NSW EP&A Regulation
Fire Safety Assessments
A fire safety assessment reviews your building's fire safety measures against the fire safety schedule and identifies gaps in compliance, documentation or maintenance. We support building owners preparing Annual Fire Safety Statements by ensuring documentation is complete, accurate and audit-ready.
What is a fire safety assessment?
A fire safety assessment is a review of the essential fire safety measures in a building against the requirements of the fire safety schedule. It identifies defects, documentation gaps, maintenance shortfalls and compliance risks — giving you a clear picture of what needs to be addressed.
Why do you need one?
Under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation, building owners must submit an Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) certifying that essential fire safety measures have been assessed and are performing to the required standard. A fire safety assessment helps you understand your compliance position before signing that statement.
What we deliver
Our assessment report covers: status of each essential fire safety measure listed on your schedule, documentation review (block plans, baseline data, maintenance records), physical condition observations, identified defects and recommended rectification, priority ranking for remediation, and support for completing the AFSS process.
Common problems we solve
Many building owners struggle with the AFSS process because their documentation is incomplete or their maintenance records don't support compliance. We help by: conducting gap analyses against the fire safety schedule, identifying what documentation is missing or outdated, recommending a prioritised rectification program, and preparing the documentation needed to close gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Annual Fire Safety Statement?
An AFSS is a statutory declaration by the building owner that the essential fire safety measures in the building have been assessed by a competent person and are performing to the required standard. It must be submitted to council and the fire brigade annually.
Can you prepare the AFSS itself?
We can support the AFSS process by conducting assessments, preparing documentation and advising on compliance — but the statutory declaration is made by the building owner (or their authorised representative) based on competent assessments.
What if we have multiple defects?
We provide a prioritised rectification program so you can address critical life-safety issues first while planning a staged approach to full compliance. Not everything needs to be fixed at once, but it does need to be managed.
Do you cover all essential fire safety measures?
We focus on fire systems documentation (block plans, baseline data) and the fire safety measures we are qualified to assess. For mechanical services, structural fire protection or electrical systems, we recommend appropriately qualified specialists.