The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) says a well-maintained hot water heater not only ensures a steady supply of hot water during the winter months but also helps prevent costly repairs and potential safety hazards.

QBCC Commissioner Anissa Levy says regular maintenance of your hot water heater is crucial to its safe and efficient operation.

"Winter is the peak season for hot water usage, and it is essential to have your system inspected by a licensed plumber to ensure it is functioning properly and efficiently, Ms Levy says.

Over time, hot water heaters can start to corrode and accumulate sediment and scale, leading to decreased efficiency and potential safety hazards.

A licensed plumber will check the hot water heater's pressure relief valves and other components to ensure that they are functioning correctly.

Regular servicing can extend the life of the hot water heater and prevent it from breaking down when you need it the most.

"By having your hot water heater serviced ahead of winter, you can ensure that it is operating at peak performance and potentially avoid the inconvenience and expense of a breakdown," added Commissioner Levy.

Homeowners are urged to schedule a service appointment with a licensed QBCC plumber before the winter season begins to avoid any potential issues.

It is also recommended you get the plumber to check the hot water heater's anode rod and replace if necessary which helps prevent corrosion and extends the life of the system.

For more information about keeping your heater serviced, please contact the QBCC at 139 333 or visit our website.

Eighteen building owners, body corporates and individuals pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court between May 2022 and January this year in separate prosecutions brought by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, said the Safer Buildings Program had helped create more certainty and safety in regard to construction materials used on Queensland buildings.

“These laws help protect us all in the buildings where we live, work and gather, and were introduced following the tragic death of 72 people in London’s Grenfell Tower,” Ms Levy says.

The legislation involved a three-stage process with building owners required to register their building before providing relevant information relating to potentially combustible cladding on their building at each stage of the program.

Building owners were then able to exit the program depending on what was identified in the previous stage/s.

QBCC commenced prosecutions relating to 35 private buildings which resulted in a total of $82,000 in fines and orders to pay $17,750 in legal costs for failing to provide required documentation for potentially combustible cladding on their buildings.

Of the 35 prosecutions commenced, 18 matters entered a timely plea of guilty, with fines imposed ranging between $2,000 and $8,000 for companies, $2,000 to $5,500 for body corporates and $1,500 for individuals.

In the remaining 17 matters, it was determined that cladding had been rectified prior to prosecution proceedings or ultimately found to not be combustible.

Stage 3 required the building owner to provide the QBCC with a cladding checklist, Building Fire Safety Risk Assessment and a report from a registered fire engineer.

“The laws have increased public safety by helping to identify which buildings in Queensland contain combustible cladding on their external walls and any associated risks,” Ms Levy says.

BACKGROUND

Queensland Government changes to the Building Regulation 2006 which commenced on 1 October 2018 required owners of particular buildings to undertake an assessment of the material used on external walls of their building by using a combustible cladding checklist.

The checklist process is designed to identify which buildings are affected by combustible cladding and whether cladding rectification work is likely to be required to achieve an acceptable level of safety. The deadline for building owners to submit the checklist without penalty was 3 May 2021.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) says wet weather and moisture, combined with north Queensland’s high humidity, provide the perfect ingredients for the wood-eating pest to flourish and multiply.

QBCC Commissioner Anissa Levy says increased termite activity following heavy rain and flooding could have a potentially devastating effect on homes, with the insects capable of causing major structural damage in a short period of time.

“Homeowners can help protect their properties by remaining extra vigilant following heavy rainfall and flooding,” Ms Levy says.

“This includes checking for any signs of activity and ensuring that their termite management system has not been compromised.”

“If flooding has surrounded or covered internal floors, homeowners should check for signs of damage to their termite management system."

“If the system has been compromised, or if homeowners suspect they have termites, they should immediately seek the advice of an expert with a QBCC termite management contractor licence to conduct an inspection.” Ms Levy says there are a number of measures homeowners can take to help prevent a termite invasion after rain events.

“Termites seek moisture, so it is important to clear water pooling in gutters, empty cans, or other objects around the property and fix leaking items, such as pipes and taps,” she says.

“Removing the termites’ additional food source, such as wood in contact with the ground or near the house, is another way to help prevent infestations.”

Ms Levy urges homeowners renovating during the wet season to be aware that building footpaths, garden beds, patios and pergolas, as well as landscaping and laying turf, can cause termite systems to be less effective. 

This work can impede the termite management system or reduce visibility of termite entry into the building.  

“When renovating, you can help protect your property by using termite-resistant materials, including treated timber, masonry, steel, concrete and fibre-reinforced cement.”

