Queensland compliance guide
Queensland fire and electrical compliance, in plain language
What Queensland expects from commercial building occupiers and workplaces — and how the fire and electrical obligations fit into one calendar.
Fire safety: the Building Fire Safety Regulation
Queensland's Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 puts most fire safety duties on the building's occupier. The key ones for commercial sites:
- Prescribed fire safety installations must be maintained by an appropriately qualified person, at the intervals in the Queensland Development Code MP 6.1 — which calls up AS 1851.
- Maintenance records must be kept, including results and any critical defect notices.
- If a maintainer finds a critical defect — one likely to stop an installation working — they must tell the occupier within 24 hours.
- An occupier statement about the maintenance of those installations must be given to the Queensland Fire Department at least once a year.
- A written fire and evacuation plan, with an evacuation diagram, must be in place and reviewed at least yearly.
- Workers need evacuation instructions when they start and at least yearly, and first-response instructions at least every two years. Evacuation practice is at least yearly.
- High occupancy buildings — including workplaces with 30 or more workers — carry extra requirements, such as a fire safety adviser.
AS 1851: typical routine intervals
| System | Routine service intervals |
|---|---|
| Fire detection and alarm systems | Monthly · six-monthly · yearly · five-yearly |
| Sprinkler systems | Monthly through to yearly · five-yearly |
| Fire pumpsets | Weekly or monthly run tests · six-monthly · yearly flow test · five-yearly |
| Portable fire extinguishers | Six-monthly · periodic pressure testing |
| Fire doors | Six-monthly or yearly, depending on building class |
| Emergency and exit lighting (AS/NZS 2293.2) | Six-monthly discharge test · yearly checks |
Typical AS 1851 routine service intervals. Your exact schedule depends on your systems and building.
Workplace electrical: the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026
The Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 commenced on 1 September 2026 and replaced the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013. WorkSafe Queensland says it doesn't introduce new obligations. Testing and tagging and safety switch requirements depend on your class of work.
Specified electrical equipment (test and tag)
| Class of work | Equipment | Test interval |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Transportable structures, fixed and transportable equipment | 6 months |
| Construction | Other equipment | 3 months |
| Manufacturing | Double insulated | 12 months |
| Manufacturing | Not double insulated | 6 months |
| Service work | Not protected by a safety switch | 12 months |
| Office work | Not protected by a safety switch | 5 years |
WorkSafe Queensland intervals for specified electrical equipment under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026. We'll confirm the class of work for your site.
Tags must show the test date and the next due date. Construction sites follow AS/NZS 3012.
Safety switches (RCDs)
| Class of work | Safety switch | Push-button test | Operating-time test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | Fixed | 1 month | 12 months |
| Construction | Portable | Daily or before each use | 3 months |
| Manufacturing | Fixed | 6 months | 12 months |
| Office | Fixed | 6 months | 2 years |
| Office | Portable | 3 months | 2 years |
| Service (other than cleaning) | Fixed or portable | 6 months | 2 years |
WorkSafe Queensland safety switch testing intervals under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026.
Emergency and exit lighting
Emergency lighting is one of the prescribed fire safety installations in Queensland buildings. AS/NZS 2293.2 calls for a discharge test every six months — each fitting must run on battery for its rated duration, at least 90 minutes — plus additional yearly checks.
Putting it on one calendar
Example schedule only. Actual timing depends on your systems, building class and class of work. *Fire doors are six-monthly or yearly by building class; safety switch push-button intervals vary from monthly to six-monthly by class of work.
Sources
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