Compliance & Standards
AS 1851-2012, explained
The Australian Standard for routine servicing of fire protection systems, and what it means for your commercial kitchen exhaust.
The standard
What is AS 1851-2012?
AS 1851-2012 is the Australian Standard for the routine servicing of fire protection systems and equipment. It sets out inspection, testing and maintenance activities, and how often they should happen, for the systems a building relies on in a fire. Kitchen exhaust systems sit within its scope because accumulated grease in canopies, filters, ductwork and fans is a recognised fire risk.
The standard itself is published by Standards Australia. How it applies to a specific building can vary: standards generally become enforceable when they are called up by legislation, a building’s fire-safety schedule, a lease, or an insurance policy, and this differs by state and by site. Councils, insurers and fire-safety practitioners commonly treat AS 1851 as the benchmark for maintenance either way.
Where you’ll meet it
Fire-safety statements and AS 1851
Most building owners and facility managers encounter AS 1851 through their annual fire-safety declarations: the Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) in NSW, essential safety measures (ESM) reporting in Victoria, and the Occupier’s Statement (the annual fire-safety report) in Queensland. The maintenance records behind those declarations commonly reference AS 1851 service schedules.
Where SAIS fits: we do the AS 1851-2012 maintenance on the kitchen exhaust system and supply the records, a compliance certificate, a detailed report and photo evidence, that your fire-safety practitioner relies on when they endorse the statement. SAIS does not sign or certify the statement itself; that role belongs to your practitioner or building surveyor.
In practice
What AS 1851 means for kitchen exhaust cleaning
In practical terms, cleaning frequency is generally determined by the type and volume of cooking. A charcoal chicken shop producing heavy grease output every day will typically need more frequent cleaning than a school cafeteria doing light prep. The ranges below are the same illustrative guidance we publish in our Kitchen Exhaust Compliance Guide:
| Grease level | Examples | Typical frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme | Charcoal chicken, flame grills, solid fuel | Fortnightly to monthly |
| Heavy | QSR / fast food, deep fryers, burger kitchens | Monthly to quarterly |
| High | Wok cooking, Asian kitchens, high turnover | Monthly to quarterly |
| Moderate | Standard restaurants, à la carte, bistros | Quarterly to 6-monthly |
| Light | Cafes, school canteens, aged care, light prep | Annually (minimum) |
Illustrative guidance only. Cleaning frequency should be based on actual kitchen usage, cooking type and system design; a site-specific assessment is recommended.
Between professional cleans, AS 1851 also anticipates routine visual inspections. In our reading of the standard, the monthly visual inspection can be carried out by a trained staff member working to a documented checklist rather than an external contractor; confirm the approach with your fire-safety practitioner. More on that in Who is a “competent person”?
How we work to it
How SAIS works to AS 1851-2012
Every SAIS kitchen exhaust clean covers the whole system, the canopy, filters, ductwork and exhaust fan, degreased to bare metal where accessible, so the system is maintained to AS 1851-2012. Each job is documented with before-and-after photos, a compliance certificate and a detailed report, generally 30 or more photos. A current certificate and documentation aligned with AS 1851-2012 will assist in demonstrating a proactive maintenance approach to fire authorities, insurers and landlords.
Our technicians are ASCS-certified through NADCA, we hold IKECA membership, and our safety systems are CM3 audited. See our kitchen exhaust cleaning service for what’s included.
FAQ
Common questions about AS 1851
Is AS 1851 mandatory?
How often does AS 1851 require kitchen exhaust cleaning?
Does a SAIS clean make my building compliant?
What records should I keep for AS 1851 servicing?
Who can do the monthly checks between professional cleans?
This page is general information about AS 1851-2012, not legal or regulatory advice. Obligations vary by state, building and lease; confirm yours with your fire-safety practitioner or building surveyor.
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