Why has AS 1851 become mandatory in NSW?

Previously, each state had its own fire safety standards under their legislation, with NSW not enforcing AS 1851. However, governments made the call for a nationwide approach designed to ensure all fire safety systems and equipment is in optimal working condition at any given period, especially in the event of a fire.

The decision to mandate AS1851-2012 follows a comprehensive review of fire safety in buildings, undertaken by the NSW government. The fire safety reforms were introduced in 2022 to make buildings safer and increase compliance on fire safety measures.

As a result, changes were made to the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2012 in December 2022 to reduce life safety risks, damage to property and the number and cost of fire safety defects.

What is AS 1851?

Updated over many years of building evolution, AS 1851 standardises the routine maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment in Australia.

First introduced in 1989, AS 1851 is considered the industry standard, aligns with community expectations, and details the requirements for the frequency of inspections, maintenance and reporting on all fire protection systems, including fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, fire hoses and reels, fire water storage tanks, fire detection systems, special hazard systems, emergency planning, and fire blankets.

AS 1851 includes:

• Inspection and testing requirements for several essential safety measures
• Required frequencies that inspections occur for all measures
• Record keeping obligations
• Yearly condition reporting

What does this mean for the building owners and managers? 

For Wormald current customers, the changes required from February 2026 will be minimal (if any at all), as Wormald has already been maintaining customer fire safety measures to meet AS1851-2012. For those who are not currently Wormald customers, working towards the compliance deadline of February 13 in 2026 is essential and requires considered planning. Wormald can assist NSW building owners with their responsibilities. We encourage Wormald customers to contact their local branch to discuss any concerns or questions ahead of these changes being implemented.