Q: Are fire doors required to be fitted with alarms that sound if they are opened in Queensland? We have a commercial site that has a tenant who has come from Melbourne and he has requested the doors be alarmed.

A: In Queensland, the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 (FESA) and the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (BFSR) regulate building owners’ and businesses’ requirements in complying with fire safety. Neither the FESA nor BFSR specifically stipulate the need for fire doors to have audible fire alarms fitted to them.

The Queensland’s Government’s Fire and Emergency Services have also developed the Fire Safety Management Tool for Owner/Occupiers and Advisory Notes. While these are only guides, they too have no mention of the need to have sound alarms fitted to fire doors.

Please note: The answer is correct at the time of publishing. Be aware that laws may change over time. Refer to Fire safety for current advice.