NCC 2019 Volume One
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Section E Services and equipment

Section E Services and equipment

E1.3 is varied by adding SA E1.3(c), (d), (e) and (f) as follows:

SA E1.3 Fire hydrants

(c)

In a farm building, in lieu of providing a fire hydrant system in accordance with E1.3(b)(i), the building may be provided with—

(i)

a fire hydrant system installed in accordance with AS 2419.1 with the following variations—

(A)

in lieu of 4 hour water supply the minimum on-site water supply quantity must be as set out in Table SA E1.3 for the particular building group; and

(B)

for Group A and B buildings over 1000 m2 in floor area each tank used must have a capacity of not less than 72,000 litres; and

(C)

for single tank systems compliance with clause 4.3.3 is not required; and

(D)

compliance with clause 4.3.1 of AS 2419.1 is not required; and

(E)

for buildings incorporating non-fire-resistant polystyrene sandwich panel construction, the minimum water supply quantities in Table SA E1.3 must be increased by 50%; and

(F)

an on-site pumpset is not required if the design performance of section 2.3 of AS 2419.1 is achieved based on use of a fire truck pump with a capacity of 1,900 litres per minute at 1,000 kPa; and

(G)

in lieu of the coverage specified in AS 2419.1, external fire hydrants are located so that every part of the perimeter of a building is within 100 m from a hydrant outlet measured along the shortest distance of travel between or around buildings; or

(ii)

a water supply system comprising single or multiple on-site water storage tanks with connections for use by the fire brigade and complying with the requirements of AS 2419.1 for water supplies and water storage, except that—

(A)

in lieu of 4 hour water supply the minimum on-site water supply quantity must be as set out in Table SA E1.3 for the particular building group; and

(B)

for Group A and B buildings over 1000 m2 in floor area each tank used must have a capacity of not less than 72,000 litres; and

(C)

for single tank systems compliance with clause 4.3.3 of AS 2419.1 is not required; and

(D)

for buildings incorporating non-fire-resistant polystyrene sandwich panel construction, the minimum water supply quantities in Table SA E1.3 must be increased by 50%; and

(E)

an on-site pumpset need not be provided; and

(F)

for Group A or B buildings water storage tanks must be distributed so every part of the perimeter of a building is not more than 100 m from a tank suction point, measured along the shortest distance of travel between or around buildings; and

(G)

for Group C buildings water storage tanks must be distributed so that every part of the perimeter of a building is within a 200 m radius of a tank suction point; and

(H)

all pipes, valves and fittings for water storage tanks and connections must comply with section 5 and sections 8.2, 8.3, 8.6 and 8.7 of AS 2419.1 as relevant; and

(I)

a hardstand area and vehicular approach from the site entrance, suitable for use by the fire brigade must be provided adjacent to each water storage tank.

(d)

a dam maybe regarded as a water storage tank if it complies with the requirements of section 5 of AS 2419.1 and the water level is maintained above the top of the highest fire brigade suction point at all times.

(e)

The requirements of (a), (b), SA E1.3(c) and SA E1.3(d) do not apply to a farm shed.

Table SA E1.3 Minimum quantities for on-site site water supplies for farm buildings
Building group Floor area Minimum water supply quantity
Group A 500 m2 -1,000 m2 36,000 litres
1,001 m2-2,000 m2 72,000 litres
2,001 m2-5,000 m2 144,000 litres
Group B 500 m2 -1,000 m2 72,000 litres
1,001 m2-2,000 m2 144,000 litres
Group C 5 L/m2 or 36000 litres at each location, whichever is greater

Note:

Note:

A single water supply with the minimum quantity outlined in Table SA E1.3 can serve more than one building.

