Prefabricated pod installations go by many names and have become a common sight in office fitouts. However, #BCA compliance requirements for pods are often misunderstood or overlooked. Fortunately, the NSW Department of Customer Service has released a fact sheet outlining the minimum #BCA requirements that #architects #designers #builders and #certifiers need to ensure are met. Key compliance requirements that need need to be verified include:
✔ 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙯𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 - Ensuring the wall, ceiling and floor linings of the pod achieve the required fire hazard properties (this aims to limit the use of materials which are are quick to ignite and could cause unsafe conditions in the event of a fire);
✔ 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 - Access to and and egress from the pods needs to be assessed to ensure the pod complies with minimum widths, circulation spaces door, doorways in and out of pods are provided with a seamless (step / ramp free) threshold, achieve the required luminance contrast and are fitted with door handles that can be operated using single downward or pushing action by all occupants.
✔ 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 - Fire safety measures including sprinklers, detectors, occupant warning systems (where required in the building) need to be extended inside the pod and care needs to be taken to ensure the location of the pod does not obstruct existing / proposed fire services within the office space surrounding it
✔ 𝙈𝙞𝙣. 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 - The minimum room height (typically 2.4m in an office) needs to be achieved in the pod. This can prove difficult for existing buildings where the head height in an office may only be 2.4m to start with, meaning a room height within the pod of less than 2.4m is inevitable and should be assessed by a qualified BCA Consultant and/or Fire Engineer to determine if the height within the room is able to comply with the BCA Performance Requirement.
Need to keep up to date with the latest building code and regulatory compliance requirements? Follow Code Consultancy Group #NCC #BCA #BuildingCode #BCACompliance #quietpods #meetingbooths #focusrooms #phonebooths #acousticbooths #officefitout #NSWFairTrading #CodeConsultancyGroup #CCG
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