Fire police / fire inspection

The Carinthian Hazard and Fire Police Regulations were amended in accordance with LGBL 4/2012.

The entire text can be accessed via the link .

In addition to the K-GFPO, there is also the Hazard and Fire Police Regulations - Implementation (LGBL 50/1989).

According to the Carinthian Hazard Police Regulations, the following sweeping deadlines must be observed for the chimneys and the associated parts:

• Heavy heating oil, medium heating oil, light heating oil and solid fuels must be cleaned 4 times a year! Cleaning must be carried out at eight-week intervals between September 15 and May 31.
• Heating oil extra light, pellets (heating capacity less than 30kW) must be swept twice a year between September 15 and May 31 with an interval of 16 weeks.
• Gas once a year.

For fireplaces with different heating media, the sweeping schedule is based on the heating medium with the most sweeps.

Properties with a low fire protection risk:
Residential buildings with no more than two independent dwellings and other structures with similar fire protection risks

Properties with a medium fire protection risk:
Structures that are neither low-risk nor high-risk in terms of fire protection, such as agricultural and forestry buildings in particular

Properties with a high fire protection risk:

1. Operating facilities that are subject to a federal or state legal provision enacted in implementation of the Seveso II Directive 96/82/EC or the IPPC Directive 2008/1/EC, in particular Sections 77a and 84a of the Industrial Code 1994, Sections 59 and 60 of the Waste Management Act 2002, as well as the Carinthian IPPC Facilities Act and the Carinthian Seveso Operations Act;
2. Operational buildings and facilities with extensive fire protection equipment requiring maintenance, such as fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, gas extinguishing systems and smoke heat exhaust systems;
3. Commercial buildings with more than 2000 m² of operating space;
4. Structures for large gatherings of people, which are more than 120 people in one room or more than 240 people in contiguous rooms;
5. Buildings with common rooms with an escape level of more than 22 meters (high-rise buildings);
6. Hospitals, retirement and nursing homes;
7. Garages with a usable area of over 1000m²;
8. other objects with increased fire risk, such as historically valuable buildings and museums;
9. economically significant buildings, such as district heating plants over 350 kW;
10. Biogas plants;
11. Buildings in which difficult evacuation and rescue conditions can be expected in case of fire.

If there are no fireplaces, electrical wiring or storage facilities in the property in question (with the exception of harvested produce), the mayor may waive the obligation to carry out a fire inspection.

The owner is responsible for carrying out the fire inspection. If a chimney sweep has been appointed, he must carry out the inspection independently at the owner's expense. If no chimney sweep has been appointed or if the property is at high risk of fire, the owner is responsible for this.

The following deadlines apply:

• Low fire protection risk: every 15 years
• Medium fire protection risk: every 10 years
• High fire protection risk: every 5 years

The chimney sweep is responsible for low and medium risk. If there is an obligation to sweep, the chimney sweep must carry out the sweeping himself. Of course, it is possible for the owner to release the master chimney sweep from this obligation in writing. However, in this case, the owner must appoint another master chimney sweep. This change must be brought to the attention of the mayor.
Properties without a master chimney sweep (e.g. with local and district heating connections) do not have an obligated master chimney sweep. In this case, the owner must appoint a master chimney sweep.

In the event of a high risk, the owner

• Expert
• Relevant engineering offices

with this task. This person must carry out the fire inspection on behalf of the company. This is a personal obligation.

The chimney sweep or the expert must draw up a corresponding report on the fire inspection. If defects are found, the mayor must issue a corresponding notice with the deadlines for rectifying the defects. A follow-up inspection must be carried out.

Defects identified by the chimney sweep (low and medium risk) are reported to the owner by the chimney sweep with a deadline for rectification. If the defects have not been rectified during a follow-up inspection, the chimney sweep is obliged to report the defects to the mayor.

The owner must present the essential documents during the fire inspection:

• Building permit, building notices
• Approved building plans
• Checking the electrical and lightning protection system
• Further documents are to be coordinated

As very often the documents are not available for the properties, we usually carry out an inspection of the building file with the responsible municipality / mayor in the course of the fire inspection.

A report must be issued for each property. If there are defects and these are reported to the municipality, this is a notification in accordance with §28 K-GFPO. The mayor must order the restoration of the proper condition. Structural defects must also be dealt with in accordance with §44 K-BO with a repair order.

In municipalities according to the Carinthian Building Transfer Ordinance (of the individual districts), the mayor must forward the perception of the defects to the district authority.

The fire inspection deals with the dangers of the fire police. These are not identical to those of fire protection, but are primarily concerned with the protection of life and limb, the spread of fire, the possibility of escape and possible firefighting measures.

Of course, a positive fire inspection also requires compliance with fire protection regulations.

However, it should be noted that the fire inspection is not a structural inspection. Structural defects can be pointed out for information purposes (within the scope of the duty to inform), but these must also be dealt with separately by the authority, as this is the building owner's maintenance obligation.

The fire inspection also does not replace the requirements of ÖNORM B 1300 and ÖNORM B 1301! This is the owner's obligation to ensure public safety. The owner has corresponding requirements. The ÖNORM B 1300 or ÖNORM B 1301 inspection is also a part of this, but it represents a permanent documentation of the maintenance obligation.

It should also be noted that there are explicit prohibitions in the Hazard and Fire Police Regulations. These are examples: (§9 K-GFPO)

1. Storage ban in escape routes, stairwells and attics
2. Handling fire in areas where there is a risk of fire. Leaving open fires unattended.
3. carrying out fire and hot work without adequate safety precautions (approval certificate!)
4. improper installation of fireplaces
5. The parking of multi-track vehicles in buildings that are not garages or carports. (e.g. hayloft, barn, etc.)
6. improper work on electrical systems
7. Smoking and smouldering in exhaust systems
8. Use of decoration material that is not highly flammable. (except in the family area)
9. The elimination of defects that impair fire safety.