Smoke Alarms
NSW Mandatory Smoke Alarm Requirement
On 1 November 2006, the NSW Government made it compulsory for smoke alarms to be fitted in all residential type buildings where people sleep.
It is now an offence not to have smoke alarms installed in every storey of all homes and other shared accommodation buildings where people sleep. A maximum penalty of $300 will apply. It is also an offence to interfere with or remove a smoke alarm unless for the purpose of maintenance or replacement.
NSW has joined Victoria and South Australia in making smoke alarms a legal requirement in all homes after a horrific spate of fire deaths in May and June 2005 in which 13 people died in home fires across NSW in a period of just over two weeks.
The laws require smoke alarms in all places where people sleep, including houses, apartments, hostels and hotels.
Different premises have differing requirements in terms of the types of alarms that need to be installed and where they need to be located. Private dwellings require, for example, an Australian Standard 3786 hard-wired or battery smoke alarm. Fire and Rescue NSW recommends hard-wired photo-electric alarms.
The number of alarms depends on the size of the building and its configuration. For example, in a private dwelling, an alarm must be placed on the ceiling in an area between sleeping areas and living areas (such as a hallway leading to a bedroom), as well as in any other storey of the same building, even if it does not contain bedrooms.
The new laws aim to significantly reduce the number of home fire injuries and deaths.
For further information on smoke alarms go to the Fire and Rescue NSW web site at www.fire.nsw.gov.au.
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