Wormald’s Gold Coast team helps businesses navigate cross-border complexities during COVID-19.
Wormald’s Gold Coast branch has been helping local businesses address their essential fire safety and compliance requirements for more than 40 years. The branch was established in 1978 and has steadily grown ever since with the team today consisting of 15 fire safety technicians and fire compliance professionals.
With COVID-19 restrictions currently in place, our Gold Coast team continues to support its customers with fire safety maintenance and compliance requirements, taking additional precautions around physical distancing and hygiene practices.
While our Gold Coast branch is situated in Queensland, the team operates across a vast area stretching from Southern Queensland, including Coolangatta and the surrounding Gold Coast area, to Northern NSW regions such as Byron Bay, Ballina and Casino.
However, there are complexities working across both borders which requires the team to be uniquely trained in the different fire safety and compliance requirements for Queensland and New South Wales. This breadth of experience is one of the reasons why the Wormald Gold Coast team is so highly valued by their clients, many of whom have worked with Wormald for decades, relying on their expertise to address the compliance and reporting requirements for things like testing fire alarms, sprinkler systems, hydrants, pumps, portable fire extinguishers, fire doors and other industry specific fire protection solutions.
How fire safety reports differ in NSW and QLD
An example of the challenges of working between NSW and QLD is the way each state manages building compliance and fire safety reports. For example, in NSW, building owners are required to engage a licensed fire safety practitioner to provide an Annual Fire Safety Statement, which demonstrates that the building’s fire safety solutions and equipment has been appropriately assessed by a qualified person.
Meanwhile in Queensland, which has the most rigorous fire protection and compliance requirements of any state in Australia, building owners are required to obtain an Annual Occupier Statement. The inspection for this report is managed by the QLD Fire Brigade who then ensure the fire safety equipment and solutions are being suitably maintained by a licensed fire protection company.
Jason Morrow, Wormald’s Gold Coast operational account manager, acknowledges the team’s exceptional customer service skills, technical knowledge and understanding of the regulations across both states, as one of the reasons behind the Gold Coast branch’s success.
“Regardless of which side of the border our clients are based, or whether they have multiple offices spanning both sides of the border, clients rely on our Gold Coast team’s consistently high level of service, whether that is testing equipment, scheduling essential maintenance or providing compliance reports,” Mr Morrow said.
Engaging a Competent Fire Safety Practitioner (CFSP) in Northern NSW
With different fire regulations in each state, QLD and NSW businesses can struggle to understand their specific fire safety and compliance responsibilities, which is why it’s important for them to select a suitably qualified fire protection company.
“In NSW, we are seeing a large number of sites not completing the annual statement on time because they don’t realise they need a competent fire safety practitioner to review and sign off the statement,” Mr Morrow said.
“There is currently a shortage of competent fire safety practitioners’s in the area with only three registered between Coffs Harbour and the Queensland border. Luckily Wormald has Glen Harris from the Coffs Harbour branch to ensure our clients’ fire safety systems and equipment can be appropriately assessed.”
“The consequences of non-compliance can be costly. Penalties for failing to be fire compliant can range from fines to buildings being closed down or, depending on the severity, a building owner could end up in court,” Mr Morrow said.
Wormald’s Gold Coast team provides fire compliance for a range of industries including, hospitality, education, major manufacture, scientist research, health facilities, shopping centres and retailers. For more information call 133 166.