(f)

in a bulk grain storage facility, on-site hydrants are not required where—

(i)

street hydrants are available adjacent to the site which can supply water at not less than 5 litres per second; or

(ii)

a water supply system comprising single or multiple on-site water storage tanks with connections for use by the fire brigade and complying with the requirements of AS 2419.1 for water supplies and water storage, except that—

(A)

in lieu of a 4 hour water supply, an on-site water storage tank containing not less than 25,000 litres is provided within 90 m of a dry booster connection (Figure SA E1.3);

(B)

one dry riser is provided for each cell type silo in a bulk grain storage facility, located in the middle of the longest side of the facility and within 4 m of a required exit ;

(C)

all areas to be protected are within 60 m of a riser outlet, measured around obstacles;

(D)

metal or high pressure plastic pipe can used for the dry riser;

(E)

all pipes, valves and fittings for water storage tanks and connections must comply with section 5 and sections 8.2, 8.3, 8.6 and 8.7 of AS 2419.1 as relevant; and

(F)

a hardstand area and vehicular approach from the site entrance, suitable for use by the fire brigade must be provided adjacent each water storage tank.

Figure SA E1.3 Location of hydrants, tanks, booster connections and dry risers
v1_SAE13_2019.svg
E1.4(a) is varied by adding SA E1.4(a)(v) and (vi) as follows:

SA E1.4 Fire hose reels

(a)

E1.4 does not apply to—

(v)

a farm building not used for hay storage exceeding 500 m2 or 1,000 m3; or

E1.6 is varied by adding SA E1.6(c) and (d) as follows:

SA E1.6 Portable fire extinguishers

(c)

for Class A fire risks in a farm building the requirements of (a) need not be provided if—

(i)

portable fire extinguishers for Class A fire risks are provided in accordance with SA E1.6(d); or

(ii)

notwithstanding the exemption provided by SA E1.4(a)(v), a fire hose reel system is provided in accordance with Clause E1.4; or

(iii)

wash-down hoses or similar hoses that are—

(A)

not more than 36 m long; and

(B)

equipped with a spray nozzle suitable for fighting a fire at the incipient stage; and

(C)

permanently connected to a water supply which is sufficient to supply two hoses discharging at the rate of 20 litres per minute for 60

(D)

arranged to provide coverage to all points on the floor within

(d)

Portable fire extinguishers provided to comply with SA E1.6(c)(i) must be—

(i)

located at or adjacent to every required exit

(ii)

in open walled farm buildings, one extinguisher is provided for every 500 m2 of floor area or

E2.4 is varied by adding SA E2.4 as follows:

SA E2.4 Smoke venting in bulk grain storage facilities

In a bulk grain storage facility—

(a)

suitable natural smoke venting by fixed vents must be provided at the top of elevator towers and overhead galleries in a cell type silo; and

(b)

in storage sheds smoke venting is not required.

E4.2(b) is varied by adding SA E4.2(b)(iii)(A), (B), (C) and (D), and SA 4.2(j) is added as follows:

SA E4.2 Emergency lighting requirements

An emergency lighting system must be installed—

(b)

in every storey of a Class 5, 6, 7 or 8 building where the storey has a floor area more than 300 m2—

(iii)

in any room having a floor area more than 300 m2, except that—

(A)

in a farm building any area primarily used for the storage of hay can be excluded when calculating the floor area of the storey or room of the building for the purpose of determining emergency lighting requirements; and

(B)

emergency lighting is not required in a farm building where automatic back-up power is provided by a fuel driven back-up generator or where no artificial lighting is provided in the building; and

(C)

an emergency lighting system is not required in a—

(aa)

a farm shed; or

(bb)

a Group C farm building; or

(cc)

at ground floor level in cell type silos or storage shed; and

(D)

in a bulk grain storage facility the spacing of emergency lights can be increased to twice the distance required for Class 7 Buildings; and

(j)

in an underground passage in a bulk grain storage facility;

E4.5 is varied by adding SA E4.5(e) as follows:

SA E4.5 Exit signs

An exit sign must be clearly visible to persons approaching the exit, and must be installed on, above or adjacent to each—

E4.8 is varied by adding SA E4.8(c) at the end of the clause as follows—

SA E4.8 Design and operation of exit signs

Every required exit sign must comply with—

(c)

except that the requirements of (a) and (b) do not apply to—

(i)

a farm building where—

(A)

the use of illuminated exit signs could adversely affect the behavior or welfare of animals being kept in the building; and

(B)

non-illuminated exit signs are provided that comply with clauses 5.5, 5.6 and 5.8 of AS/NZS 2293.1; or

(ii)

a farm shed.