Queensland Smoke Alarm Legislation

What is the New Legislation?

The new legislation specifies that all Queensland dwellings will be required to have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in all bedrooms, in hallways that connect bedrooms with the rest of the dwelling and on every level.

What does Interconnected mean?

It means the Smoke Alarms communicate with each other, forming an integrated system of protection for the property. Alarms can be interconnected via wires or wirelessly via RF radio signals. If one alarm in the property activates, they all activate. Even if a fire starts and is detected in the kitchen, people asleep upstairs will hear the alarm because of this safety feature.

Being in Property Management, how does this affect you?

All Rental Properties must adhere to the new Legislation by 1st January 2022. Every property in your Portfolio needs to have Interconnected smoke alarms installed by 31st December 2021.

From the 1st January 2017,  If a property has undergone substantial renovation, the property needs to have interconnected Smoke Alarms (this applies to building applications submitted from 1 January 2017).

Agents and Landlords who do not comply could face serious consequences, including hefty fines and possible jail time.

How is SATS helping to transition your Portfolio to adhere to the New Legislation?

SATS will issue a quotation to your office for every property we attend that requires modifications to meet the new legislation.

 

 

 

 

Safety Switch vs Circuit Breaker. Do you know the difference?

 Safety Switch vs Circuit Breaker

Both Safety Switches and Circuit Breakers promote safety and prevent damage to you and your property, but they are not the same thing. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about these two electrical safety devices that have been causing a lot of confusion in the mind of people.

It’s important to know the differences between Safety Switches and Circuit Breakers because these are the vital electrical components that keep your family safe.

Let’s look a little closer at these two devices:

Safety Switch

Visually, a Safety Switch has a “test” button.

Safety Switches monitor the flow of electricity through a circuit and turn off the power in a fraction of a second if a leakage of current is detected. Safety Switches are specifically designed to protect human beings from death or serious injury from electrical shocks. Safety Switches are an additional form of protection to be used with Circuit Breakers.

Circuit Breaker

Visually similar, there is no “test” button on a Circuit Breaker

Circuit Breakers both serve to protect an overloaded electrical circuit by interrupting the continuity, or the flow of electricity. Most houses are equipped with Circuit Breakers in the main switchboard to protect the wiring from overloads. Circuit Breakers provide short-circuit and over-current protection such as when a power point is overloaded, but it does not protect an individual from electrocution.

 

 

 

Top 6 ways to reduce the risk of a house fire

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  1. Working smoke alarms
    Ensure your home has smoke alarms that are correctly positioned, operational, regularly tested and compliant. Early warning systems can save lives and your home should a fire break out.
  2. Keep your stove and oven areas clear
    Never leave anything flammable near hot surfaces in the kitchen, especially your stove and oven spaces. Keep tea towels, cleaning cloths, placemats, curtains and cookbooks all well away from this zone. Try to avoid resting anything on hotplates even when they are turned off.
  3. Check electrical cords
    Frayed and broken charging and electrical cords can easily become a hazard as they heat up. Ensure you replace or remove immediately. Try to avoid charging phones and devices on material surfaces – again the charging packs and cords can heat up and pose a fire risk.
  4. Keep fire extinguishers and blankets handy
    Ensure you keep an in-date fire extinguisher and a fire blanket in handy places such as the kitchen. Make sure everyone in your home knows where they are located and remove any obstructions that make them hard to reach in an emergency.
  5. Store flammable products safely
    Store your household cleaners and beauty products away from heat to avoid combustion. Cool, dark cupboards with constant temperatures are ideal. This also applies to products stored in your garage and shed. Metal spaces heat up far quicker and can pose a real risk if not managed with care.
  6. Be cautious with flames
    When using candles, diffusers, fireplaces, BBQs and fire-pits make sure you keep an eye on them at all times. It is also a good idea to keep any flammable items well away from these areas and extinguish before going to bed or leaving the room/area.

Hop to it!

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Celebrate Easter in style with some homemade goodies that are all about chocolate and Easter.

Australian house fire facts

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  • When you’re asleep you won’t smell smoke from a fire
  • Electrical appliances cause 40% of house fires
  • You are twice as likely to die in a house fire without a working smoke alarm
  • The most common house fire cause is from unattended cooking followed by faulty electrical appliances, heaters, cigarettes and candles
  • Many household fires are caused by someone making a mistake – a moment of carelessness, forgetfulness or neglect
  • Children under five and people aged 65 years and over are twice as likely to get caught in a house fire
  • Many people do not have a fire safety escape plan, fire extinguisher or blanket for use in case of an emergency

Home Fire Safety Checklist

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It is important that in the event of a fire (or emergency) you have a safety checklist and escape plan. Take the time to put both in place with your family, friends or boarders – it could potentially save a life.

