Tag: QLD smoke alarm

Queensland was rocked by another devastating house fire tragedy earlier this month when police confirmed that five young brothers and their 34-year-old father died in a house blaze on Russell Island, off Brisbane’s Redland Bay. Emergency services rushed to the home on Todman Street just after 6am on Sunday 8th August to find the two-storey house fully engulfed, with two neighbouring properties also alight. A 21-year-old woman thought to have been inside the house when the fire broke out managed to escape with injuries.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner, John Cawcutt, said the blaze was “one of the worst fires we’ve had for a long time”. Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan also said the fire was a great tragedy. “Of course a very sad day for Queenslanders,” he said. “Our hearts break for those involved in the tragedy. It seems a tragic loss of life”. A forensic investigation is currently underway to determine how the fire started, and why the smoke alarms did not activate.

In terms of sheer loss of life from a single domestic house fire, the Russell Island fire tragedy is second only to the August 2011 Logan house fire, which was Queensland’s deadliest house fire, causing the death of 11 family members. A coronial inquest could not establish the exact cause of that blaze but a coroner found there was a ‘reasonable prospect’ that all or some of the victims could have escaped if smoke alarms had been working. That tragedy led to the introduction of new QLD laws for interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms inside every bedroom, hallways outside the bedrooms, and on every level of Queensland homes.

Why didn’t the smoke alarms go off in the Russell Island house fire?
The rented two storey Queenslander home allegedly had smoke alarms installed, however the female survivor of the blaze said she didn’t hear any smoke alarms activate, adding that concerns had previously been expressed about them. It remains unclear why the alarms didn’t activate and whether they were in working order. ‘With a fire of that intensity it will be difficult to know whether there were smoke alarms present or not but that will be part of the investigation,’ Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Joanne Greenfield said. It is understood the home was transported to the site around 2017. ‘So thinking about the legislation that was in place at that time it would have required one hardwired smoke alarm, that’s if it was following the legislation,’ QLD Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Leach said.

A close family friend issued a harrowing plea to all Australians on the behalf of the Children’s surviving mother, stating that she ‘just wants the world to know – check your smoke alarms and hold your babies’.

What are QLD’s smoke alarm laws?

From 1st January 2022, all properties being sold or leased for rent in Queensland were required by law to be compliant with the smoke alarm rules below (on 1st January 2027 the law is being extended to cover all QLD homeowners and occupiers, irrespective of whether the property is being sold or rented out).

In addition to the above, rental property managers and landlords are required to test and clean smoke alarms and replace any flat or nearly flat batteries within 30 days before the start of a tenancy. This also includes a renewal tenancy.

In recent years, Australia has witnessed a surge in the adoption of lithium-ion battery technology, and Queensland is no exception. Small, lightweight and versatile, these batteries power everything from smartphones to e-scooters, e-bikes and even household renewable energy storage systems. Whilst these convenient batteries have transformed the way we live, work and play, their introduction has been accompanied by a concerning rise in lithium-ion battery fires in QLD homes.

Data collated from Australian state fire departments indicate that more than 450 fires across this country have been linked to lithium-ion batteries since 2021 (including 157 in Queensland). Several of these fires have garnered significant media attention – see below.

Numerous factors contribute to this alarming safety trend, but one of the primary culprits behind lithium-ion battery fires is improper charging practices. If incompatible chargers are used, or devices like e-scooters are left charging unattended for extended periods, it can lead to overheating and a subsequent lithium-ion battery fire.


Another common cause of lithium-ion battery fires stems from manufacturing defects in either the battery charger or the battery itself. Poor adherence to quality standards during manufacture can lead to internal faults, increasing the risk of overheating and fire. Furthermore, improper storage and transportation of batteries can cause short circuits, posing a threat of fire. To mitigate these risks, consumers should avoid purchasing cheap lithium-ion batteries and chargers second-hand or from unregulated online marketplaces, as low-quality, counterfeit, and non-original equipment manufacturer (OEM) batteries and chargers can exacerbate fire hazards.


E-scooters and e-bikes, due to their nature of use, are often subjected to rough handling and exposure to environmental elements. Consequently, damage to the battery can occur, leading to internal short-circuits and potential fires. Even seemingly minor physical damage to the battery’s protective casing can create a pathway for ‘thermal runaway’, triggering a catastrophic fire event. When lithium-ion batteries fail, they undergo thermal runaway, involving the violent bursting of one or multiple battery cells, releasing toxic, flammable, and explosive gases, and resulting in an intense, self-sustaining fire. Putting out a lithium-ion battery fire is challenging, as it escalates rapidly with intense heat and cannot be easily extinguished with water or regular fire extinguishers. Additionally, such fires often reignite several times after being extinguished.

