On 30 September 2022, Standards Australia published a new version of AS/NZS 5601.1 Gas Installations part 1: General installations. In Western Australia, full compliance with the new version is required from 30 March 2023, except for clause 5.2.11 which is now subject to a variation notice issued by the Director of Energy Safety.
Clause 5.2.11 says that when multilayer pipe is used for consumer piping, the installation shall be fitted with a shut-off valve that is located prior to any multilayer pipe and operates when a fire safety system operates.
For a full explanation of the new requirements, we recommend watching this video.
The variation, which was published on 24 March 2023, has effectively extended the transition period for the adoption of clause 5.2.11 by another three months. The exact wording is as follows.
"Where a gas installation is newly installed or an existing gas installation is altered or modified, that gas installation is not required to comply with clause 5.2.11 of AS/NZS 5601.1 where the work of installing, altering or modifying the gas installation was commenced prior to 30 June 2023.
For this variation to apply in respect of a given gas installation, a gasfitter must, as part of their notice of completion for installing, altering or modifying the gas installation, include a note setting out when that work (of installing, altering or modifying the gas installation) was commenced."
Update on 5 April 2023 - there is now a second variation notice, which is about clearance requirements for rangehoods and exhaust fans. See this news item.
The remainder of AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 is not affected by the variation notices and applies in Western Australia from 30 March 2023.
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