Ignoring scheduled fire equipment checks can lead to staggering fines of up to $100,000 under Australian Standards AS1851-2012 compliance regimes.
For strata committees and property managers, ensuring fire safety management in strata buildings is about more than ticking a box. It’s safeguarding residents’ lives, protecting property investments, and keeping insurance intact.
In this blog, we will cover what strata fire and safety compliance entail, what the challenges of keeping up with growing regulations are, and how recurring work order management can help.
Understanding Strata Fire and Safety Compliance in Australia
At its core, strata fire safety compliance means proving your building has systems in place to detect fires, warn residents, enable safe evacuation, and assist firefighters on arrival. That typically requires carrying out routine inspections, keeping accurate records, engaging licensed suppliers and issuing Annual Fire Safety Statements (AFSS) to councils.
While the National Construction Code (NCC) provides Australia-wide standards, each state sets nuances:
- New South Wales: Must submit an AFSS every year to local councils, signed by an accredited practitioner.
- Victoria: Compliance ties closely to Essential Safety Measures (ESMs) with varying inspection intervals (monthly, quarterly, yearly).
- Queensland: Requires Fire Safety Management Plans for shared areas, plus defect rectifications within 90 days.
Across all states, penalties for non-compliance can be thousands of dollars for failing to rectify identified defects, in addition to daily charges until required measures are taken.
Common Challenges in Fire Safety Management in Strata Buildings
Ask any strata committee and they’ll nod knowingly: managing fire safety compliance isn’t just about hiring a contractor. Typical headaches include:
Scattered Records
Compliance certificates, invoices, and test logs might sit across multiple inboxes or dusty folders, which can be risky if the council audits your building.
Missed Service Dates
It’s easy to overlook a quarterly hydrant test or annual fire door audit, especially if relying on manual diaries.
Juggling Multiple Contractors
Strata managers often coordinate electricians, sprinkler techs, door inspectors, and alarm testers, each with separate schedules.
Confused Owners or Tenants
Residents wedge open fire doors, block hallways, or store e-scooters improperly, unaware of the dangers.
Risk to Insurance Cover
If you can’t prove regular compliance, insurers might decline claims after an incident.
Why Recurring Work Order Management Is Essential
It all boils down to two maintenance approaches: Preventive vs Reactive.
Managing fire safety reactively, only fixing faults after a brigade notice or insurance audit, is playing with fire, literally. However, with recurring work orders, you are putting preventive measures in place to keep small problems from becoming big, insurance valid, and residents safe.
Work order systems also create a live roadmap of what’s due, what’s overdue, and what’s completed. Giving you better oversight as a strata manager.
Additionally, when you are already on top of your maintenance schedule, costs become predictable.
How Fire Safety Compliance Software for Strata Helps
Here’s where modern fire safety compliance software for strata truly becomes a game-changer. Unlike juggling messy spreadsheets or paper folders in a filing cabinet, these platforms wrap everything into one neat, purpose-built ecosystem.
Let’s break down exactly how it makes life easier for strata committees, property managers, contractors, and even everyday residents.
Automate Scheduling & Alerts
Think about a typical year in a strata building. You might have monthly, quarterly, and yearly checks entailing everything from exit and emergency lighting checks, hydrant flow tests, smoke alarm calibration, and more.
Manually tracking all these dates, let alone sending reminders to contractors and chasing up confirmations, is a guaranteed headache.
Software flips this on its head. You pre-set every task’s recurrence and add it to the building’s digital maintenance calendar. The next time a maintenance is due, you see it land in your work order list, ready to be dispatched to your preferred supplier.
This means no more frantic last-minute scrambles or awkward explanations to council inspectors about “why we forgot.”
Maintain Robust Digital Audit Trails
A big anxiety point for strata managers is “how do we prove we’re compliant if the council audits us, or after an insurance claim?”
Traditional systems might involve digging through countless PDFs saved in random folders and tracking who signed off on a job via old emails or scribbled notes.
