With the end of the calendar year fast approaching, we thought it might be nice to take a moment to reflect on some of the very exciting projects that FCC have worked on during the year. The projects listed below are some…
Fire Check Consultants support the upcoming changes to the NCC 2019 in regards to the fire sprinkler protection for the low-rise Class 2 and 3 residential buildings. Cost-effectiveness with life safety as the baseline measure has been the objective of the revisions.
Performance based fire engineering solution can provide an alternative design approach for complex buildings. Utilising innovative fire safety and fire protection technologies and design strategies, building developers can achieve minimised construction costs and building life cycle costs (maintenance).
Fire Check Consultants have been pioneers in fire safety engineering since the beginning of performance-based (alternative) designs in Australia. We are registered in all Australian States and Territories.
We have successfully delivered numerous prestigious projects including high rise residential towers, shopping centres, healthcare and aged care precincts, automated large warehouses, industrial complexes, defence precincts, mines and airports, across Australia and overseas.
With the help of our highly competent fire safety and fire protection engineering team, we successfully deal with unique fire safety engineering problems and building compliance issues. Our fire safety and fire protection servicesinclude, but not limited to, computational fire and smoke modelling, fire sprinkler system design, fire detection system design, fire evacuation plan, fire investigation, building facade inspections, fire drills, peer review and fire safety audits.
July 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of Fire Check Consultants’ founding. Since our establishment in 1999, we have made great leaps and advances by expanding our clientage to Asia-Pacific countries.
The 20-year anniversary marks an important milestone for the company as we look back on our incredible journey of talented personnel and achievements. We have successfully dealt with various prestigious projects including all QLD “Westfield Shopping Centres”, where FCC undertook assessments of many complex fire safety issues and provided performance-based fire engineering solutions. We were honoured to receive the “Urban Development Institute of Australia” (QLD) award for Consultancy Excellency applied to the newly constructed ‘Link Portside’ residential building at Brisbane’s iconic Hamilton cruise port and shopping precinct.
The aim for Fire Check Consultants in the future is to stay at the forefront by providing cost effective and innovative fire engineering solutions for investors in the built environment, and other special risk areas. Also, promote excellence via prompt, efficient, and dedicated fire safety and fire protection services and to continue long term business relationships with our valued customers. Now we look forward to further expanding our capabilities by delivering solutions to clients based throughout Australia and neighbouring countries.
A warm thank you to all of our customer’s continued support.
Fire Check Consultants
On the 28th November 2018, Fire Check Consultants (FCC) had an opportunity to spend an evening with Professor Ed Galea, a world-renowned expert in the field of fire emergency evacuation strategies. Kudos to ‘Clevertronics’ for hosting such a wonderful event. FCC shared their experience in relation to lifts as an alternative evacuation facility in high rise buildings.
Generally, the use of lifts is not recommended for building occupants for evacuation purposes due to some of the major building fire incidents that have occurred in the past. FCC shared their opinion on the feasibility of using lifts along with design modifications as an alternative facility for a safer and more efficient emergency evacuation. Lifts with protected lobby for up to one-fourth of the building population and stairs for up to three-fourth of the building population can be provided for an improved evacuation strategy. One-fourth of the building population may even include aged and disabled occupants. The risks in combined evacuation systems (protected lifts and stairs) are lower when compared to using stairs or protected lifts alone.
The NCC 2016 Volume One prescribed performance requirement (DP7) for use of lifts as an alternative evacuation facility in buildings.
On the 1st October 2018 the Queensland Government put in place new laws to ensure the external cladding of buildings are safe by not posing a risk to external fire spread. The cause for the implementation of this law originates from the devastating Grenfell Tower fire which occurred in the United Kingdom in June 2017 claiming the lives of 72 people. The new law provides building owners and occupants the reassurance to feel safe knowing their building does not have combustible cladding on the facade.
The Queensland Government has established the ‘Safer Buildings’ website to help identify buildings in Queensland that may have potentially combustible cladding. The website provides background context and information for building owners, building industry professionals and fire engineers which may be found in the following link – https://www.saferbuildings.qld.gov.au/
If you’re wondering whether your building needs to be checked and registered, the government will have sent a letter to the building owner OR you can check yourself using the above link.
Owners of houses or townhouses do not need to register.
Our consultants have already assisted many clients with ensuring their building is deemed safe with non-combustible cladding and or provided recommendations to replace any combustible cladding. We provide services as both a building industry professional and fire engineer. We are able to carry out site visits to assess the building facade, with our capabilities extending beyond physical inspection with the use of drone technology possible for areas hard to inspect. Once the site visit is carried out, we provide the client with a Form 34 or a Form 35 in addition with a Building Fire Safety Risk Assessment (BFSRA), if required.
We are more than happy to assist Australian building owners through this new law and process and are here to help with any questions.
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“To Ensure a Safe and Resilient Environment by Fire Prevention, Safety and Engineering Excellence through Innovation”