Annual fire safety statements and fire compliance update

The annual fire safety statement (AFSS) is a certified document required by the NSW government that is issued every year on behalf of the owners of an established building.

The statement must be issued by a fire safety specialist known as an accredited practitioner fire safety.

Annual assessments and inspections must be conducted to verify and confirm the performance of the necessary fire safety strategies and equipment within a building.

All buildings, including retail, commercial, industrial manufacturing, education, public venues and strata facilities, must ensure the statement is kept up to date to meet regulatory compliance requirements.

Some of the amendments passed in December of last year have come into effect. These are listed per the NSW government website:

• minor wording changes and clarifications;
• the need for a compliance certificate to support a performance solution report ( );
• removal of the need for a compliance certificate in relation to a fire safety order from the Fire Commissioner or an authorised fire officer (section 80(4));
• notes (under section 83) specifying when a final fire safety certificate needs to be issued;
• a requirement that a measure must be assessed by an accredited practitioner (fire safety) who has not installed it in the three months before the fire safety certificate is issued ( section 84);
• specification of the details required from an accredited practitioner (fire safety) who issues the fire safety certificate (section 86); and
• the introduction of the term “recognised person” in the Dictionary (Schedule 2).