12 March 2019 / Quality Alert

ACP Cladding / Codemark Certificate Withdrawals

Recently, some CodeMark Certifications for a number of widely-used ACP cladding products were withdrawn following an audit by JAS-ANZ.

For further information on the withdrawal and why it came about, as well as the specific products affected, please see the links to the press releases at the end of this alert.

How does this affect Hutchies?

Authorities/clients/consultants have already expressed confusion over the validity of the CodeMark Certificates on both past and current projects.

In some cases, fire brigades have been resistant to CodeMark Certificates, so Hutchies has already been insisting on including ACP usage in a project Fire Engineering Report (FER) for some time.

The withdrawal of these CodeMark Certifications essentially makes it mandatory to do this now.

What do I need to do from here?

Please ensure your façade submissions to the Quality Team includes the FER without reference to the Codemark Certificates.

Façade submissions to the Quality Team are mandatory for ALL projects, without exception.

Please ensure a fire engineer reviews and produces the FER for the use of ACP products.

This needs to be backed by the Building Surveyor/Certifier and approved by the fire brigade as necessary. Performance solutions on life safety includes external walls and is a legislated requirement as noted in the Quality Handbook Topic 21.

What about existing projects which were covered by the withdrawn CodeMark Certifications?

CertMark International has advised that any projects completed prior to the withdrawal of the current certificates are still covered by the withdrawn certificate. More information on this is contained in the CertMark press release.

However, despite this, some authorities appear to be resisting acceptance of the CodeMark Certificate on projects commenced prior to the withdrawal that do not have final certification/occupancy certificates in place.

Please clarify with your consultants on any current projects to be certain there are no issues down the track at completion. It may be necessary to have the fire engineer amend the FER to avoid reliance on any CodeMark Certificate.

Don’t delay.

Ensure this check is completed immediately and ensure the determination is provided unconditionally by the Building Surveyor/Certifier. Unconditionally means not subject to other conditions such as fire brigade acceptance.

We need to be certain this will not delay completion on any current projects!

CertMark International / CodeMark Certificate Withdrawals HIA Member Alert / Withdrawal of CodeMark Certificates MBA Queensland / CodeMark Certificates Withdrawn

Questions?

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

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30 October / Quality Alert

Prohibition on the Use of Engineered Stone

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned

Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage.

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

Under 1% silica content
Extremely competitive pricing
Only comes in 12mm thickness
Heat resistance is an issue
Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

Under 10% silica content
Price dependant of product and supplier
Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

0% silica content
More expensive alternative
Limited thickness availability
UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

Various silica content percentages
Variety of products at different price points available
Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.

More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

10 October / Update

Installation Details for Elephant's Foot & Wastech Bin Chutes

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.