Signs of potential termite infestations:

• Mud shelter tubes built by the termites for protection. These can be found internally next to architraves or skirting boards, undercrofts of buildings, brick foundations and external walls adjoining ground level
• Sagging floors, doors or ceilings
• Damaged skirting boards, door jambs or architraves 
• Cracked or blistered paint or plaster
• Power failures 
• Discarded termite wings found near windows, in spider webs or light fittings
• Timber that makes a hollow sound when tapped
• Dry sand-like faecal pellets (frass) coming out of termite tunnel openings
• Finding frass in cone-shaped piles or in circular patterns on the surface of infested wood.

For more information on protecting your property against termites visit the QBCC website.

For a list of licensed contractors, visit Our lists and registers on our website.

Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) Commissioner Anissa Levy says there are a few common-sense safety measures to limit the risk.

“In order to help avoid injury, damage and costs associated with storms and cyclones, it’s important to keep your site clean, says Commissioner Levy.

“Removing loose material and rubbish is a great first step, as strong winds could cause problems by potentially turning materials into missiles.

“When a storm hits, strong winds can result in major damage if items such as roofing sheets and scaffolding are not secured properly.”

Commissioner Levy says rising flood waters as a result of high tides or storm surges also pose a threat to building sites.

“Raising and securing all material above known flood levels will give your site the best protection against the elements, while another tip to avoid flooding is to ensure your site has adequate and compliant drainage.

“Temporary structures need to be secured too, including site offices and shipping containers.

“Contractors should also use this time to check that their insurance policies and coverage are fully up to date and sites and values are accurate.”

In the event of wild weather, the QBCC Commissioner stresses the importance of only returning to site when it is safe to do so.

“When it is safe and practical to return to site, you should secure and address any dangerous or failed areas.”

More information about how to prepare for natural disasters can be found on the QBCC website.

7 Top Tips

1. A clean site is a safer site
2. Raise your materials and lower your flood risk
3. Brace your fencing so temporary barricades last longer
4. Dig some trenches so rainwater can run off
5. Keep site offices secure to keep the books dry
6. Check the insurance policy to dodge future headaches
7. When the storm passes get back on site asap

The QBCC is proud to support this important safety initiative and promote public understanding about laws in Queensland designed to safeguard against the dangers of asbestos and other unsafe building materials in places where we live, work and play.

Did you know asbestos is a non-conforming building product?

Non-conforming building products (NCBPs) are products that do not meet the required standards for the use in which they are intended. A building product is considered a NCBP if it is any of the following:

• the product is not, or will not be, safe
• not compliant with the relevant regulatory requirements (e.g. the National Construction Code or the Australian Standards)
• it doesn't perform to the standard it is represented to perform to.

Under Queensland’s non-conforming building products law, every member of the construction industry supply chain (also known as the chain of responsibility), including manufacturers, suppliers and installers, must ensure the product they manufacture, supply or install is compliant and safe. Failure to do so risks significant penalties.

If a product is suspected of containing asbestos those in the chain of responsibility should satisfy themselves that the product is asbestos free and, where required, the product has been tested. For asbestos, the relevant testing standard is  AS 4964- Method for the qualitative identification of asbestos in bulk samples. 

Reporting NCBP to the QBCC

If a person in the chain of responsibility does become aware, or reasonably suspects, that a building product is a NCBP, they must give the QBCC notice in an approved form, within 2 days, or earlier if possible.

Penalties also apply for failing to notify the QBCC of a NCBP when required.

To learn more about safe building product decisions go to Your responsibilities with NCBP.
 

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is undertaking the technical and assessment audits to ensure compliance across the industry.

QBCC Commissioner Anissa Levy says officers are currently undertaking audits in a number of Queensland regions to check the work of certifiers.

“Certifiers have an incredibly important role in the building and construction industry, and attention-to-detail to compliance is imperative,” Ms Levy says.

“We know the vast majority of certifiers do the right thing and Queenslanders can feel confident that their homes are being built by people with the appropriate skills and qualifications.

“Licensed building certifiers assess building applications, decide whether to issue building approvals and inspect and certify building works.

“The certifier ensures the building works comply with the building assessment provisions, the Building Act and the approval.”

Commissioner Levy says an important part of the role of the QBCC is to carry out audits like this in a bid to uncover potential substandard behaviour within the building and construction industry.

“Certifiers inspect building projects during construction and after the building process to ensure that they have been built in accordance with Queensland legislation.

“QBCC officers are focusing on issues such as certifiers granting a building development approval before all necessary permits and documents are in place.”

The QBCC received 222 complaints about certifiers in the 2021-2022 financial year and finalised 217 complaints.

Audits will be undertaken in regional Queensland throughout October and November in Beaudesert, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton and Townsville.

The total number of QBCC-licensed private certifiers as at 30 September 2022 was 425.

Anyone with concerns about a QBCC licensee should contact the QBCC on 139 333.