What about my photoelectric smoke alarms – don’t they also contain a lithium-ion battery?
The lithium batteries in smoke alarms differ in design from lithium-ion batteries used in e-scooters. Photoelectric smoke alarms contain two 3V, single-use, lithium batteries sealed within the alarm itself. These batteries are non-replaceable and are designed to deplete slowly and steadily over a 10-year lifespan. At the end of this period, the entire smoke alarm is disposed of (including the sealed batteries), and a new smoke alarm is installed. The fire and thermal runaway risks associated with recharging lithium-ion batteries are mitigated with non rechargeable smoke alarm lithium batteries.


When purchasing a photoelectric smoke alarm, it is essential to choose one that complies with Australian Standard 3786:2014, as indicated by the official Australian Standard mark on the packaging and the product itself. Product testing required of this standard helps ensure that the smoke alarm poses no electrical danger during normal use. Additionally, the smoke alarm should carry the electrical Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), affirming compliance with Australian electrical safety regulations outlined in Australian Standard 3820:2020. Avoiding cheap imported knock-offs without the RCM mark is crucial for battery safety.

Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM)

The surge in lithium-ion battery fires in Australia calls for a collective effort from manufacturers, regulators, and users to address this growing concern. While the benefits of lithium-ion batteries are undeniable, the risks associated with their usage demand immediate attention. By enhancing safety regulations, improving manufacturing standards, educating and promoting responsible usage and re-charging practices, we can embrace the lithium ion-battery revolution in QLD while ensuring a safer and more sustainable future for all. For more information on lithium-ion battery safety please refer to the QLD Fire and Emergency Services (QFES).

A photoelectric smoke alarm is a life saving appliance that is designed to alert occupants of a fire and give them time to evacuate safely, and as such, it is a crucial component of QLD home and building safety. But have you ever wondered how a photoelectric smoke alarm is manufactured to to meet the highest standards of quality and safety? Manufacturers of a photoelectric smoke alarm need to ensure that their products are safe, reliable, and effective – this is where an ISO 9001 quality management system comes into play.

ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management systems. It provides a framework for organizations to establish and maintain processes that ensure consistent product quality. ISO 9001 is an important indicator of a company’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction – it covers all aspects of an organization’s operations, including design, development, production, delivery, and support. Do you know if your photoelectric smoke alarm has come from an ISO 9001 accredited facility?

The commercial production of a photoelectric smoke alarm involves sourcing high-quality materials, assembling the components, and then testing the finished product for quality and safety. ISO 9001 requires manufacturers to establish and document clear processes for sourcing these materials and assembling the product, as well as procedures for testing and inspecting the final product.

Testing is a crucial part of the manufacturing process for photoelectric smoke alarms. ISO 9001 requires manufacturers to establish rigorous testing procedures to ensure that every device meets the required safety standard (Australian Standard 3786:2014). This includes testing for sensitivity to smoke, false alarms, and battery life.

ISO 9001 certification also requires manufacturers to continuously monitor and improve their processes to ensure consistent product quality. This involves regularly reviewing and analyzing data to identify areas for improvement, and implementing changes to optimize the manufacturing process.

Manufacturers must also have processes in place to ensure that the photoelectric smoke alarm is delivered to customers safely and effectively. This means that the smoke alarms are packaged correctly and that they arrive at their destination without damage. Manufacturers must also ensure that customers can install and use the photoelectric smoke alarm correctly.

In conclusion, manufacturing photoelectric smoke alarms is a complex process that requires precision, attention to detail, and a commitment to quality and safety. ISO 9001 accreditation plays a crucial role in ensuring that every step of the process is documented, monitored, and continuously improved to meet the highest standards of quality and safety. By choosing a photoelectric smoke alarm manufacturer that is ISO 9001 accredited, you can have confidence that the photoelectric smoke alarms in your home or building are of the highest quality and will provide reliable protection for years to come.


www.photoelectricsmokealarms.com.au

Whilst battery powered smoke alarms* are easy for homeowners to DIY install, there are certain situations where they are not permitted by law and a hard wired smoke alarm must be used. Prior to installing any type of smoke alarm, it is important to understand their differences and when each can be used.

What is a hard wired smoke alarm?

