Building Commission

Over the last few days, I have been preparing a presentation on Essential Safety Measures Maintenance in Victoria. This presentation was created in response to a general misunderstanding regarding compliance and the obligations of building owners.

The presentation is available to view online. We also encourage you to pass this link on, so we can further educate the community on Essential Safety Measures Maintenance and Compliance in Victoria.

Reported by the Building Commission of Victoria, from January 2010 the Department of Health will be taking over the management of the cooling tower systems registration process. This is part of a realignment project that has come about due to the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.

Previously, cooling tower systems, were required to be registered with the Building Commission, these new changes shift this responsibility to the Department of Health.

Reported in the Herald Sun on Monday October 13, 2008, the Fire Protection Industry received its first shot across the bow from the main stream media.

For a number of years now, the fire industry has known about the excessive waste of fresh drinking water used as part of a fire sprinkler test. This water consumption comes from testing of fire sprinklers, fire pump-sets and fire hydrant systems.

There are now an array of solutions that will enablus to drop this consumption significantly but there is resistance from almost all parts of the building industry.

Simply put, the capital cost to reduce consumption is far greater than the cost of the water.

Perhaps this shot by the media might be the catalyst for social change...

Recently I received an email summarising the ongoing debate in Victoria as to whether a 'Relevant Building Surveyor' can amend or change an Occupancy Permit...

Here are the emails (with names removed to protect the sources);

Original Message

23 June 08

To whom it may concern,

I have a regulatory query in relation to when / how the schedule of essential safety measures may be amended, specifically in relation to adoption of AS1851-2005 (or its successors).

Practice Note 2007-61 almost slipped passed my desk without me picking up this little nugget. According to the Victorian Building Commission Practice Note 2007-61 issued November 2007, building owners may have a common law obligation to adopt AS1851-2005. Here is a full extract of the relevant clause;