Every six months, with a flow test once a year. AS 1851-2012 has the hydrant system serviced six-monthly (signage and block plans, every supply and isolation valve operated, every landing valve inspected, pump auto-start proved) and hose reels pressurised and run out with water proved at the nozzle. The annual routine adds a hydrant flow test at the prescribed rate with residual pressure checked against the AS 2419.1 design, water proved at every landing valve and the pressure switches and alarms verified. Every five years the booster assembly is flow and pressure tested with the brigade appliance connection, the system is hydrostatically tested, landing valves and the booster are overhauled, and hose reel hose is pressure tested. A monthly walk past the cabinets and booster is recommended practice.
The intervals
| Interval | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly (recommended practice) | Owner walk past hose reel cabinets, hoses, nozzles and booster assemblies for damage, leaks or tampering; cabinets unobstructed. | Owner or staff |
| Six-monthly | Hydrants: signage and block plans, every supply and isolation valve operated, every landing valve inspected, pump auto-start proved. Hose reels: pressurised, part of the hose run out, water proved at the nozzle, hose and nozzle inspected, reel rewound. | Fire services contractor |
| Annual | Hydrant flow test at the prescribed rate with residual pressure checked against the AS 2419.1 design; water proved at every landing valve; pressure switches and alarms verified. Hose reels: the six-monthly routine with the full hose run out and inspected. | Fire services contractor |
| Five-yearly | Assisted (booster) flow and pressure test, hydrostatic test of the system, overhaul of landing valves and the booster assembly; hydrostatic test of hose reel hose. | Fire services contractor |
Who does it and what to keep
A fire services contractor with a flow meter and the block plan of the system. Each visit is entered in the system logbook at the booster or pump room and on the service tag at each landing valve and reel, with the flow test results kept year on year so a falling pressure is seen before the brigade finds it. Where a fire pump feeds the system its own routines under AS 1851 run alongside. In New South Wales the hydrant and hose reel systems are essential fire safety measures on the annual fire safety statement.
The rule behind the interval
AS 1851-2012 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment sets the intervals for hydrant systems (Section 4) and hose reels (Section 9). AS 2419.1 is the design and installation standard the flow test is measured against, and AS 2441 the hose reel installation standard. The building regulation of each state requires the systems to be maintained to the standard they were approved with.
Common questions
Why does the annual test need a flow test rather than a pressure reading?
Static pressure at a landing valve says nothing about what the system delivers under flow. The flow test proves the mains or the pump can supply the design flow at the design residual pressure, which is what the brigade relies on at the most remote hydrant.
Who owns the booster test?
The building owner, through the fire services contractor. The five-yearly booster test connects to the brigade inlet and proves the appliance can boost the system; some brigades attend or require notice. It is the test most often found never done in an older building.
Put it in the register
An interval only holds when the asset is listed with its tasks, its contractor and where the record lives. Standara's library carries this asset with the tasks above attached, so adding it to a site's register produces the year's schedule, the monthly to-do list and the completion record the auditor or insurer asks for. The fuller picture, with the neighbouring assets and the rule behind each interval, is in the AS 1851 maintenance schedule.
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- A worked example: one club's register, planner and records for a year
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