A hard wired smoke alarm is an alarm which is hard wired to a domestic dwelling’s 240 volt electricity supply. As electrical wiring is necessary, hard wired smoke alarms cannot be DIY installed and should always be installed by a trade qualified Electrician. Hard wired smoke alarms have an internal battery back-up which allows for continuous power supply should the household mains electricity be temporarily disrupted (i.e. power black-out during a thunder storm). When there is more than one, hard wired smoke alarms must be interconnected to each other – this can be achieved in two ways – either by running physical cabling in the ceiling space in-between each alarm, or wirelessly using a radio frequency (RF) transmitter.

When must I install a hard wired smoke alarm?

There are 3 situations in Queensland when it is a statutory requirement for 240 volt hard wired smoke alarms to be installed.

1) If you are constructing a new home

If you are constructing a new home then hard wired smoke alarms are required as part of the building approval process – Queensland’s Building Regulations 2021 (part 4) and the National Construction Code (NCC 2019 volume 2 part 3.7.5) detail minimum necessary building standards, including those for fire safety and smoke alarms.

Queensland’s Building Regulations 2021 state that when constructing a new home, the smoke alarms must be hardwired to the domestic dwelling’s electricity supply; and must be interconnected to every other smoke alarm installed in the dwelling.

2) If you are performing a substantial renovation

Division 5A (section 104RBA) of the QLD Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 states that hard wired smoke alarms must be installed when a substantial renovation is being performed to an existing dwelling.

A ‘substantial renovation’ is defined as building work carried out under a building development approval, or the total building works equaling 50 per cent of the dwelling over three years.

3) If you are replacing an existing hard wired smoke alarm

Division 5A (section 104RC) of the QLD Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 states that if the smoke alarm being replaced was hardwired to the domestic dwelling’s electricity supply, the replacement smoke alarm must also be hardwired to the dwelling’s electricity supply. A smoke alarm must be replaced if it fails to operate or is older than 10 years from manufacture date (manufacture date is printed on the rear of the alarm).

What if I don’t need to replace my existing hard wired smoke alarms? Can I leave them in place and install additional battery powered alarms in all the required locations and be compliant?

This is a common question. Provided the existing hard wired smoke alarms work and their manufacture date is less than 10 years they do not need to be replaced.

Battery powered interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms can then be installed in all prescribed locations as required by QLD law. The position of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is that the existing hard wired smoke alarms are then considered to be extra additional alarms, and do not need to be interconnected to the newly installed battery powered smoke alarms. Compliance is achieved.

Replacing and installing new hard wired smoke alarms

Red smoke alarms are a 100% Australian owned company that manufacture quality 240 volt hard wired smoke alarms for those people that do need to replace or install hard wired smoke alarms. Aside from the 10 year product warranty, what makes the Red hard wired smoke alarm so good is that it comes in two versions depending on the preferred type of battery back-up. The Red hard wired smoke alarm (model R240RC) comes with an in-built rechargeable 10 year lithium battery (never needs replacing) whereas the Red hard wired smoke alarm (model R240) has a user replaceable 9 volt back-up battery. The choice is yours.

Another great feature of Red hard wired smoke detectors is how they can be interconnected with one another. There are two options. First, each Red hard wired smoke detector can be physically interconnected by having an electrician run cabling from alarm to alarm in your ceiling space. If this is too cost prohibitive and/or difficult to do, the second option is to interconnect the hard wired smoke alarms using wireless radio frequency (RF) technology. This is achieved by installing a small Red hard wired base beneath each hard wired smoke alarm. The base acts as an RF transmitter and allows the hard wired smoke alarms to become interconnected and ‘talk’ to one another without the need to run physical cabling from alarm to alarm. An added benefit of the Red hard wired base is that it also allows the Red hard wired smoke alarm to talk to not only other Red hard wired smoke alarms, but also to the Red remote control and other Red battery powered smoke alarms and Red heat alarms – extremely versatile.

Summary

This article has demonstrated the 3 criteria where hard wired smoke alarms must be installed as per QLD legislation. In all other scenarios it is acceptable to use battery powered smoke alarms to achieve compliance.

Before purchasing new replacement smoke alarms for your home be sure to check if your existing smoke alarms are hard wired, or not. Doing this may save complications later, if for example you purchased battery powered smoke alarms, only to discover that what you really needed are hard wired smoke alarms.

* A ‘battery powered’ smoke alarm is a smoke alarm powered by a non-removable 10-year battery compliant with Australian Standard 3786:2014.

Referenced legislation:

QLD Building Regulations 2021 (part 4)

National Construction Code (NCC) 2019 volume 2 part 3.7.5

QLD Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 (Division 5A)

QFES Smoke Alarms for New Dwellings and Renovations