Standards & Compliance
Built on Australian standards across every discipline.
Veritas Inspect reports reference the specific clauses and requirements of each applicable standard across facade, structural, and MEP work. This page explains what each standard covers and how we apply it.
Inspection of Buildings, Part 0: General Requirements
Scope
AS 4349.0 sets the baseline for all building inspections in Australia. It defines what constitutes a competent inspection, the expected level of reporting, the limitations of a visual assessment, and the responsibilities of the inspector. It applies to pre-purchase inspections, condition assessments, and periodic maintenance reviews. The standard requires inspectors to identify "major defects" and "minor defects" using defined criteria, and to communicate findings in plain language that a non-technical reader can understand.
Key Requirements
Inspectors must hold relevant qualifications and insurance. Reports must clearly state the scope, method, limitations, and findings. Every identified defect must be classified and described with its location, extent, and recommended action. The standard requires that inspections are conducted with "reasonable care and skill" and that the inspector declares any limitations on access or visibility.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Every Veritas Inspect assessment follows AS 4349.0 reporting requirements. Our defect register classifies every finding by severity and location, references the applicable standard clauses, and provides clear remediation recommendations. The 3D model goes beyond the standard by pinning each defect to an exact location in the building geometry, making it easy for building owners to understand where problems are and track them over time.
Scope
AS/NZS 4284 covers the physical testing of building facades for resistance to water penetration, air infiltration, and structural adequacy under wind loads. It applies to curtain wall systems, window wall systems, and panel systems. The standard defines test methods, performance criteria, and pass/fail thresholds for both laboratory and field conditions.
Key Requirements
Facade systems must be tested for water penetration at specified pressure differentials that simulate wind-driven rain. Air infiltration rates must fall within defined limits. Structural performance under positive and negative wind pressure must meet the design loads calculated under AS 1170.2. Field testing of installed facades must follow the procedures in the standard and be performed by qualified personnel.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
When Veritas Inspect identifies suspected water ingress or envelope failure, we reference AS/NZS 4284 test criteria to determine whether field testing is warranted. Our thermal imaging surveys detect moisture patterns that indicate potential penetration points. Where testing is recommended, we scope the work to AS/NZS 4284 methods and coordinate with specialist testing contractors.
Scope
Part F3 of the National Construction Code sets performance requirements for the resistance of building elements to moisture penetration. It covers external walls, roofs, wet areas, and subfloor ventilation. For facades, the critical provisions relate to external wall cladding, window and door openings, joints, and junctions. Part F3 applies to all Class 2 to 9 buildings (multi-residential, commercial, public).
Key Requirements
External walls must prevent water from penetrating to the interior of the building in quantities that would cause damage to building elements, loss of amenity, or unhealthy conditions. The code specifies deemed-to-satisfy provisions for cladding fixings, flashings, sealant joints, weep holes, and drainage cavities. Where the building does not meet deemed-to-satisfy provisions, performance-based evidence of compliance is required.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas Inspect reports assess the building envelope against Part F3 requirements. Our inspectors check sealant joints for adhesion and cohesion failure, flashings for correct overlap and fixing, weep holes for blockage, and cladding fixings for corrosion or failure. Any defect that compromises weatherproofing is flagged with the relevant Part F3 clause so the building owner and engineer can assess compliance and plan remediation.
Body Corporate and Community Management Act (QLD)
Scope
The BCCM Act governs the management of common property in strata-titled buildings in Queensland. Common property includes the building facade, roof, structural elements, and shared services. The Act imposes duties on the body corporate to maintain common property in good condition and to establish sinking funds adequate to cover expected maintenance and repair costs over time.
Key Requirements
The body corporate must keep common property in good and structurally sound condition, must not allow common property to become a nuisance or hazard, and must maintain adequate insurance. Regular condition assessments of the facade are part of meeting these obligations. The sinking fund forecast must account for expected facade maintenance and remediation costs. Failure to maintain common property can result in BCCM adjudication claims by lot owners.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas Inspect provides strata managers and body corporate committees with the condition data they need to meet BCCM obligations. Our severity-ranked defect register and cost estimates feed directly into sinking fund planning. The 3D model gives committee members a clear visual understanding of the building condition without needing technical expertise. Share links allow AGM presentations without printing or distributing large documents.
Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act
Scope
The QBCC Act regulates the building and construction industry in Queensland, including licensing, standards of work, insurance, and dispute resolution. For facade work, the Act establishes the defects liability period during which builders must rectify defective work at their own cost. Structural defects have a liability period of six years and six months from completion. Non-structural defects have a shorter period.
Key Requirements
Builders must hold a QBCC licence for the class of building work being performed. Work must comply with the Building Act 1975 and the National Construction Code. During the defects liability period, the builder must rectify defective work on written notice. Building owners can lodge complaints with the QBCC if defective work is not rectified. Home warranty insurance applies to residential building work.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas Inspect reports provide the documented evidence required to lodge a QBCC complaint or to demonstrate that a defect falls within the liability period. Our defect classification and timeline tracking in the 3D model establish when a defect was first identified, how it has progressed, and what remediation has been attempted. This evidence chain is critical for dispute resolution.
