Seeking Australian Standards AS 1670.1:2015 and AS 3786

deme on 29/01/2024 - 23:08

Hi everyone,

I'm currently looking into the specifics of fire safety, particularly around the installation and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems in both residential and commercial settings. I've come to understand that the Australian Standards AS 1670.1:2015 (focusing on fire detection and alarm systems) and AS 3786 (regarding smoke alarms) are key documents in this area.

However, accessing these standards can be quite costly, and I'm wondering if any fellow OzBargainers might have copies they'd be willing to share, or know where I could access them at a reduced cost or for free. My aim is to ensure compliance and safety in a project I'm working on, and having these standards would be immensely helpful.

Thanks in advance for any help or guidance you can provide!

Home & Garden

Comments

    • hexcide on 30/01/2024 - 03:20

      Sadly, Standards Australia effectively cut off library access a while back, so unless you can live with a pre-2019 hard copy version of a standard, you might have to pay up.

  • sumyungguy on 29/01/2024 - 23:38
    -1

    You need to search using the correct references for each standard, and ideally the current versions unless you need a superseded version for some reason.

  • randomusername2017 on 29/01/2024 - 23:45
    +4

    Useless comment

  • Drakesy on 30/01/2024 - 00:42
    +5

    I can get them through work, but it would be questioned as it's not really in my area and i think we may be charged per access.

    It's actually quite an interesting predicament where we have Australian standards that are cited in almost all industries yet we're not free to access them. Kinda counterintuitive, as in how are you meant to comply with them when you don't know what they are without forking out hundreds of dollars…

    • JimmyF on 30/01/2024 - 09:15
      +1

      It's actually quite an interesting predicament where we have Australian standards that are cited in almost all industries yet we're not free to access them

      Kinda crazy isn't it.

      and i think we may be charged per access

      Normally charged once per standard, unless that standard has changed.

    • netjock on 30/01/2024 - 09:56
      +1

      They might as well levy a small fee on every product that needs to comply.

      But you know to keep product cost low and nobody knows what the standard really is.

  • brendanm on 30/01/2024 - 01:19
    +2

    accessing these standards can be quite costly

    Which is ridiculous.

    • joka on 30/01/2024 - 09:12
      -7

      Are we expecting these standards to write themselves? Paying money to access these standards is minuscule in the grand scheme of things, its the cost of doing business and developing a compliant product. More ridiculous are the people complaining that it costs money.

      • deme on 30/01/2024 - 09:16
        +7

        More ridiculous are the people who fail to realise tax dollars can pay for it.

        • joka on 30/01/2024 - 10:50
          -1

          You want governments to pay for mandatory standard compliance as well as voluntary standard compliance?

          You realise that businesses use the SAI logo to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and to demand premium for their product right? There are alternative products on the marketplace which do not meet standards and which can be brought at a lower cost. How is that an argument to ask the government to pay for that when the businesses are profiting from it and when they are going out of their way to (hopefully) bring better products to market?

          • deme on 30/01/2024 - 15:32
            +1

            @joka:

            You want governments to pay for mandatory standard compliance

            Are you suggesting that that you need to pay to see the law?

            How is that an argument to ask the government to pay for that when the businesses are profiting from it

            You just described tax.

            You realise that businesses use the SAI logo

            No I don't, especially when standards are mandatory there is no differentiation there is compliant and illegal.

            • joka on 01/02/2024 - 15:06

              @deme: You still have not articulated why you think the tax payers should pay for standards (both mandatory and non mandatory) to be written.

      • mskeggs on 30/01/2024 - 09:21
        +4

        In almost all cases the standards are developed by volunteers from industry, unpaid.
        Then SAI turns it into a pdf and charges $150 a copy.
        The government used to do the pdf/printing part and you could access them for free, then later for a modest print fee.

        Then they privatised SAI and we have the current mess.
        Some things should be paid for with taxes.

        • brendanm on 30/01/2024 - 09:25
          +6

          privatised SAI and we have the current mess.

          Every single time.

          • Nugs on 30/01/2024 - 09:41

            @brendanm: yep, because somehow adding a profit makes things cheaper for consumers?….
            .

      • Drakesy on 30/01/2024 - 11:24

        Are we expecting these standards to write themselves? Paying money to access these standards is minuscule in the grand scheme of things, its the cost of doing business and developing a compliant product. More ridiculous are the people complaining that it costs money.

        They're written by industry reps who volunteer or work there, this is usually funded by the large consulting houses/businesses. So yes, the standards do effectively write themselves.

  • MrThing on 30/01/2024 - 04:05
    +1

    Pro tip sign up for a free Tafe course… You'll get them from the Tafe online library

    People won't send them to you as they are watermarked with that person's details. I just checked my work account and every standard I download has a watermark with mine and my companies details on every page

    • JimmyF on 30/01/2024 - 09:15
      +1

      Crazy, they want their $$$

    • deme on 30/01/2024 - 09:15
      +1

      Thank you so much!

  • netjock on 30/01/2024 - 09:57

    Not sure what you need from the standard as reading them will make you want to rip your eye balls out.

    That said. I am assuming if you can make friends with an electrician they can probably give you a good overview of requirements without having to go the full hog?

  • Cardy on 30/01/2024 - 10:58

    The nice thing about standards is there are so many to choose from…

  • KiKH on 30/01/2024 - 15:14

    Do note that which fire services standard applies to your building depends on when it was originally constructed and certified.

    Also have a gander at AS2220.2 for emergency warning systems

  • TimmyTims on 30/01/2024 - 18:11

    There was a parliamentary petition a while ago that resulted in Standards Australia allowing free personal use to standards. They kept it very quiet.

    I haven't had a chance to use it yet but let me know how you go
    https://readerroom.standards.org.au/

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