esv.vic.gov.au
Gas information
sheet 10 revised
By Alan Hamilton, Gas Safety Officer, Gas Operations
As part of ESV’s ongoing objective to ensure that all technical
information is accurate and clear on our website, a technical review
of Gas Technical Information Sheet 10 was recently undertaken.
The review identified that the information
sheet was not in line with the AS/
NZS 5601.1 Gas installations Part 1
General installations, and as such
required amendment to ensure technical
accuracy.
The revised Sheet 10 is now available
on ESV’s website. It reflects the
Australian Standard requirements
that a pipe riser in a service cupboard
is deemed concealed and therefore
required to be adequately ventilated
in accordance with AS/NZS 5601.1
Table 5.3.
This information sheet provides
industry with an understanding of
the requirements when installing gas
systems in high-rise buildings with
regard to concealed piping.
In previous years, ventilation was
provided to consumer piping in service
cupboards, predominantly via large
undercut openings and gaps around
the access doors. Over time, the
undercutting of service cupboard doors
has reduced resulting in a reduced
level of ventilation being provided.
Additionally, onsite inspection of
high-rise building pipe riser shafts
has identified instances of undersized
ventilation. In many of these instances,
ventilation is provided by means of core
holes located between levels. These
core holes are generally undersized
by failing to provide the minimum free
ventilation area required in accordance
with AS/NZS 5601.1 Table 5.3.
To explain the requirements for
concealed piping in high-rise buildings,
ESV has introduced three main areas
where this clause applies.
1. Pipe riser shafts
2. Service cupboards
3. Ceiling spaces.
The original Sheet 10 failed to
differentiate between pipe riser shafts
and service cupboards. These are the
two main areas of concern in high-rise
buildings. The terminology used within
the information sheet is common to
industry and has been defined within
the information sheet for clarity.
ESV strongly encourages all gasfitters
working in high-rise building construction
to familiarise themselves with the
requirements contained within Sheet
10. Doing so will lead to an increase
in compliance by industry, which is a
common goal shared by ESV.
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