Inside Verified - Smarter
Checks, Sharper Standards
HVAC Maintenance & AS1851-2012 – Are You Over-Maintaining?
Many businesses are unknowingly performing detailed fire compliance checks on HVAC systems. These checks can be time-intensive, costly, and in many cases, unnecessary. The issue isn’t effort or lack of diligence, it is the misinterpretation of AS1851-2012, the Australian Standard that sets out the routine service of fire protection systems and equipment.
For FMs, this misunderstanding leads to time lost, budgets drained, and the wrong systems being prioritised. The result is a fire compliance approach that appears thorough on paper but fails to target the safety systems that truly matter in a critical fire event.
Understanding AS1851-2012 Section 13: What’s Actually Required
Section 13 of AS1851-2012 outlines the testing and maintenance requirements for smoke hazard management systems but it is often misunderstood or applied too broadly. The fact is not every HVAC system requires full fire testing. AS1851-2012 Section 13 only applies to certain systems, that is, those that actively manage smoke during a fire. These include systems like stair pressurisation and smoke exhaust, which must remain operational during fire conditions.
Many teams however are extending the same high-level maintenance to HVAC systems designed to shut down during a fire even though it is not required. These shutdown systems only need a basic functional check and not detailed inspections, formal test routines, or ongoing reporting. Yet in many buildings, they are still being serviced as if they are life safety assets. The result is:
- Unnecessary maintenance work
- Increased operational costs
- Inaccurate reporting and audit confusion
- Diluted focus from truly critical systems
Need Help Interpreting AS1851-2012 for Your Sites?
If you’re unsure whether your current maintenance aligns with the actual requirements of AS1851-2012, we can help clarify what is in scope and what’s not. Glenn Talbot, Founder and Managing Director of Verified, is also the Independent Chair of the Australian Standards Committee for Fire Safety Maintenance. He is available to walk you through how the standard applies, how to avoid over-servicing, and how to focus maintenance where it matters most.
Reach out to Glenn for a free assessment and find out how you can reduce unnecessary costs and complexity whilst ensuring your HVAC maintenance is aligned with the latest standards.
5 Essential Features for Effective Contractor Management
Managing contractors means taking responsibility for everything that happens on-site. This means that teams need complete visibility regarding who’s on-site, what they’re doing, and whether they’re authorised to be there. Anything less means added risk and ongoing liability for your organisation.
The right contractor management platform gives you complete assurance from check-in to sign-off. If you’re reviewing contractor management platforms, here are 5 essential features every system must include.
- Real-Time Task Capture from Site: You need an up-to-the-minute view of what’s happening on-site. That means contractor attendance, work performed, and compliance documentation logged directly from site. No waiting for reports and no chasing of work status or updates.
- Automated Compliance Checks: Pre-qualification simply isn’t enough. Licences expire and personnel changes occur frequently. Contractor management systems should automatically verify key credentials at the point of entry and block access if something critical is missing. This means your team isn’t reactively following up after the fact, and minimising risk at all times.
- Digital Inductions & Training: Every site has its own unique risks. Contractors need to complete inductions before they arrive on-site, not after they have entered. A strong platform tracks everything in one place – role-specific content, completion status, and version control/updates. This ensures both internal staff and external visitors stay compliant at all times.
- Smart Site Access & Live Logs: If an audit or emergency happens, can you see who is on-site right now? A digitised system with location verified check-ins make this effortless. No more sign-in books and no more site uncertainty.
- Real-Time Dashboards & Reporting: Static reports aren’t helpful when something goes wrong. You need a live view of contractor activity, credential status, and compliance risks across all your sites so you can act early and stay ahead.
A Smarter Way to Manage Contractor Risk
Verified is built specifically to support teams managing contractor-heavy operations in high-compliance environments. It connects all 5 of these must-have features into one cohesive platform:
- Task capture and service logs direct from the field
- Credential validation at check-in
- Digital induction delivery tied to site, role, and expiry
- QR code and location-based access control
- Live dashboards and alerts showing site activity and non-compliance risks
Verified delivers assurance, visibility, and automation – replacing manual processes which involve reactivity and guesswork. Whether you manage one building or twenty, Verified simplifies the contractor management process while giving you the control you need on every shift. Get in touch to find out about how Verified’s Contractor Compliance module supports end-to-end contractor management at scale.