Quality Management Systems
Scope
ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management systems. It applies to any organisation that wants to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. For inspection and professional services firms, ISO 9001 covers process documentation, competency management, calibration of equipment, internal auditing, and continual improvement.
Key Requirements
The organisation must document its quality management system, define processes and responsibilities, maintain records of competency and training, calibrate and maintain inspection equipment, conduct internal audits, and implement corrective actions for nonconformities. Management reviews must be conducted at planned intervals to ensure the system remains effective.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Allied Commercial operates under an ISO 9001 quality management system. This means every Veritas Inspect assessment follows a documented process. Inspection equipment including thermal cameras and LiDAR scanners is calibrated on schedule. Inspectors hold current qualifications and training records. Reports are reviewed by qualified engineers before release. Nonconformities identified through auditing trigger corrective actions that improve the inspection process over time.
Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
Scope
ISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management. It applies to all work activities, including rope access, working at heights, and exposure to hazardous materials such as lead paint or asbestos-containing materials that may be encountered during facade inspections. The standard requires a systematic approach to identifying hazards, assessing risks, and implementing controls.
Key Requirements
The organisation must identify hazards associated with its work activities, assess the risk level, and implement a hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. For rope access work, this includes anchor point assessment, equipment inspection, rescue planning, and competency verification. A Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) must be prepared for every high-risk task.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Every Veritas Inspect site mobilisation begins with a detailed SWMS covering anchor assessment, rigging plans, exclusion zones, emergency procedures, and rescue capability. Our IRATA-certified technicians undergo annual recertification and equipment is inspected before every deployment. Safety incidents and near-misses are recorded and investigated. The ISO 45001 system ensures that safety is not left to individual judgement but built into every step of the inspection process.
Industrial Fall-Arrest Systems and Devices, Part 4: Selection, Use and Maintenance
Scope
AS/NZS 1891.4 covers the selection, use, and maintenance of fall arrest equipment used in rope access and other work-at-height activities. It applies to harnesses, lanyards, connectors, anchor devices, and fall arrest systems. The standard is directly relevant to the safety of rope access technicians conducting facade inspections.
Key Requirements
All fall arrest equipment must be selected for the specific work task, inspected before each use, and maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions. Equipment must be retired after a fall arrest event or when it reaches its service life limit. Users must be trained in the correct fitting, use, and inspection of the equipment. Records of equipment inspections and maintenance must be kept.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Our rope access technicians are equipped with harnesses, lanyards, and connectors that comply with AS/NZS 1891.4. Equipment is inspected before every deployment and maintained on a documented schedule. All anchor points used for rope access are assessed for load capacity before attachment. If existing anchors are inadequate, temporary anchoring systems are installed by qualified riggers.
Scope
AS 1288 governs the selection, design, and installation of glass in buildings. It covers safety glass requirements, glass thickness calculations, edge protection, and glazing methods. For facade inspections, the standard is relevant to window and curtain wall glazing, balustrade glass, and any glass cladding panels. It defines the requirements for different exposure conditions including wind loads, human impact, and thermal stress.
Key Requirements
Glass type and thickness must be selected based on wind load calculations under AS 1170.2, the location and height of the glazing, the risk of human impact, and the framing system. Safety glass (toughened or laminated) is required in locations where breakage could cause injury. Glazing must be installed with appropriate clearances, setting blocks, and sealant types. Balustrade glass has additional requirements for edge treatment and fixing.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
During facade inspections, our technicians assess glazing for chips, cracks, delamination, seal failure, and framing corrosion. Where glass defects are identified, we reference AS 1288 to classify the risk and determine whether replacement is needed. For curtain wall buildings, glazing is a major component of the defect register. Thermal imaging can also reveal seal failures and moisture ingress around glazing units.
Scope
AS 3600 is the primary Australian Standard for the design and assessment of concrete structures. It covers reinforced and prestressed concrete, durability and exposure classifications, cover requirements, crack-width limits, and strength assessment. For Veritas Structures work, it is the reference for assessing concrete columns, beams, slabs, car parks, and facades with concrete elements where cracking, spalling, or reinforcement corrosion is present.
Key Requirements
Concrete elements must meet defined cover, exposure, and durability requirements for their environment. The standard sets crack-width limits, deflection limits, and minimum strength criteria. When assessing existing structures, engineers use AS 3600 to judge whether observed cracking, spalling, or corrosion compromises strength and serviceability, and to specify the cover and durability standard that remediation must restore.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas Structures assessments grade concrete defects against AS 3600. Crack widths are measured and compared to the standard's serviceability limits, cover is checked with a covermeter, and corrosion is assessed by half-cell potential where warranted. Findings reference the relevant AS 3600 clause so the remaining-life view and remediation scope rest on the same standard a designer would use.
Scope
AS 4100 governs the design and assessment of steel structures in Australia. It covers member capacity, connections, fatigue, corrosion protection, and the assessment of existing steelwork. For Veritas Structures, it is the reference for assessing structural steel framing, connections, brackets, and steel facade support systems where corrosion, distortion, or connection failure is suspected.
