As a building owner, ensuring your property meets safety and legal standards is essential. One of the key requirements for many commercial and public buildings in New Zealand is the Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF). Fire Security Services provides comprehensive BWOF checks throughout the country, from Kaitaia to Bluff and Auckland to Christchurch. We’re here to help ensure your building’s specified systems are inspected, maintained, and compliant, providing peace of mind to everyone who enters your property.
Here’s how you can stay on top of your Building Warrant of Fitness obligations:
1. Know What a BWOF Is and When It’s Required
A Building Warrant of Fitness is a legal document that confirms specified systems in your building - like sprinklers, fire alarms, or emergency lighting - are being properly maintained. Not every building needs one, but for those that do, the BWOF (Form 12) must be clearly displayed in a visible location, such as a lobby or reception area, as proof of compliance.
2. Understand Your Compliance Schedule
When your building is constructed or undergoes significant renovations, the council issues a compliance schedule outlining all the specified systems requiring regular checks. This schedule is your roadmap for ongoing maintenance and includes systems such as lifts, mechanical ventilation, and fire protection. For the first year, a compliance schedule statement temporarily acts in place of a full BWOF.
3. Engage Independently Qualified Persons (IQPs)
Only Independently Qualified Persons (IQPs) can inspect and sign off on specified systems. These experts are approved by local councils to verify that systems meet regulatory standards. Hiring registered IQPs ensures your systems are properly assessed and maintained, and helps you avoid penalties for non-compliance.
4. Identify Your Building’s Specified Systems
Specified systems are categorized from SS1 to SS15/5, and include safety-critical features like smoke detectors, emergency exits, and fire suppression systems. If your building has any of these, they must be maintained and tested in accordance with your compliance schedule. Planning any changes? You may need a building consent first.
5. Keep Track of Maintenance with Form 12A
Form 12A is the certification your IQP provides after inspecting a specified system. It confirms the system has been maintained and is functioning correctly over the past 12 months. These forms form the backbone of your annual BWOF submission—so be sure they’re completed by the right professionals.
6. Maintain a BWOF Logbook On Site
A well-maintained BWOF logbook is critical for compliance. It should include inspection records, test results, and maintenance logs for each specified system, along with the compliance schedule and past reports. Keep this documentation on-site and up to date, and retain all records for at least two years.
7. Reassess Systems When Building Use Changes
The safety systems required in your building depend on how it’s being used. For instance, a medical clinic may require different systems than a retail store. If tenants change or the building use is modified, reassess whether additional systems are needed or whether existing systems have been altered or damaged.
8. Make BWOF Compliance Easy with Expert Help
While the building owner is legally responsible for BWOF compliance, the process can be streamlined with the right support. Working with experienced IQPs and compliance specialists ensures nothing is overlooked, deadlines are met, and your building remains safe and operational.
Need Support with Your BWOF?
At Fire Security Services, we offer end-to-end BWOF services across New Zealand. Our team of qualified IQPs can manage all aspects of compliance, from inspections to documentation, so you can focus on your business with confidence.
Let us handle your Building Warrant of Fitness—so your building stays safe, compliant, and worry-free.