Fire and emergency: inspection and testing intervals

Item	How often	Basis	Reference	Applies to
Portable fire extinguishers: routine inspectionBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every 6 monthsRecharge after every use	Standard	AS 1851-2012 (portable fire extinguishers section)From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Compliance Council (secondary), NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	All workplaces
Portable fire extinguishers: pressure test / empty and refillBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every 5 years (typical; 3-6 years depending on type)	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Compliance Council (secondary)	All workplaces
Fire blanketsBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every 6 months	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	All workplaces
Fire hose reelsBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every 6 months	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	All workplaces
Fire hydrants and booster inletsBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every 6 months; hydrostatic test every 5 yearsBooster pumps monthly	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	All workplaces
Automatic fire sprinkler systemsBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every month (minimum)Pump-set tests may be more frequent under AS 1851	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	All workplaces
Fire detection and alarm systemsBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every month	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	All workplaces
Emergency and exit lightingBy: Licensed electrician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here. Construction sites (VIC): see electrical group - 6-monthly discharge test.	Every 6 months (function and 90-minute discharge test)Monthly visual check is common practice	Standard	AS/NZS 2293.2:2019From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services, The Local Guys Test & Tag (secondary)	All workplaces
Fire and smoke doorsBy: Fire protection technician State notes VIC: for the building owner, mandatory where the item is an essential safety measure in the occupancy permit or maintenance determination (Building Regulations 2018 r.215 to 217), which commonly adopts AS 1851-2012. Elsewhere, and for workplaces that are not the building owner, AS 1851 is the benchmark. Other states have their own building fire-safety schemes (for example the NSW annual fire safety statement), not covered here.	Every 6 monthsHorizontal sliding fire doors: 3-monthly operational test	Standard	AS 1851-2012From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Futura Fire (secondary)	All workplaces
Annual Essential Safety Measures Report (AESMR): VICBy: Building owner (or agent) State notes VIC only. Owner must keep ESM inspection/maintenance records and produce AESMRs within 24 hours of request by the municipal building surveyor or chief officer (r.225).	Every 12 monthsPrepare within 28 days before the anniversary date (13 June for pre-1994 buildings); keep 10 years of reports	Mandatory	Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) r.223, r.224, r.225Victorian Building Authority	All workplaces
Emergency evacuation exercise (drill)By: Emergency planning committee / chief warden State notes Model WHS r.43 requires the emergency plan to provide for testing of emergency procedures, including frequency of testing (PCBU sets it). VIC: no general emergency-plan regulation in OHS Regs 2017 (emergency procedures only for specific hazards); AS 3745 is the benchmark.	At least every 12 monthsMore often for high-risk facilities	Standard	AS 3745-2010; model WHS Reg 43(1)(b)From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.First 5 Minutes (secondary), Federal Register of Legislation	All workplaces
Emergency plan reviewBy: PCBU / emergency planning committee State notes Model WHS r.43 duty to maintain the plan. AS 3745 sets 'defined intervals' without a fixed period. VIC: AS 3745 benchmark only.	At planned intervals and after exercises, incidents or significant change	WHS statesMandatoryVICStandard	Model WHS Reg 43 (prepare, maintain and implement); AS 3745-2010From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Federal Register of Legislation, First 5 Minutes (secondary)	All workplaces
Warden / emergency control organisation training refresherBy: RTO / emergency trainer State notes No regulator interval located.	Not prescribed (annual refresher is common practice)Train new ECO members before they take up duties	Good practice	AS 3745-2010From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.First 5 Minutes (secondary)	All workplaces

What the basis labels mean

A planning guide, not legal advice. Intervals are minimums under normal conditions: shorten them where use, environment, damage or a risk assessment calls for it, and follow the current edition of the standard, your regulator's guidance and the manufacturer's instructions. Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the OHS Regulations 2017; the other states and territories under the model WHS laws as adopted locally. Items checked 28 October 2026.

Sources

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