QLD Door Regulations: Your Guide to Industrial & Commercial Compliance

As a business or property owner in Queensland, you are responsible for making sure that your doors comply with the relevant safety standards. This includes ensuring that your doors are properly maintained and serviced, as well as being aware of the requirements for installation and operation. Failure to comply with these standards can result in serious injuries or even fatalities.

Larnec Doors is a leading provider of industrial and commercial doors in Queensland, with over 30 years of experience. We are committed to providing our clients with products that meet the highest quality and safety standards.

Read on to find out your compliance responsibilities and get handy links where you can find out more. We’ll cover:

• Container Door Regulations
• Shed & Garage Door Regulations
• Industrial Door Regulations
• Transportable Door Regulations
• Commercial Door Regulations
  

In Queensland, there are several sources of legislation that apply to commercial and industrial doors:

• The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) QLD
• The Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 (QBCC Act)
• The Building Code of Australia (BCA)
• Australian Standards
• National Construction Code (NCC)
  

Your obligations under the WHS Act

Under the Work Health and Safety Act, you have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of your employees, contractors and visitors. This includes taking all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety.

You must also consult with your workers and take their views into account when making decisions about health and safety matters that may affect them.

When it comes to doors, this means ensuring that they are fit for purpose and that they are properly installed, maintained and operated. It also means providing training to your employees on how to safely use doors.

Your obligations under the QBCC Act

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is the state regulator for building work in Queensland. Under the QBCC Act, contractors must be licensed to carry out building work valued at over $3,300 (inclusive of GST).

The QBCC also has a role in investigating complaints about unlicensed building work and taking enforcement action where appropriate.

Building Code of Australia

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) sets out the minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings in Australia. The BCA is relevant to doors as it sets out the requirements for door hardware, including door closers.

The BCA is contained within the National Construction Code (NCC). The NCC sets out the minimum requirements for safety, health, amenity and sustainability pertaining to the design and construction of buildings throughout Australia. The BCA is administered by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

Australian Standards

Several Australian Standards apply to doors in QLD, depending on their intended use. Here's a quick overview of the main compliance regulations that apply to commercial and industrial access doors in QLD:

• AS 5039-2003 - Garage Doors
• AS 4100-1998 - Steel Structures
• AS 1428.1-2009 - Design for Access and Mobility
• AS/NZS 1657:2013 - Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders – Prefabricated metal

If you're unsure which regulations apply to your situation; we can help. Larnec are Australia’s premier supplier of personal access doors, with over 25 years of experience supplying to commercial and industrial businesses across the country. For more information about door compliance in QLD, contact Larnec Doors today.

Door Design, Installation & Maintenance

The National Construction Code (NCC) is the building code of Australia which regulates the construction of all buildings in the country.

The NCC has been amended to include specific requirements for doors used as part of means of egress in Class 2-9 buildings. These requirements are designed to ensure that doors are able to be opened quickly and easily in an emergency, and that they are durable enough to withstand repeated use.

When it comes to the design and construction of doors, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to ensure compliance with the NCC. These include:

• Doors must be designed to open in the direction of travel towards the exit.
• Doors must be constructed so that they can be easily opened by anyone who may need to use them in an emergency
• Doors must be durable enough to withstand repeated use
• Doors must be fitted with hardware that is easy to operate, even in an emergency situation
• Doors must only be used for their intended purpose
• Doors must not be obstructed in any way that would prevent them from being used as an emergency exit
  

In addition to these and other design, installation, maintenance and repair requirements, doors located in areas where they may be subject to high winds or other severe weather conditions must be designed and constructed accordingly. This is particularly important in QLD where the weather can be extreme.

If you are responsible for the design, construction, installation or maintenance of doors in a commercial or industrial building, it is important that you are aware of these requirements and ensure that your doors comply. Non-compliance with the NCC can result in serious penalties, so it is not worth taking the risk.

Throw open the doors to straightforward door compliance in QLD

As a business owner or manager in Queensland, you are responsible for ensuring the safety of your employees, customers and the general public. This includes ensuring that any access doors on your premises are designed, installed and maintained in accordance with Queensland's codes of practice.

Access doors play an important role in ensuring the safety of people and property. They provide a means of emergency egress and can help to prevent unauthorised entry into the premises. In some cases, they may also be required to comply with fire safety regulations.

It is your responsibility to ensure that any access doors on your premises meet the relevant code requirements. Failure to do so could result in serious injury or even death in the event of an emergency.

QLD Shed & Garage Door Compliance

Sheds or garages on your property, must meet certain regulations, laws and standards to ensure compliance. In Queensland, these requirements are set out by the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Australian Standard AS4172-1993.

