SS 10 covers building maintenance units: permanently installed mechanical, electrical or hydraulic units, such as façade gantries, that give access to a building's walls. Council templates typically cite BS 6037, with quarterly, six-monthly or annual IQP inspection and a Form 12A each year.
At a glance
| Specified system | SS 10 |
| Official name | Building maintenance units providing access to exterior and interior walls of buildings |
| Typical intervals | 3-monthly, 6-monthly and annual (varies by task; see below) |
| Standards often cited | BS 6037-1, BS 6037-2, AS/NZS 1891.4 |
| Annual certificate | Form 12A from an IQP, attached to the building warrant of fitness |
What SS 10 covers
- Listed where the unit gives access to exterior or interior walls, is installed as part of the building, and is mechanical, electrical or hydraulic.[1]
- Example given: a gantry hung over the side of a building on a track, positioned by a wheeled trolley.[1]
- Each building's compliance schedule sets the actual inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures; frequencies below are typical examples from the cited documents.[1]
Which buildings have it
- Buildings with a permanently installed gantry or suspended access unit for wall/facade access (the handbook's example is a gantry over the building side).[1]
How often it is inspected
| System | Daily | Weekly | Monthly | 3-monthly | 6-monthly | Annual | 2–5 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS 10 Building maintenance units | no | no | no | no |
| Task | Typical frequency | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection (per BS 6037-1 or BS 6037-2) | Three-monthly and annual | IQP[2] |
| Inspection and testing | Quarterly, six-monthly or annually (option ticked per building) | IQP[3] |
| Keep log book of inspections, maintenance and repairs | Records for previous 24 months kept on site | Owner[3] |
| Form 12A certificate | Annually | IQP[3] |
What an inspection typically covers
- Regular inspection and testing, plus planned preventative and responsive maintenance per the nominated standard.[1]
- Log entries record dates, work done, faults found, remedies and who did the work.[3]
Standards commonly cited
| Standard | Title |
|---|---|
| BS 6037-1 | Code of practice for the planning, design, installation and use of permanently installed access equipment. Part 1: Suspended access equipment (2003 and 2017 editions listed)[3] |
| BS 6037-2 | Code of practice for the planning, design, installation and use of permanently installed access equipment - Travelling ladders and gantries (2004 and 2020 editions listed)[3] |
| AS/NZS 1891.4:2009 | Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices. Part 4: Selection, use and maintenance[3] |
| Specifically designed solution | Prepared by a competent person, as an alternative to a nominated standard[1] |
Titles as listed in council and MBIE documents. Inspections follow the standard and edition named in the building's compliance schedule, usually the edition the system was installed to. Changing to a different edition needs an amendment to the compliance schedule.
Questions
How often is SS 10 inspected?
MBIE and council guidance shows tasks at these intervals: 3-monthly, 6-monthly and annual, with an IQP certifying the system each year. The building's compliance schedule sets the actual frequency.
Which standards apply to SS 10?
Commonly cited: BS 6037-1, BS 6037-2, AS/NZS 1891.4. The compliance schedule names the standard and edition for each building.
Who can certify SS 10?
An independently qualified person (IQP) registered with the council for this system. They issue a Form 12A each year, which the owner attaches to the building warrant of fitness.
Sources
- Compliance Schedule Handbook, Amendment 3 — MBIE, 14 February 2014 (first published 25 May 2007)
- Specified Systems Guidance for Customers, WBCA 003 v1.0.1 — Westland District Council BCA, 16 September 2025
- SS 10 compliance schedule form — Palmerston North City Council
General information only, not legal or engineering advice. Last reviewed 30 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
certify.nz includes a starting checklist for SS 10. Edit it to match the building's compliance schedule, inspect offline and issue a signed report.
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