A person responsible for building or demolition work must ensure that the work does not affect land beyond the boundaries of the works land. However there may be the potential for this to occur in certain circumstances, for example where work is on small sized lots or where construction is close to...
Lodging the application Applications for building, demolition or occupancy permits or for building approval certificates can be submitted in a variety of ways, including in person, by post or electronic lodgement depending on the systems the relevant permit authority has in place. Under the...
Choosing the correct form To provide for consistency in building approvals throughout the state, all the relevant application forms, notices and compliance certificates are approved by the Building Commissioner and available on the Building and Energy website. Providing the correct application form...
In general a person must not carry out building work without a building permit where one is required. However the Building Act allows a person to make an application to the relevant permit authority to approve unauthorised building work in relation to a building and/or incidental structure. This...
Sometimes a building owner or occupier may wish to use the building for a purpose contrary to the approved use or classification of the building detailed on the current occupancy permit. The Building Act sets out the process for obtaining approval for either a change of classification or a change...
The Building Act contains certain provisions requiring prescribed information to be provided to the Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Commissioner. Building surveyor requirements (r. 18B) For certain Class 2 to Class 9 buildings, the building surveyor responsible for signing the certificate of...
The Building Act requires the responsible person (i.e. builder or demolition contractor) to provide certain notices for the completion or suspension of work under a building or demolition permit. Notice of cessation (s. 34) The person named as the builder or demolition contractor on a building or...
As part of its enforcement role, a permit authority can inspect building work and investigate Building Act compliance matters and, where relevant, issue infringement notices, building orders or commence prosecution for non-compliance. There are three types of permit authority: Local government For...
Building in designated bush fire prone areas In Western Australia, building work is required to comply with the performance requirements of the Building Code of Australia (the Building Code), which comprises Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code Series. The Building Code contains...
Types of permits and their processes One: Building permit Two: Occupancy permit Three: Building approval certificate Four: Occupancy permit strata Five: Building approval certificate strata Six: Demolition permit One Building permit
The Western Australia guide to standards and tolerances 2019 (the Guide) has been developed for use by builders and building owners as a convenient reference for acceptable standards of workmanship...
A statutory review of the Act was undertaken to ensure that it is still applicable to the modern functioning of the architectural industry, reduce red tape where possible, and examine the...
Your home is usually your biggest investment, so it's worth doing your research before deciding who will undertake your building project. Undertaking a few practical checks at the start can help...
Propped open pool gates and faulty latches are a leading cause of drowning deaths in young children. It only takes seconds for a child to drown, so regularly check that the latch is working and never...
Research in Australia and overseas has found that workers fabricating benchtops from stone can be exposed to levels of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) which are hazardous to their health. The...
Will your child and your neighbours’ children be safe while your pool is under construction? Some types of pools need to be filled with water by the pool builder as part of the construction process...
Progress report This report is in response to recommendation 7 of the Ombudsman Western Australia (Ombudsman) report titled Investigation into ways to prevent or reduce deaths of children by drowning...
There are many types of portable pools, ranging from small plastic or inflatable paddling pools, specifically designed for young children, to larger more solid inflatable pools or flexible sided...
The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety administers the Building Services (Complaint Resolution and Administration) Regulations 2011. A series of reviews have been conducted to ensure...
Background This framework document has been devised to set out what might be considered ‘exceptional circumstances’ with reference to Regulation 16(3) of the Building Services (Complaint Resolution...
WA’s building regulator is working closely with industry to improve understanding of bushfire building requirements after an inspection report highlighted some areas that were unsatisfactory. Most new residential buildings constructed in WA’s designated bushfire-prone areas need to include specific bushfire-resistant construction that meets Building Code of Australia (BCA) requirements. The type...
Heating appliances will soon be emerging from hibernation as cooler weather sets in, particularly with many of us working from home this winter. If you are using a gas heater, our colleagues at Building and Energy have issued a timely warning about the dangers of exposure to carbon monoxide, which can leak from faulty, poorly maintained or misused gas appliances. Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘...
A Palmyra electrician has been fined $20,000 for a potentially deadly wiring error that caused objects at a Connolly home to become live with dangerous levels of electricity, resulting in $3,700 damage to appliances. Licensed electrical worker Dryden Peter Adams (EW150729) was sentenced on 28 April 2020 at Joondalup Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to breaching WA’s electricity licensing...
WA’s energy safety regulator is sharing vital electrical and gas safety tips for people working from home and starting to prepare for cooler weather. Building and Energy is encouraging householders to check that their electrical and gas equipment is safe, in good working order and compliant with Australian standards. “People are using electrical appliances in home offices and for projects around...
WA’s gas safety regulator is urging people to avoid potentially lethal exposure to carbon monoxide by ensuring their gas appliances are well maintained, used correctly and not subject to product safety alerts. Building and Energy’s warning comes as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week (27 April to 3 May) gets underway and households prepare for cooler weather. Director of Energy Safety Saj Abdoolakhan...
Building and Energy is urging parents of young children to be extra vigilant about potential hazards as youngsters spend more time at home due to COVID-19 coronavirus. “Parents and carers keeping their children out of schools and day-care facilities has meant they are often looking after children all day while juggling working from home and other commitments,” Building and Energy Executive...
While the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly, we remain focussed on delivering our services while adhering to advice from Government to protect the health and safety of our staff and the wider community. The department is planning for a range of scenarios and endeavouring to ensure continuity of service. A number of functions can be performed remotely or by using our online...
Under OSH legislation, employers are required to provide and maintain, as far as is practicable, a working environment in which their workers are not exposed to health risks. This includes situations where employees and contractors may be at risk of contracting viruses such as the COVID-19 coronavirus. Employers need to keep up to date with the latest health warnings from the Australian and WA...
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Lanie Chopping After recent cyclones and storms there will be many Western Australians who have been cleaning-up and are now looking to fix property damage, such as roof or fence repairs. Although we haven’t had any reports of travelling conmen or unlicensed traders, we know the calm after the storm is often when they go door-to-door, offering cheap deals...
A 25-year-old Cloverdale man has been fined $3,000 and had his painting registrations cancelled because they were granted based on incorrect or misleading information, including falsified references. Building and Energy commenced disciplinary proceedings against Anwar Hussaini under WA’s building registration laws. The matter concluded at the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) in December 2019...