A home fire safety checklist consists of a to-do list to prevent your home from catching on fire. These measures should be applied on a daily basis to help reduce the risk overall. The to-do list may include items such as times to regularly clean, dust, check and maintain smoke alarms throughout the home. It may also note general safety actions such as keeping flammable items away from heat sources, being present when there are lit flames (candles, fires, BBQs etc.), safe storage of combustible goods and good practices in the kitchen when cooking and cleaning.

Read our blog to see tips on creating an Escape plan for your home.

Escape Plan

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In just two minutes, a fire can become lift-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames. Scary isn’t it! This doesn’t give you much time to think about how to get yourself or family member to safety. Taking the time to an escape plan in place with your family, friends or boarders could potentially save a life.

An Escape Plan will ensure you know the best escape locations around your home with an active course of action should you become trapped by fire. When designing an escape plan, everyone in the home should be included. Make sure everyone knows the plan of escape as well as where to meet should you become separated during a fire emergency.

You should consider escape locations, meeting places and the best times to call for help. This plan can also be used for other emergency situations. If you have children, helping them know what to do can assist in managing panic and fear should the worst ever happen.

How do you make a fire plan? Here are a few elements to consider when making a plan:

  • Draw a floor plan so you can review ways to escape from each room
  • Keep door and window keys easily accessible
  • Try to keep all exits clear
  • Decide on a meeting point that is a safe distance from the house (letterbox, clothesline, at a neighbours home, a nearby street sign)
  • Remind everyone that when you get out – you stay out. Never return into a burning building
  • Practice! It is essential that everyone in the household knows what to do in the event of a Fire.

And remember to get down low, as smoke can cause damage to the lungs and death. If your clothes catch on fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL.

1 in 5 South Australian homes aren’t compliant

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A scary statistic has been shared via a news article about Adelaide home owners not getting compliant on smoke alarms. New research shows that 1 in 5 homes in South Australia are not following the law by failing to install smoke alarms in their properties.

There are so many cases where smoke alarms have saved lives. In many of instances it alerted them from their slumber to exit the house safely. In other incidences, occupants simple had no idea that a fire has even start in their property until the smoke alarm sounds.

Shockingly, last year 98 out of 528 house fires did not have smoke alarms installed at their property, another 2 per cent had working smoke alarms that were disabled.

Not only do smoke alarms keep loved ones safe by giving you that vital time to jump in to action, smoke alarms are a necessary investment to help protect your livelihood.

Read more here

Fire safety and Children

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If your curious about what your child/children would do if faced with a house fire, put them to the test! Do you think you’ll like the outcome?

It’s important for children to learn about the dangers of fire, in all circumstances. There are many different ways to bring this to a child’s attention. Information is power, if we can teach children what to do in these situations, they will be able to protect themselves if you are separated.

Here are some essential points:

  1. First things first, Teach them your escape plan. Children can be overwhelmed with fear, a step by step plan of what to do is key for a child’s survival when faced with uncommon happenings.
  2. Practice makes perfect, it’s not enough to talk about it once. Children’s brains are contently growing with new information. Ideally hanging up your escape plan and practising the plan at least twice a year.
  3. When there’s no way out. In the instance of getting trapped by fire, the most important thing to remember is to close the door. Put bedding or cloth under the door to block off any smoke that will seep through.
  4. Wait for help, Firefighters have breathing mask that can look intimidating to children. Make sure that they know what the firefighter gear looks like, so they don’t get scared and hide.
  5. Stop, drop and roll. A key point to save your life, when caught on fire. Most kids first instincts will be to run away which will only make it worse.
  6. Once out stay out – Call 000 – stay safe. Your life can’t be replaced.

Photoelectric & Ionisation smoke alarms

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There are two main smoke alarms used in homes, Photoelectric & Ionisation. The main difference between the two types of alarms are how the alarms detect fire.

Ionisation smoke alarms have a small amount of radioactive material. When a fire rapidly starts it will give off little smoke, however, the smoke particles in the air will disrupt the low, steady electrical current produced by radioactive particles and trigger the detector’s alarm. Yes, Ionisation alarms are great for fires that may start in the kitchen or laundry, although it’s not recommended to install them in such places, as this will create false alarms.

Photoelectric smoke alarms on the other hand uses a beam of light to detect smoky, smouldering fires. Once smoke covers/blocks the light from bouncing to the sensor chamber, it will sound the alarm. These particular fires are resulted in slower burning conditions that produce large amounts of smoke, most common in the home environment. If it isn’t cleaned and dust is allowed to build up, it will give off false alarms.

Studies have shown that photoelectric typically responds to smoke/smoulder within three to five minutes – Ionisation alarms can take up to twenty minutes or more, which can make escape more difficult. Therefore authorities recommend photoelectric smoke alarms in homes.