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9.5

Part 9.5 Smoke alarms and evacuation lighting

Part 9.5 Smoke alarms and evacuation lighting

NCC Blurbs

(1) Smoke alarms must—

  1. be located in—
    1. Class 1a buildings excluding any non-associated Class 10a private garages, subject to (2), in accordance with 9.5.2 and 9.5.4; and
    2. Class 1b buildings in accordance with 9.5.3 and 9.5.4; and
  2. comply with AS 3786, except that in a Class 10a private garage where the use of the area is likely to result in smoke alarms causing spurious signals, any other alarm deemed suitable in accordance with AS 1670.1 may be installed provided that smoke alarms complying AS 3786 are installed elsewhere in the Class 1 building; and
  3. be powered from the consumer mains source where a consumer mains source is supplied to the building; and
  4. be interconnected where there is more than one alarm.

(2) Heat alarms must—

  1. be installed in a Class 10a private garage that is located beneath a garage top dwelling and not associated with that dwelling; and
  2. be located on or near the ceiling; and
  3. comply with AS 1603.3; and
  4. be powered from the consumer mains source supplying the garage top dwelling where a consumer mains source is supplied to the building; and
  5. be interconnected to the garage top dwelling smoke alarms required by 9.5.2.

(3) Where heat alarms required by (2) are installed, durable notices must be permanently fixed to the garage top dwelling and non-associated Class 10a private garage in prominent locations, indicating that—

  1. a heat alarm is installed in the non-associated Class 10a private garage; and
  2. the heat alarm is interconnected to the garage top dwelling smoke alarms.

Explanatory information

A smoke alarm can give spurious alarms if the atmosphere contains particles which obscure vision, such as could occur in a Class 10a private garage part of a building. NSW 9.5.1(1)(b) therefore allows the use of a more suitable alarm, such as a heat alarm, in these locations.

NSW 9.5.1(1)(d) requires alarms to be interconnected where there is more than one alarm. This only applies within a single dwelling. Therefore alarms in a Class 1a dwelling need not be interconnected with alarms in another dwelling.

Where a Class 10a private garage is located beneath a garage top dwelling and is not associated with that dwelling, NSW 9.5.1(2)(a) requires a heat alarm to be provided in the non-associated Class 10a private garage. NSW 9.5.1(2)(b) to (e) contains requirements for installing heat alarms. NSW 9.5.1(3) contains requirements for the provision of durable notices.

NCC Title

Smoke and heat alarm requirements

NCC State
NSW
NCC Variation Type
Replacement
NCC SPTC Current
Smoke and heat alarm requirements

Smoke alarms must—

  1. be located in—
    1. a Class 1a building in accordance with 9.5.2 and 9.5.4; and
    2. a Class 1b building in accordance with 9.5.3 and 9.5.4; and
  2. comply with AS 3786, except that in a Class 10a private garage where the use of the area is likely to result in smoke alarms causing spurious signals, any other alarm deemed suitable in accordance with AS 1670.1 may be installed provided that smoke alarms complying with AS 3786 are installed elsewhere in the Class 1 building; and
  3. be powered from the consumer mains source where a consumer mains source is supplied to the building; and
  4. be interconnected where there is more than one alarm.

Explanatory information

A smoke alarm can give spurious alarms if the atmosphere contains particles which obscure vision, such as could occur in a Class 10a private garage part of a building. 9.5.1(b) therefore allows the use of a more suitable alarm, such as a heat alarm, in these locations.

9.5.1(d) requires alarms to be interconnected where there is more than one alarm. This only applies within a single dwelling. Therefore, alarms in a Class 1a dwelling need not be interconnected with alarms in another dwelling or a private garage which does not belong to the Class 1a dwelling.

In a Class 1a building, smoke alarms must be located in—

  1. any storey containing bedrooms, every corridor or hallway associated with a bedroom, or if there is no corridor or hallway, in an area between the bedrooms and the remainder of the building; and
  2. each other storey not containing bedrooms.

Notes

Figure 9.5.2a and 9.5.2b illustrates requirements of this provision.

Figure 9.5.2a Class 1a building where all bedrooms are grouped together and served by a hallway
image-9-5-2a-class-1a-building-where-all-bedrooms-are-grouped-together-and-served-by-a-hallway.svg
Figure Notes

In this diagram, the location of the smoke alarm is indicated by a black dot.

Figure 9.5.2b Class 1a building where bedrooms are located in separate areas
image-9-5-2b-class-1a-building-where-bedrooms-are-located-in-separate-areas.svg
Figure Notes
  1. In this diagram, the location of each smoke alarm is indicated by a black dot.
  2. Smoke alarms are required to be interconnected by 9.5.1(d).

In a Class 1b building, smoke alarms must be located in—

  1. every bedroom; and
  2. every corridor or hallway associated with a bedroom, or if there is no corridor or hallway, in an area between the bedrooms and the remainder of the building; and
  3. each other storey.

Notes

Figure 9.5.3 illustrates requirements of this provision.

Figure 9.5.3 Class 1b building where multiple bedrooms are served by a hallway
image-9-5-3-class-1b-building-where-multiple-bedrooms-are-served-by-a-hallway.svg
Figure Notes
  1. In this diagram—
    1. the location of each smoke alarm is indicated by a black dot; and
    2. the location of a smoke alarm with evacuation lighting is indicated by a black dot within a square; and
    3. the area served by evacuation lighting is indicated by grey shading.
  2. Smoke alarms are required to be interconnected by 9.4.1(d).
  3. Lighting in the grey shaded area is to be activated by a smoke alarm if using 9.5.5(b)(ii).

Smoke alarms required by 9.5.2 and 9.5.3 must be installed on or near the ceiling, in accordance with the following:

  1. Where a smoke alarm is located on the ceiling it must be—
    1. a minimum of 300 mm away from the corner junction of the wall and ceiling; and
    2. between 500 mm and 1500 mm away from the high point and apexes of the ceiling, if the room has a sloping ceiling.
  2. Where (a) is not possible, the smoke alarm may be installed on the wall, and located a minimum of 300 mm and a maximum of 500 mm off the ceiling at the junction with the wall.

Explanatory information

Smoke alarms need to be located on (or near) the ceiling for optimum detection of smoke in a fire situation with special care taken to avoid dead air spaces. A dead air space is an area in which trapped hot air will prevent smoke from reaching the alarm. This space generally occurs at the apex of cathedral ceilings, the corner junction of walls and ceilings and between exposed joists etc. (see Explanatory Figure 9.5.4).

Smoke alarms may be located on the wall in accordance with 9.5.4(b). Explanatory Figure 9.5.4 provides location criteria and the dimensional relationship to building elements and the associated dead air spaces.

Figure 9.5.4 (explanatory) Installation of smoke alarms to avoid dead air space
image-9-5-4-explanatory-installation-of-smoke-alarms-to-avoid-dead-air-space.svg

In a Class 1b building, a system of lighting must be installed to assist evacuation of occupants in the event of a fire, and—

  1. be activated by the smoke alarm required by 9.5.3(b); and
  2. consist of—
    1. a light incorporated within the smoke alarm; or
    2. the lighting located in the corridor, hallway or area served by the smoke alarm.

Explanatory information

The lighting required by 9.5.5 may consist of artificial lighting which may already be installed in a corridor, hallway or area, provided that the lighting is activated by the smoke alarm. However consideration should be given to ensure that the lighting is not controlled by a dimmer or timer controlled switch which may dim the level of light to an ineffective level, or switch the light off before occupants have time to evacuate.