20150300 - Drawings · OPW15/0169

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED FIRE RESISTANT SEPARATING WALLS
(INTERNAL FIRE WALLS , DIVIDING WALLS AND/OR PARTY WALLS - CLASS 1 & 10 BUILDING ONLY)                                                                        Notes:
The following is a guide for the construction of Separating Walls for Class 1 and 10 buildings which, due to their exposure to the relevant fire source       A separating wall of lightweight construction (i.e. propriety dividing walls such as CSR and Boral fire rated plasterboard systems)
features are required by the BCA/NCC to be fire resisting.                                                                                                    must be tested in accordance with Specification C1.8 of the BCA Volume One and installed strictly in accordance with the
                                                                                                                                                              manufacturers printed instructions.
                      THIS ADVICE IS TAKEN FROM PART 3.7 OF THE ACCEPTABLE CONSTRUCTION MANUAL OF BCA                                                         Please ensure Plasterboard Subcontractors hold the necessary QBCC Passive Fire Licences prior to the commencement of the
                                  IF IN DOUBT PLEASE CONTACT PACIFIC BCQ PRIOR TO PROCEEDING.                                                                 installation of any propriety plasterboard dividing walls systems are installed.

Separating walls
A separating wall between Class 1 buildings, or a wall that separates a Class 1 building from a Class 10a building which is not appurtenant to that
                                                                                                                                                                         Figure 1
Class 1 building must have an FRL of not less than 60/60/60 and must:
      (i) commence at the footings or ground slab; and                                                                                                                   SEPARATING WALL CONSTRUCTION
      (ii) extend to the underside of a non-combustible roof covering the roof covering; or
      (iii) if the building has a combustible roof covering, to not less than 450 mm above the roof covering; and
      (iv) must not be crossed by timber or other combustible building elements except for roof battens with dimensions of 75x50 mm or less, or roof
            sarking; and
      (v) must have any gap between the top of the wall and the underside of the roof covering (such as the void profile space of a steel roof battens)
            packed with mineral fibre or other suitable fire-resisting material.
                                                                         (See Figure 1 & 2)
(a)   Where a building has a masonry veneer external wall, any gap between the end of the internal separating wall and the external masonry veneer
      must be:
      (i) not more than 50 mm; and
      (ii) be packed with a mineral fibre or other suitable fire resistant material with the packing arranged to maintain any weatherproofing requirements.
(b)   Common eaves, verandahs and similar spaces that are open to the roof space of more than one Class 1 dwelling must be separated by a non-
      combustible vertical lining installed in line with the separating wall (see Figure 3.7.1.11 Diagram b).
(d) Unless otherwise noted below, any service opening in a separating wall must have construction with an FRL of not less than -/60/60.
(e) Where any electrical wire or cable penetrates a separating wall:
     (i) the service and building element at the penetration must be identical with a prototype assembly which has been tested in accordance with
          AS 4072.1 and AS 1530.4 and achieved an FRL of not less than -/60/60; or
     (ii) the service must be installed so that:
        the opening is neatly formed, cut or drilled and no closer than 50 mm to any other service; and                                                                 Figure 2
        for a single cable (25mm min. dia.) penetration, the opening is no larger in cross-section than 2000 mm² (50mm dia.) with any gap between                       SEPARATING WALL CONSTRUCTION—UNDERSIDE OF NON-COMBUSTIBLE ROOF
            the cable and the wall is no wider than 15 mm; or                                                                                                            CLADDING
        500 mm² (25mm dia) in any other case; and
        any gap between the service and the wall is packed with mineral fibre or other suitable fire resistant material.                                                Diagram a.
(f) Where an electrical switch, outlet, socket or the like is accommodated in a separating wall:
      (i) the service and building element at the penetration must be identical with a prototype assembly which has been tested in accordance with AS
         4072.1 and AS 1530.4 and achieved an FRL of not less than -/60/60; or
      (ii) the service must be installed so that:
       the opening or recess must not be located opposite any point within 300 mm horizontally or 600 mm vertically of any opening or recess on
            the opposite side of the wall; or extend beyond half the thickness of the wall; and
       any gap between the service and the wall is packed with mineral fibre or other suitable fire resistant material.
(g) Except where a proprietary tested system is used, if an electrical switch, socket, outlet or the like is accommodated in a hollow separating wall
    (such as a stud wall, masonry cavity wall or a wall of hollow blockwork), the cavity immediately behind the service must be framed and packed with
    mineral fibre or other suitable fire resistant material.
Fire hazard properties
The fire hazard properties of materials used in a Class 1 building, including common floor or ceiling spaces with a Class 10 building, must comply with
the following:
(a) Sarking-type materials used in the roof must have a flammability index not greater than 5.
(b) Flexible ductwork used for the transfer of products initiating from a heat source that contains a flame must comply with the fire hazard properties set
    out in AS 4254 Parts 1 and 2.
Roof lights
Combustible roof lights, skylights or the like installed in a roof or part of a roof required to have a non-combustible covering must:
(a) have an aggregate area not more than 20% of the roof or part of the roof; and
(b) be not less than 900 mm from the allotment boundary (other than the boundary adjoining a road alignment or other public space) and 900mm from
    the vertical projection of a separating wall extending to the underside of the roof covering; and
(c) 1.8 m from any roof light or the like in another building on the allotment other than an appurtenant building or a detached part of the same building.
    (See Figure3.7.1.12).

                                                                                                                                                                                                        © Farside Trading Pty Ltd 2015, not to be reproduced with permission.