24/03/07
Mains-powered smoke alarms will become mandatory for all homes in Western Australia under legislation to be introduced into Parliament later this year.
Announcing the new requirements today, Housing and Works Minister Michelle Roberts said there was enormous potential to save many lives.
"More than $20million worth of property is also damaged annually as a result of domestic fires," Mrs Roberts said.
The Minister said there had been a number of instances where smoke alarms failed to work because of flat batteries, or because the batteries had been removed because people found the low battery warning signals annoying.
"Under the new regulations, houses will be required to have mains-powered smoke alarms fitted, which will mean the battery issues experienced with many current alarms will be a thing of the past," she said.
The annual 'Change your smoke alarm battery' campaign currently under way in WA highlights the fact that 'only working smoke alarms save lives'.
FESA encourages householders who do not have the mains-powered type of alarm installed in their home, to replace the battery in their smoke alarms on April 1 each year.
Mains-powered smoke alarms have been mandatory in all new homes in WA since 1997.
Existing homes were exempt unless they were undergoing substantial renovation.
Under the new arrangements, houses being sold will not be able to be transferred to a new owner unless they have at least one mains-powered smoke alarm.
Landlords will also be required to install at least one mains-powered smoke alarm in residential rental properties before a rental or lease agreement can become effective.
Mrs Roberts said the new requirements would also provide an opportunity for people who had already installed battery-powered smoke alarms to upgrade.
"Most smoke alarms that have been installed in dwellings are ionisation alarms and although these types do the job well, a newer type of alarm using photoelectric technology has been found to be even more effective," she said.
"These detect smouldering fires and fires starting in areas remote from smoke alarms earlier, allowing occupants more time to escape."
Minister's office - 9213 6600