Some of the key requirements that must be met when installing shed and garage doors in Queensland include:

• The door must be of a suitable size and type for the shed or garage it is being installed in.
• The door must be properly sealed and weatherproofed to prevent moisture and pests from entering the shed or garage.
• The door must be properly secured to the frame to prevent unauthorised entry.
• The door must be equipped with a working locking mechanism.
• The door must be maintained in good working order and regularly serviced

QLD Commercial Door Compliance

Commercial doors are defined as doors which give entry to a building or room and are intended for human use. This includes but is not limited to fire doors, security doors and shopfronts.

There are various Queensland (QLD) regulations, laws and standards pertaining to commercial doors, their specifications, installation and maintenance. The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is the primary document that outlines the requirements for the design, construction and alteration of buildings in Australia.

In QLD, the BCA is supplemented by the Queensland Building Regulation 2006 (QBR) which covers a range of topics, including:

• Means of escape from fire
• Glazing
• Stability
• Airborne noise transmission
  

There are several requirements that must be met in order for a door to comply with the QBR. These include but are not limited to:

• The door must be fit for the purpose for which it is installed
• The door must be correctly installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
• The door must be maintained in good working order and repaired or replaced if damages
  

QLD Industrial Door Compliance

It's important to be aware of the various regulations, laws and standards that apply to industrial doors to ensure the safety of your staff and the public and the protection of your property.

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) sets out the minimum safety requirements for the construction and operation of all industrial doors in Australia. In Queensland, the BCA is administered by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

As a business owner or property manager, you are expected to ensure that all industrial personal access doors on your property comply with all relevant codes of practice. Broadly speaking, this means your doors are:

• Strong enough to withstand the wind
• Able to be opened and closed easily
• Properly maintained
  

There are a number of other specific requirements that apply to different types of doors, which are set out in the BCA and other codes of practice.

Queensland Container Door Compliance

A container door is defined as a door or set of doors, including any hardware, used to close and weatherproof an opening in a container.

Under the Shipping Container Standard (Australia/New Zealand), all shipping containers must have a minimum of two openings at the end for ventilation. The doors at each end must be able to be opened for ventilation, even when the container is stacked one atop the other.

There are two main modifications that can be made to a shipping container door:

• 1. A door conversion and
• 2. A door addition‍

Door conversion: A new door replaces the original door of the shipping container. The new door must meet all the requirements of the BCA. These requirements include thermal performance, weatherproofing, framing and glazing.

Door addition: A new door is added to the shipping container, while existing, original doors also remain. The new door must also meet all the necessary requirements of the BCA.

The Shipping Containers Act 1967 imposes strict requirements on constructing and modifying container doors. In particular, it requires that all doors be:

• Constructed of materials that are suitable for the intended purpose;
• Sufficiently strong to withstand the weight of the container when loaded;
• Capable of being opened and closed easily;
• Weatherproof; and
• Equipped with a means of ventilation
  

There are strict regulations governing the construction and modification of container doors in Queensland. These laws and standards are designed to protect workers and ensure public safety. Failure to comply can result in serious charges.

Queensland Transportable Building Door Compliance

A transportable building door is defined as "a door that is designed to be used in a portable or transportable building".

In Queensland, several regulations, laws and standards apply to transportable building doors, including the Building Code of Australia (BCA), the Australian Standard for portable buildings (AS4332-2004) and the Queensland Building Act 1975.

Some of the specific requirements that apply to transportable building doors in Queensland include:

• They must be made from weatherproof and fire-resistant materials.
• They must be fitted with a self-closing device.
• They must be able to be opened from the inside without using a key or other tool.
• They must have a minimum door width of 700mm.
• They must have a minimum door height of 1800mm.
  

If you are planning to install transportable building doors in Queensland, you must ensure that they comply with all relevant regulations, laws and standards. Failure to do so may result in your portable or transportable building being deemed non-compliant, and you may be liable for penalties.

Handy Links for Commercial and Industrial Door Compliance Across Australia

• Door Regulations in New South Wales
• Door Regulations in Victoria
• Door Regulations in Western Australia
  

Need help? The doors at Larnec are always open!

We get it. It’s a lot to take in. And when the risks are so high (fines, penalties, the safety of you, your staff, the protection of your assets … the list goes on!) why take a gamble on compliance?

As an Australian-owned and operated company, we have provided quality doors and door systems to the commercial and industrial market for over 25 years. Our team of experienced professionals can help you find the right door for your needs and ensure that it meets all relevant compliance requirements.