline Data to the service provider System designers and installers are being required to provide system Baseline Data to owners at the completion of installation This requirement is increasing as newer versions of BCA referenced Australian Standards are published Older Building Stock Owner is responsible for providing Baseline Data to the service provider Less likely that approved design standards required designers and installers to provide Baseline Data to owner
Where can a Building Owner obtain Baseline Data? If the approved design required Baseline Data for comparison, then: 1. Search all on-site system data 2. Search all off-site system data (held by the owner, owner s agent) 3. Search Council records of the system design (Note: this may, if nothing else, provide you details of the year of installation) 4. Contact the relevant local fire brigade to determine if they have any records for the system 5. Contact previous owner & agent for system details 6. If known, contact the design consultant and installing contractor to determine if they have any records of the system 7. If no system baseline data is available, attempt to reverse engineer to the design standards applicable at the time of installation (if known)
FPA Australia Good Practice Guide Baseline Data for Fire Protection Systems A GPG is currently being written by FPA Australia s: Technical Advisory Committee TAC/1 and Technical Department It is contingent on amendment 1 of AS 1851-2012 Amendment 1 possibly published in July 2016 The guide provides: More detailed information on this presentation A table of AS 1851-2012 routine service items that FPA Australia considers Baseline Data is required for only if required by the approved design A chronological list of fire protection system installation codes and standards
AS 1851-2012 Can now be adopted in Victoria Reg. 1205A New regulation 1205A - Date of effect: 26 April 2016 (i.e. NOW!) Post 1994 approved buildings occupancy permit Allows AS 1851-2012 to be used where AS 1851-2005 or similar previous versions are a condition of the occupancy permit or maintenance determination Owners may change to AS 1851-2012 immediately without approval, cost or notification Notification of change to be included in Annual ESM Report - regulation 1209(da) Pre 1994 approved buildings no change No change - Owner could previously maintain to AS 1851-2012 and can continue to do so
QUESTIONS Brett Dundules Fire Protection Association Australia