Key Requirements
Steel members and connections must have adequate capacity for the applied actions determined under AS/NZS 1170. The standard addresses section capacity, member buckling, connection design, fatigue under cyclic loading, and the durability of corrosion-protection systems. Assessment of existing steelwork uses AS 4100 to judge whether section loss from corrosion or distortion from overload reduces capacity below the required level.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
When Veritas Structures investigates steel framing, we measure section loss from corrosion, check connections for fatigue cracking and bolt or weld failure, and assess distortion. Capacity is reassessed against AS 4100 using measured remaining section. Findings reference the relevant clause so building owners and certifiers can act on a defensible structural judgement.
Scope
The AS/NZS 1170 series defines the actions (loads) that structures must resist: permanent and imposed actions (Part 1), wind actions (Part 2), snow and ice (Part 3), and earthquake actions (AS 1170.4). For both Veritas Structures and Veritas Facade, it is the reference for establishing the loads a structure or facade must carry, and therefore the benchmark against which observed capacity is judged.
Key Requirements
Structures must be designed and assessed for the relevant combination of permanent, imposed, wind, snow, and earthquake actions for their location and importance level. Wind actions under AS 1170.2 drive facade glass thickness and fixing design. Imposed actions under AS 1170.1 govern floors, balconies, and car parks. Assessment of an existing structure compares its as-found capacity to the actions calculated under this series.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas Structures and Veritas Facade reference AS/NZS 1170 when an observed defect raises a load-capacity question, for example a corroded balcony, an overloaded slab, or a facade fixing in a high-wind zone. Establishing the design action is the first step in judging whether a defect is cosmetic or structurally significant, and it frames the urgency in the defect register.
Routine Service of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment
Related: Essential Safety MeasuresScope
AS 1851 is the standard for the routine inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems: sprinklers, hydrants, hose reels, fire pumps, detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, and passive fire elements. For Veritas MEP, it is the backbone of essential safety measures servicing and the basis for the annual statement many jurisdictions require.
Key Requirements
Each fire-protection system has a defined schedule of routine service tasks at set frequencies (monthly, six-monthly, yearly, and longer). Results must be recorded, defects classified as critical or non-critical, and records retained. The standard underpins the Annual Fire Safety Statement / Annual Essential Safety Measures Report that building owners must provide in most states.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas MEP servicing of fire and life-safety systems follows the AS 1851 schedules. Every task, result, and defect is captured as structured data rather than a paper logbook, classified by criticality, and anchored to the Veritas Ledger so the owner has a continuous, verifiable maintenance record to support their annual statement.
Scope
AS 1668.2 sets the requirements for mechanical ventilation, including outdoor air rates, exhaust systems, and the ventilation that supports indoor air quality. Together with AS 1668.1 (fire and smoke control), it is the reference for Veritas MEP servicing of HVAC and ventilation plant, including air handling units, fans, and ductwork.
Key Requirements
Mechanical ventilation systems must deliver the minimum outdoor air rates for the occupancy, maintain required exhaust for car parks and wet areas, and support smoke and fire-mode operation where applicable. Maintenance must keep systems performing to the design intent, with filters, dampers, fans, and controls verified against the original ventilation design.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas MEP services HVAC and ventilation plant against AS 1668.2 design parameters. Servicing confirms outdoor-air and exhaust performance, checks filters, dampers, and fan condition, and flags drift from the design envelope. Findings and certificates are anchored to the Veritas Ledger as part of the building's permanent servicing history.
Scope
AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules, governs the design, construction, and verification of electrical installations in Australia and New Zealand. For Veritas MEP it is the reference for the electrical aspects of UPS, generator, and switchboard servicing, including protection, earthing, isolation, and verification of installations after work.
Key Requirements
Electrical installations must provide protection against electric shock, thermal effects, overcurrent, and fault conditions. The standard requires correct earthing and bonding, suitable isolation and switching, and documented testing and verification of installations. Work on critical-power systems must maintain these protections through every service intervention.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas MEP servicing of UPS, generator, and switchboard systems is performed and verified to AS/NZS 3000. Isolation, earthing, and protection are confirmed, post-work testing is recorded, and the results are anchored to the Veritas Ledger so the electrical maintenance history of critical-power assets is complete and verifiable.
Scope
AS 3745 covers the planning, structure, and implementation of emergency arrangements in facilities, including emergency control organisations, evacuation procedures, and the maintenance of emergency planning. For Veritas MEP it links the servicing of life-safety systems to the building's broader emergency-readiness obligations.
Key Requirements
Facilities must establish and maintain emergency planning, including an emergency plan, emergency control organisation, training, and regular evacuation exercises. Life-safety systems serviced under AS 1851 and AS 1668.1 must remain functional to support the emergency plan. Records of planning, maintenance, and exercises must be retained.
How Veritas Inspect Applies This
Veritas MEP servicing of emergency lighting, exit signage, warning systems, and smoke control is recorded against AS 3745 emergency-readiness obligations. By anchoring servicing records to the Veritas Ledger, building owners can demonstrate that the life-safety systems underpinning their emergency plan have been maintained, in one verifiable place.