On the other hand, a purpose-built compliance system automatically logs exactly who performed the work, when, and attaches time-stamped photos or signed-off PDFs. It also maintains a continuous, chronological record of every task and result.
If the council demands your fire door inspection records or an insurer queries a claim after an incident, you can pull up everything in seconds, instead of sweating bullets, hoping someone remembers where the certificates are.
Centralise All Certificates & Critical Documents
Australian regulations require strata schemes to maintain loads of important documents, including Annual Fire Safety Statements (AFSS), practitioner accreditation certificates, test logs for hydrants, alarms, extinguishers, rectification notices, and completion proofs.
Instead of cluttered folders or multiple USBs floating around, compliance software securely stores everything in one central repository, categorised by building, system, or even asset.
Many systems also let you set expiry alerts for practitioner accreditations and restrict sensitive docs (like council submission files) to authorised users.
So during an AGM or urgent council audit, there’s no frantic rummaging; you simply click, filter, and download.
Create Crystal-Clear AGM & Committee Reports
Every year, strata committees face the same question from owners: “Where exactly are our levies going, and are we compliant with fire safety laws?”
Thanks to built-in reporting tools, the software can generate slick, digestible reports showing every completed inspection or test, by asset and by date. You’ll also have a record of outstanding or upcoming tasks, along with visual summaries (pie charts, bar graphs) that give committees confidence they’re meeting their duties.
This transparency does wonders for owner trust and buy-in, and dramatically smooths AGM discussions.
Empower Contractors with Mobile & On-Site Access
Nothing stalls compliance like chasing contractors for paperwork. Good platforms allow fire techs and inspectors to access their daily job lists on mobile, mark complete while still on-site, upload photos of inspected doors, signed service tags, or meter readings in real-time, and instantly generate and attach digital compliance certificates.
For strata managers, it’s a dream.
You’re not waiting days for a certificate to be emailed in, or trying to decipher a messy handwritten docket. Instead, everything flows live into your building’s compliance dashboard.
Beyond Just Compliance
Most modern strata fire compliance platforms also offer integration with trust accounting systems, linking maintenance costs to levy breakdowns, multi-site management, and community apps to keep everyone in the loop.
It’s about creating a joined-up ecosystem, where compliance becomes automatic, transparent, and stress-free.
The best way to handle non-compliance in strata properties is to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Implementing Effective Recurring Work Order Management
Putting a proper system in place for recurring work orders is the best way to stay on top of fire safety. It’s not something you do overnight. But once set up, it saves stress, time, and money.
Here’s how to do it step by step.
Step 1. Start with a Detailed Fire Safety Audit
The first step is getting a full picture of your building. Hire a licensed fire safety expert. They’ll walk through every part of your complex. They look at all the important equipment: smoke alarms, fire doors, hydrants, hose reels, exit signs, and stairways.
They’ll also tell you how often each item needs checking. Some things, like exit lights, need monthly checks. Others, like hydrants, might only need it every three months. They’ll spot any faults that need fixing right away. Having this written down by a pro gives your committee a clear starting point. It also shows you’ve taken reasonable steps to keep people safe.
Step 2. Log Every Asset into Your Software
Once the audit is done, take all that info and load it into your fire safety software. Don’t just put in “fire doors” as one line. Add each item properly. For example: “Fire Door 3, Level 2 near lift,” or “Basement Hydrant 5 beside space #17.”
You can attach photos and notes from the audit. This builds a live record of every safety asset. From now on, every check or repair gets added to that item’s history. It means you always know what was done, when, and by whom.
Step 3. Set Up Recurring Work Orders
Now, set up the schedule. This is where the software shines. Put in the checks the audit listed. For example:
- Exit lights get tested every month.
- Hydrants and hose reels get checked every three months.
- Smoke alarms and full building inspections happen once a year.
The software adds these jobs to the calendar. It sends reminders to the right people before each due date. This means no more last-minute rush or missed checks.
Step 4. Onboard Contractors, Managers, and Committee Members
Even the best system needs people to use it properly. Set up a short session with your regular contractors, building manager and committee. Show them:
- How to log in and see what jobs they need to do.
