Building Code of Australia (BCA) and Fire Safety Regulations

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Building Code of Australia (BCA), focusing on fire safety measures and building regulations. It details the BCA's structure, including volumes and sections, with a specific emphasis on Section 3, which outlines acceptable construction provisions. The report examines both active and passive fire protection systems, including fire alarms, control systems, doors, and various detection methods. Passive measures such as concrete encasement, board systems, and spray-on protection are also discussed. Furthermore, the report delves into the compliance process, including construction certificates, alternative assessment methods, verification processes, and the required documentation for building permits. It highlights the importance of expert opinions, various assessment methods, and the documentation needed for building applications, as well as information required by the Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS) and the specifics outlined in regulations 302 and 305. The report emphasizes the need for compliance with BCA standards to ensure building safety and regulatory adherence.

PART A
The BCA (Building Code of Australia) consists of three volumes.
Volume I
Volume II
Volume III
Volume II consists of 3 sections.
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 3 gives the required information on the Acceptable Construction Provisions.
• 3.0 How to Use Section
• 3.1 Site Preparation
• 3.2 Footings and foundation Slabs
• 3.3 Building Masonry
• 3.4 Framing
• 3.5 Roof and Wall Cladding
• 3.6 Glazing
• 3.7 Fire Safety
• 3.8 Health and Amenity- – Facilities, Light, Ventilation, Sound Insulation
• 3.9 Safe Movement and Access – Staircase Construction, Balustrades, Swimming
pool
Access
• 3.10 Additional Construction Requirements –High wind regions, Earthquake prone
regions
• 3.11 Structural Design Manuals
• 3.12 Energy Efficiency
Controlling smoke spreading is a part of the Fire Active measure and it is accompanied by the
system of detecting and communicating the fire outbreak whenever it occurs. Such an approach
should be considered as a proactive one.
Fire Break Glass Alarm: This mechanism is meant for activating fire alarm for alerting the fire
brigade so that quick response can be obtained. There is usually a red panel on the wall with a
small button, pressing which the fire brigade would be alerted.
Fire Control Systems: In a building the fire control system should be considered as a hub for
controlling fire. Typically the place is located in the ground floor, near to the entrance or exit
point that opens to a broad road. In a cabinet or in a wall the panel should be placed. A good
number of lights and buttons constitute the panel indicating the fact that fire sensor is activated in
the concerned building.

Fire Doors: There must be a passage through the building to give a vent to the smoke caused by
fire. Such fire doors should be automatically operated in times of emergency and on the basis of
the signal passed on by the smoke detectors and other mechanisms.
Smoke and Thermal Power Detectors: Smoke detectors are proactive measures as they are used
for generating earlier signal about the outbreak of a fire. Such a mechanism is utilized in respect
of controlling and activating the fire doors and for isolating particular zones within a building.
Portable Fire Extinguishers are also used to extinguish fire that are smaller in dimension and are
in the initial stage. Moreover, fire hose reels and fire hydrants are also used extensively in the
mechanism of putting off fire. To the fire hydrant the canvas fire hose is usually attached and
they are installed by Fire Brigade. Only trained personnel and not general public should work on
the mechanism.
Passive Fire Protection
Rise in temperature has to be reduced whenever any steel item is exposed to elevated
temperature in the event of fire. Buchanan 2001) has suggested that properties of protection
materials and their measurement play a crucial role in reducing the elevated temperature but such
process of alleviation is reliant on certain calculations that must be specifically correct.
Concrete encasement: Concrete encasement though might be a need in the building process to
support the steel elements, they are actually costly in nature.
Board Systems: Gypsum plaster or calcium silicate is used in the development of board systems
and in case of fire accidents the calcium silicate boards play a crucial role. But it must be noted
that Gypsum boards have the potential to insulate those properties that are resistant to fire and
this is due to the presence of water within the board.
Spray-on protection system: To hold materials together, cement based form of glass or cellulosic
fibres are used in the spray on protection system. It must be noted that there is a special kind of
paint that plays an important role in an event of fire and that is intumesccent paint, and such
element swells into a thick char whenever the same is exposed to increased temperature that has
the potential to increase the fire rating of the steel utensils behind.
Timber boards can also be used in the event of restraining fire and combating the same.
Structural elements then should be encased with timer and this can give passive fire protection.
But the timber has to be seasoned to be specific. Moreover, thermosetting adhesive must be used
to fix the boarding with timber to ensure fire protection.
Concrete filling is also a way of preventing fire as it is a mechanism that is used for hollow steel
sections that improve the performance of the fire. There is no need of external protection in this
case of usage and it is useful in enhancing the load-bearing capacity of the sections.
Water filling system on the other hand works within the principle of concrete filling and here,
water is filled in hollow steel sections. Corrosion preventive additives are added to the water
filling and this requires immaculate plumbing system and arrangement. But due to its

