The regulation amendment requires owners of certain private buildings to register and complete an online combustible cladding checklist process. Building owners (or an authorised representative) will be required to register and complete each checklist part within the legislated compliance period (as required), from commencement of the regulation, with penalties applied for not registering, for not providing statements, for not engaging industry professionals, and for not providing a building fire safety risk assessment. Owners of buildings within certain building classes will also be required to provide a copy of the building fire safety risk assessment report to building occupants.
Who needs to register under the regulation amendment?
Under the regulation, private building owners will be required to register if your building has a building development approval issued after 1 January 1994, and is a Class 2-9 building and of Type A or B construction (as defined under the Building Code of Australia). If you suspect or are concerned that your building may have potentially combustible cladding, you need to act quickly to ensure your building is compliant and for ensuring the ongoing safety of occupants within the building.
What is my responsibility as a private building owner under the regulation amendment?
Firstly, you are required to register within the nominated compliance period. There are three components that must then be completed (as required):
Part 1– Building owner registration and checklist questions (Q1-4)
Part 2– Building industry professional checklist questions (Q5-6)
Part 3– Fire engineer checklist questions (Q7-10)
Part 2 requires building owners to engage a building industry professional to confirm the building construction type and what cladding materials have been used in the external wall assembly (building assessment). Part 3 requires building owners to engage a fire engineer to complete a building fire safety risk assessment plus undertake testing to confirm combustibility of the cladding core and insulation materials used on the building. The report will describe the fire safety of the cladding and any actions required to address identified fire risks.
Who is responsible for engaging the building industry professional and fire engineer?
Building owners are responsible for organising and engaging a building industry professional and for the completion of the building industry professional statement (building inspection). Building owners are also responsible for organising and engaging a fire engineer. Building owners are then responsible for completion of the fire engineering statement, plus the building fire safety risk assessment report and necessary chemical testing, within the compliance period. Engaged building industry professionals and fire engineers have obligations under the regulation to assist with meeting these timeframes.
Who can I speak to regarding a building assessment and fire safety risk assessment for my building?
Safer Buildings Group have the requisite experience and capability to assist with your all your building assessment and building fire safety risk assessment requirements and in accordance with the regulation amendment.
How do I identify if combustible cladding has been used on my building?
In most cases, building owners are not generally aware of the type of external cladding materials used, or for its combustibility. Through our building evaluation, Safer Buildings Group will determine the chemical composition and indicative fire performance for any cladding materials used on the building’s external facade. This is done through sampling and testing, with our fire engineers able to use this information to evaluate the fire risk potential and to provide you with a better understanding of the fire risks and safety concerns associate with your building’s external cladding. You can then make informed decisions about whether replacement or mitigation strategies are necessary to protect and safeguard your property investment.