New Zealand and Australia both require that buildings and engineering systems are designed to perform safely under earthquake conditions. For facilities that use natural gas or operate hazardous equipment, automatic seismic isolation is an important part of meeting those obligations — and managing risk beyond what building codes strictly require.

New Zealand

New Zealand sits on the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates and has some of the most demanding seismic requirements in the world.

NZS 1170.5 — Earthquake Actions defines the seismic hazard and design loads that buildings and building services must be designed to withstand. Buildings are classified by importance level, with hospitals, emergency facilities, and buildings with high occupancy held to the highest standard.

NZS 4219:2009 — Seismic Performance of Engineering Systems in Buildings governs mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems specifically — including gas pipework and associated equipment. It sets out requirements for seismic restraint and performance of building services.

Gas installations are governed by the Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations 2010, overseen by WorkSafe New Zealand, which mandate that all gasfitting work is safe and that appliances meet safety standards. The regulations were updated by the Gas (Safety and Measurement) Amendment Regulations 2025 (in force from 13 October 2025). Compliance with AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 — Gas Installations is required for new installations. Automatic earthquake shutoff is increasingly specified as a risk management requirement by building owners, engineers, and insurers — particularly in multi-storey residential, commercial, and critical-use buildings.

Australia

Seismic hazard in Australia is generally lower than New Zealand, but significant risk exists in parts of Western Australia, South Australia, and along the eastern seaboard. AS 1170.4 — Earthquake Actions in Australia sets the design standard, and the National Construction Code (NCC) incorporates seismic performance requirements for buildings.

AS/NZS 5601.1 — Gas Installations applies in both countries and covers the design, construction, and commissioning of gas systems. State-based energy safety regulators in Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales each enforce gas safety requirements, and automatic isolation on earthquake detection is recognised as a risk reduction measure in high-occupancy and critical buildings.

Insurance Considerations

Post-earthquake damage from gas-related fires can far exceed the cost of the initial structural damage — a pattern seen in major NZ earthquakes including the 2011 Christchurch sequence.

Commercial property insurers are increasingly attentive to building services risk management. Installing an automatic earthquake trigger demonstrates a proactive approach that can be relevant to:

• Satisfying insurer requirements around gas safety and building services risk
• Supporting business interruption claims where documented safety measures were in place
• Reducing liability exposure in the event of a gas-related incident following an earthquake

We recommend consulting your insurer and a qualified gas engineer when specifying seismic shutoff systems.

To discuss compliance requirements for your site, contact us or see the MK6 product page for technical specifications.