expensiveness, the process is rarely used. Moreover, flame shields are also used in protecting
external steelwork from heat radiation.
Part B
There is a Building Code of Australia (BCA) and there is a Construction Certificate that is meant
for assessing the degree of compliance of the building process with the BCA. To be compliant
with the BCA the construction of the structure should be deemed to be satisfied and that should
appease the BCA’s Acceptable Construction Practice. Then there is the alternative solution that
should meet the required performance mechanisms that are evaluated by BCA’s assessment
methods to be specific.
BCA has mandated a verification process that should be used to ensure that the building process
is compliant with BCA’s requirements. Then there it the practice of obtaining expert opinion and
in this regard the documentation for building purpose should be certified by a qualified person
who has experience in the field of construction.
2
Alternative assessment methods: There are many ways to assess if the building solution complies
with the BCA.
Clause A2.2 of the BCA allows the evidence to be submitted that must support the proposal for
building materials.
Registered Testing Authority report;
Certificate of Accreditation / Certificate of Conformity;
A certificate from a professional engineer or other appropriately qualified person;
Certificate issued by a product certification body which is accredited by the Joint
Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ);
Verification
The verification methods encompass analytical methods based on some mathematical models.
Tests are also conducted for understanding the overall technical operation on site for measuring
performance criteria. Expert judgment is often taken and counted whenever there is a case of
calculation failure and in such events the technical advice of the expert must be noted. Then
there is the comparison method in store which denotes the final assessment method applied for
evaluating if the building process can be deemed to be satisfied. It must be noted that applicants
have the liberty to use any materials or components or design factors but every one of them must
meet the requirements of the BCA.
3

The documents provided to the RBS (Relevant Building Surveyor) should be, but need not be
limited to the following:
a) Calculation of building areas and other component factors.
b) Plans with notes and specifications and analysis that determine the compliance with the
regulations mandated by BCA.
c) Details of Alternative Solution proposed, procedures and documentation
d) Documents which support the exercise of discretionary powers under regulations 608, 609 and
1011
Regulation 302
(1) An application for a building permit to construct should also include the following:
a) 3 copies of drawings showing the plan of floor level, elevations, sections, dimensions, the
sizes and locations of structural members to a scale of not less than 1:100The information on the
drawings must include but is not limited to:
• Floor plans (sections, and door locations, floor covering area, lighting layout, internal and
external wall construction, dimensions and areas of rooms, air circulation details, etc
• Elevations with floor/wall heights, floor levels, roof pitch, location of hot water services, roof
lights and windows
• Structural drawings showing floor to roof tie down connections, floor and wall connections,
roof and wall connections, beam and column locations, slab construction details, truss to beam
• Window and door schedules,
• Energy efficiency details
• Fire service plans both layout and schedule.
b) 3 copies of specifications of materials and methods in the construction which are being
applied.
c) 3 copies of allotment plans to a scale of not less than 1:500 or any other approved scale
d) A statement of all buildings shown on allotment plans for building classification.
e) A copy of any computations or reports necessary supporting the design.
The following should be clearly specified:
• The address of the property,
• The proposed building work covered (computations and report),

• The name and registration number of the registered building
• date and signature.
• Computations analysis calculations:
• Structural designs (footings, floor, wall, and roof etc.)
• Hydraulic designs (storm water drainage, fire services)
• Electrical designs (lighting, emergency lighting, smoke detection and alarm systems etc)
• Lighting and glazing analysis (energy efficiency)
For a performance-based Alternative Solution:
• A copy of the fire engineering brief (FEB)
• A copy of the fire engineering report (FER)
• A copy of any Building Appeals Board’s determinations made under sections 160, 160A and
section 160B of the Act.
Regulation 305
The RBS requires any or all of the following information to be provided by an application:
a) Details of all measures taken for the protection of the public required under regulation 604
b) Documentary evidence under A2.2 of Volume One of the BCA or clause 1.2.2 of Volume
Two of the BCA c) A survey plan with existing site conditions prepared by a licensed surveyor
d) A copy of the certificate of title
e) Evidence of ownership or evidence of a contract pursuant to section 9AA of the Sale of Land
Act 1962 f) Evidence that each building practitioner is registered
g) Details as to whether the land is liable to flooding, subject to termite attack, in a designated
bushfire prone area, subject to significant snowfalls, or is designated land or works; and