The 5 Fire Hose Reel Records Certifiers Ask For
A fire hose reel installation involves five decisions. Each decision belongs to a different person, and each person must give a document to the next stage. AS/NZS 1221 controls the manufacture of the reel, so the equipment is seldom the reason a handover stalls. Missing documents cause most of the delays. This article follows the build program and names the accountable party at each stage. Our guide to fire hose reel systems covers the coverage rules, the mounting options and the NCC triggers behind each decision.
The Five Sign-Offs in a Fire Hose Reel Installation
Each stage gives one document to the stage after it.
- Design. The hydraulic consultant confirms the available flow and pressure at the main, in writing.
- Rough-in. The plumber keeps the pipework open for inspection before the walls close.
- Fixing. The builder confirms the substrate and the fixing detail against the section drawing.
- Fitout. The project manager measures the coverage again against the as-built floor plate.
- Handover. The fire contractor issues a commissioning record of the flow and pressure at each reel.
A gap stays hidden until the certifier or the first service technician asks for evidence. These duties do not transfer with the work. Safe Work Australia states that a person cannot remove a health and safety duty by subcontracting the work. More than one person can hold the same duty, and each duty holder must consult, cooperate and coordinate with the others.
Design: Confirm the Water Supply First
The hydraulic consultant confirms the water supply. AS 2441 sets a minimum flow rate and a minimum running pressure at the reel inlet. Before the design is locked, confirm the available flow and pressure at the main. Use the water authority data or a measured test, then record the result on the hydraulic drawing.
If the main cannot meet the requirement, the building needs a storage tank and a booster pump. This adds capital cost, plant space and program time. At design stage the change is a drawing revision. At commissioning stage the same change becomes a variation, a plant room redesign and a delayed occupation certificate.
The hose length is also fixed at this stage, because the coverage calculation uses it. A 36 metre fixed fire hose reel gives 40 metres of reach. A 50 metre fixed fire hose reel gives 54 metres. In each case the reach is the hose length plus a 4 metre allowance for the water stream.
Rough-In: Inspect the Pipework Before the Walls Close
The plumber installs the pipework. Three requirements apply.
- Connect the reel to the water main with rigid pipe.
- Use DN25 as the minimum pipe size.
- Fit a DN25 isolation valve at the reel.
A flexible connection is a common installation defect, and it fails at commissioning. After the wall is sheeted, nobody can identify the connection type without removing the sheeting. Book the inspection while the pipe is visible. Photograph the pipe run, then record the date and the level with the photograph.
Commander fire hose reels include a DN25 inlet pipe, a DN25 Watermarked ball valve, a DN25 union and a hose guide. Confirm on site that the plumber used these components.
Fixing: Confirm the Substrate and the Clearances
The wall carries the weight of the reel and the load of a full hose pull. The builder and the structural documentation therefore control the fixing detail. Resolve four cases before you book the installation date.
Load-bearing wall
Confirm the fixing detail for the substrate: stud, cladding or non-structural block. A bracket fixed to plasterboard alone will not hold a hose pull.
Swinging reel
A swinging fire hose reel needs a clear arc for the arm. Measure the arc against the door swing and the wall return before you set the bracket position.
No suitable wall
A fire hose reel stand bolts through a gusseted baseplate into the slab. Confirm that the slab accepts four anchors. Keep the position clear of vehicle paths.
Recessed cabinet
A recessed fire hose reel cabinet is 250mm deep. It needs a stud cavity or a bulkhead detail. Confirm the wall build-up on the section drawing, because the floor plan does not show it. This cabinet does not fit a solid core wall without structural work.
Fitout: Measure the Coverage Again
The project manager measures the coverage again after the fitout. The base-build drawings set the reel positions. Partitions, racking, mezzanines and plant platforms then occupy floor area that the original calculation treated as open.
Measure the coverage along the path a person walks while pulling the hose. Include every fixed obstruction, and do not measure a straight line. A reel that reached the far corner on the drawings can fall short after the fitout.
Two options close a shortfall:
- Install a second reel.
- Replace a 36 metre reel with a 50 metre reel.
A longer hose takes more time to run out and more time to re-reel. For this reason a second reel is often the better option. Record the result as a coverage mark-up on the as-built plan, then date it before practical completion. Our article on the five rules auditors check on fire hose reels describes the assessment that follows a year later.
Send us the as-built plan if the floor plate changed and nobody measured the coverage again. We will mark the coverage against AS 2441 and price the shortfall.
Handover: Record the Flow and Pressure at Each Reel
The fire contractor commissions the system. Measure the flow and the pressure at each reel, and do not sample one reel per level. This record becomes the baseline for every AS 1851 service that follows. A system without a baseline gives the technician no reference for future tests.
Send the record to the building owner and to the incoming maintenance contractor. File a copy in the operation and maintenance manual and in the service register. Complete this before the first six-monthly service.
NSW has changed the certification requirements. Owners of class 1b and class 2 to 9 buildings must maintain essential fire safety measures to AS 1851-2012. Under the NSW building fire safety reforms, an accredited person must also certify newly installed fire safety measures before the owner issues a fire safety certificate. This requirement starts on 13 February 2027, or 18 months after approval of an accreditation scheme, whichever occurs first. Until then a properly qualified person completes the assessment. Our guide to fire equipment testing intervals sets out the service schedule.
Book a Site Review
We supply and position fire hose reel systems for construction, industrial and commercial projects across Australia. Book a pre-handover review. We will walk the reels against the drawings, check the fixing and the coverage, and confirm the content of the commissioning record.
