AS 1851 5 1981 maintenance of fire protection equipment au

Title

AS 1851.5-1981 Maintenance of fire protection equipment - Automatic smoke/heat
venting systems

Licensee

Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002

Conditions of use
This is a licensed electronic copy of a document where copyright is owned or managed by
Standards Australia International. Your licence is a single user licence and the document may not
be stored, transferred or otherwise distributed on a network. You may also make one paper copy
of this document if required.

Web Check-up


Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002. Single user licence only. Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited.

AS 1851.5—1981

Australian StandardR

Maintenance of fire protection
equipment

Part 5: Automatic smoke/heat
venting systems

T H E F O L L O W I N G S C I E N T I F I C , I N D U S T R I A L A N D G OV E R N M E N TA L
ORGANIZATIONS and departments were officially represented on the committee entrusted
with the preparation of this standard:
Commonwealth Fire Board
Confederation of Australian Industry
Department of Defence
Department of Housing and Construction
Fire fighting authorities

Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002. Single user licence only. Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited.

Insurance Council of Australia

This standard, prepared by Committee BD/18/12, Fire Venting, was approved on behalf of
the Council of the Standards Association of Australia on 21 November 1980, and was
published on 1 March 1981.

Review of Australian Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Australian Standards are subject to
periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new editions as necessary. It is important
therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any amendments thereto.
Full details of all Australian Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia Catalogue
of Publications; this information is supplemented each month by the magazine ‘The Australian Standard’, which
subscribing members receive, and which gives details of new publications, new editions and amendments, and of
withdrawn Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Australian Standards, addressed to the head office of Standards Australia, are
welcomed. Notification of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australian Standard should be made without
delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action taken.

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 79045.

AS 1851.5—1981

Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002. Single user licence only. Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited.

Australian StandardR

Maintenance of fire protection
equipment
Part 5: Automatic smoke/heat
venting systems

First published . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1981

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
ISBN 0 7262 2158 9


PREFACE
This standard was prepared by the Association’s Committee on Fire Venting.
Smoke/heat release vents can be of assistance in controlling the spread of heat and
smoke in a building fire. Regular inspection and maintenance is essential to ensure their
operation in the event of a fire.
This standard requires reference to the following Australian standards:
AS 2427
Smoke/Heat Release Vents
AS . . . .
Installation of Smoke/Heat Venting Systems*

Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002. Single user licence only. Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited.

* In course of preparation.

CONTENTS
Page
SPECIFICATION
1
2
3
4
5

Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Periodic Testing and Inspection Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Testing after Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3
3
3
3
3

E Copyright — STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
Users of Standards are reminded that copyright subsists in all Standards Australia publications and software. Except where the Copyright Act allows
and except where provided for below no publications or software produced by Standards Australia may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in
any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing from Standards Australia. Permission may be conditional on an appropriate

royalty payment. Requests for permission and information on commercial software royalties should be directed to the head office of Standards
Australia.
Standards Australia will permit up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard to be copied for use exclusively in–house by
purchasers of the Standard without payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Australia.
Standards Australia will also permit the inclusion of its copyright material in computer software programs for no royalty payment provided
such programs are used exclusively in–house by the creators of the programs.
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the Standard is amended or
revised. The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identified.
The use of material in print form or in computer software programs to be used commercially, with or without payment, or in commercial contracts is
subject to the payment of a royalty. This policy may be varied by Standards Australia at any time.


3

AS 1851, Part 5—1981

STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
Australian Standard
for
THE MAINTENANCE OF FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT
PART 5—AUTOMATIC SMOKE/HEAT VENTING SYSTEMS

1 SCOPE. This standard sets out the requirements
for the periodic testing and inspection of automatic
smoke/heat venting systems.

(a)

NOTE: The procedures set out in this standard should be carried
out or supervised, by a person recognized by the Authority

having Jurisdiction as being qualified for this class of work.

Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002. Single user licence only. Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited.

2 DEFINITION. For the purpose of this standard,
the following definition applies:
Authority having Jurisdiction — a Statutory
Authority administering Acts of Parliament or
regulations under such Acts.
3 PERIODIC TESTING AND INSPECTION
PROCEDURES.
3.1 General. All automatic smoke/heat venting
systems shall be inspected and vents tested in
accordance with Clauses 3.2 and 3.3 at periodic
intervals as specified.
3.2 Half-yearly Tests. Each vent shall be tested
at intervals not exceeding 6 months. The vent shall be
operated in a manner which will simulate fire
conditions by suddenly releasing the restraint.
NOTE: Vents may be tested on a weekly, monthly or quarterly
rotating basis in conjunction with inspections of other fire
protection equipment.

During testing particular attention shall be given
to the following:
(a) Pulleys. All pulleys shall operate freely and
smoothly.
(b)
(c)
(d)

Hinges. All hinges shall operate freely and
smoothly.
Latches. All latches shall engage and hold
the vent securely in the open position.

Cables. The travel of cables and linkages
shall be observed to ensure that it is not
possible for the cable or linkage to catch on
any projection to prevent the vent from fully
opening.
3.3 Annual Inspection. Smoke/heat venting systems
shall be inspected at intervals not exceeding
12 months. During inspection particular attention
shall be given to the following items:

(b)

Draught curtains. Draught curtains shall be
inspected to ensure that—
(i) no unauthorized penetrations have
been made;
(ii) no unauthorized relocation of the
curtains has occurred; and
(iii) there has been no structural damage to
the curtains.
Vents. In addition to the six-monthly test,
vents shall be inspected for the following:
(i)

(ii)

Corrosion. Any signs of corrosion
shall be noted and checked for
variation from previous inspections.
Items corroded to such an extent as
will affect operation shall be replaced.
Thermal l y rel eased l i nk. T he
thermally released link shall be
inspected for type and temperature
rating. Thermally released links which
have been coated with paint or similar
substances shall be replaced.

(iii) Cables. Cables shall be inspected for
fraying. Frayed cables shall be
replaced.
(c) Plan of installation. The plan of installation
shall be examined to ensure that it includes
current information.
4 TESTING AFTER MAINTENANCE. After any
maintenance has been carried out or vents have been
painted, the test prescribed in Clause 3.2 shall be
conducted.
5 RECORDS. A permanent record shall be
maintained and kept in a suitable place. The details of
inspections, tests and maintenance shall be entered
including the following information:
(a) Date of occurrence.

COPYRIGHT

(b)

Name of the person concerned.

(c)

Details of any faults detected.

(d)

Action taken to rectify any faults.

(e)

Date on which any faults were rectified.