- How to upload photos, certificates or comments when they finish a task.
- Who to call if they spot a problem that needs fixing fast.
Some strata managers give contractors a simple one-page guide. It helps stop mix-ups and missed paperwork later.
Step 5. Keep an Eye on the System and Escalate if Needed
Once the system is running, you still need to keep watch. The software will flag any jobs that weren’t done on time.
This stops small slips from turning into big issues. It also creates a record that shows you acted quickly if someone ever asks, like a council inspector or insurance company.
Step 6. Review Everything Every Six Months
Every six months, pull a report from the system. Look at what’s working and what’s not. Ask questions like:
- Are most jobs done on time?
- Do we see the same faults popping up on the same doors or hydrants?
- Are some contractors always late?
This is your chance to fine-tune things. You might decide to adjust how often you do checks. Or swap out a contractor who’s not performing. It also helps plan your budget if some equipment needs replacing.
Tips to Keep Strata Fire Safety Compliance on Track
Keeping your building safe isn’t just about ticking boxes. Here are some simple, smart ways to make sure your strata stays on top of fire safety all year round.
Set Calendar Syncs
Some fire compliance software lets you link tasks directly to Outlook or Google Calendar. This is a simple way to make sure no one forgets an important test or inspection. If your building manager checks their calendar each morning, they’ll see reminders like “Exit light checks due next week.” Committee members can sync it too. This double layer of reminders helps keep everything on track.
Educate the Building
Residents often don’t realise how small things can create big fire risks. Hold a short fire drill once a year so people know where to go and how to get out safely. Hand out quick tips about not wedging open fire doors or blocking hallways. Put up a simple notice explaining how to let the fire brigade in if alarms go off. A little bit of education goes a long way.
Use Visual Signage
Good signs are an easy way to keep fire safety front of mind. Try adding small reminders inside lifts or on noticeboards telling people not to block exits or store things in stairwells. Place checklists in pump rooms or near hydrants so contractors know exactly what to inspect. These small signs help keep everyone alert.
Report Near-Misses
Encourage people to speak up if they see a problem. A blocked hydrant, a broken exit sign or someone storing boxes in a fire stair might seem minor. But these small warnings can show where your building is at risk. Fixing them early prevents bigger issues down the line. It also proves your building takes safety seriously if a council inspector ever asks.
Annual Landlord Reports
At the end of each year, prepare a clear report for your AGM. Most fire safety software makes this easy by pulling all your tests, certificates, and checks into one neat file. Use simple charts and summaries. This shows owners exactly what’s been done and where their levies go. It also makes AGMs smoother, with fewer tough questions and more trust in the committee.
Over to you
Strata managers who invest in recurring work order management, especially when powered by best‑in‑class fire safety compliance software for strata, gain confidence, tune regular compliance, and avoid the costly setbacks of reactive firefighting.
i4T Maintenance offers a cohesive approach, comprising clear recurring work order schedules, audit trails, and good communication, making your strata scheme both safe and compliant.
This means property owners and occupants can sleep soundly at night, knowing every alarm, hydrant, and fire door has been checked on time.
FAQs
It depends on the building type and usage. For most apartment complexes, weekly cleaning of high-touch areas like lobbies and lifts is standard. Car parks and bin areas might be on a fortnightly or monthly cycle. Seasonal deep cleans, such as pressure washing or carpet steam cleaning, are also smart investments to maintain standards and reduce long-term wear.
Depending on your state, managers must engage licensed fire safety practitioners. Strata managers must ensure that these contractors have valid licenses and certificates before performing work and can provide detailed reports after inspection, which can be presented during audits.
Absolutely. Most software allows asset‑level configs. You might check fire extinguishers every quarter but test exit lights monthly.
The system flags overdue work, and keeps a complete log of when the last maintenance job was done, which is useful when explaining lapses.
It’s a good idea. Many insurers offer better terms or premiums if you can prove you have a solid maintenance compliance system in place. It also makes claims smoother if something does go wrong.
