smokealarm industry booklet

7/27/2019 SmokeAlarm Industry Booklet

1/13

Smoke AlarmsInstallation and Maintenance

This booklet has been developed in the interesto public saety to provide Industry and Retailers

with the correct inormation and advice that canbe given to their customers.

For more inormation phone the inormation hotline number:1300 369 003 (the cost o a local call) or go to the QueenslandFire & Rescue Service website at www.re.qld.gov.au

Inormation or Retail and Industry.

New Legislation commences 1 July 2007.


2/13

IntroductionThe government has announced that new

legislation will commence on 1 July 2007

that makes it compulsory or all homes in

Queensland to have smoke alarms installed.

Since 1 July 1997 all new homes have been

required to have smoke alarms installed when

they are built. There is currently no legal

requirement or homes built beore 1 July 1997

to install smoke alarms. The new legislation

will ll the gap and require older homes builtbeore July 1997 to install smoke alarms.

The new legislation:

j States Smoke Alarms must comply with

Australian Standard AS 3786.

j States where smoke alarms are to be

located (page 17); and

j Sets out the rules that apply to landlords

and tenants or the installation and

maintenance o smoke alarms (page 16).

The level o protection against re increases

with the quality, type and number o smoke

alarms installed. This booklet will assist you

in giving reliable inormation to customers tohelp them choose smoke alarms wisely.

smoke alarms

Protecting Queenslanders

Families Life - Property

Some Factsj Smoke alarms are early detection devices that save lives.

j The risk o death rom re is three times higher in homes without

smoke alarms when compared to homes with smoke alarms.

j 100% coverage o working smoke alarms in domestic residences could

save 106 lives over 20 years.

j In Queensland between 1997 to 2005, 78% o all re deaths occurred

in homes without smoke alarms.

j 15.8% o Queensland homes do not have any smoke alarms, and nearly8% o homes have alarms installed which do not work, usually because

batteries have been removed or are fat.

j Between June 1997 and July 2005 the Queensland Fire and Rescue

Service attended 321 house res where smoke alarms were installed

and not working because batteries were removed or fat.

j In Queensland between January 2004 and June 2006, 15 people

including 4 children have died in house res that did not have smoke

alarms or had smoke alarms that did not work because batteries were

removed or fat.

These tragic statistics emphasise the serious risks presented by house

fres and show why smoke alarms are a necessary saety device.

For more information

phone the information

hotline number:

1300 369 003

(the cost of a local

call) or go to the

Queensland Fire

& Rescue Service

website at

www.re.qld.gov.au


3/13

Smoke killsToxic smoke and umes kill. In a house re, it is the famesthat do the structural damage, but smoke is the maindanger to people. The majority o deaths in res comerom smoke poisoning.

Modern homes contain many materials, such as wood,

wool, nylon and plastics which, when burning, give outheavy smoke and toxic umes such as carbon monoxide andcyanide gas. These materials can smoulder or a long time,emitting a lot o smoke and umes beore they burst intoactual fames.

I you are asleep when a re starts, you could suerrom smoke inhalation beore you wake up. In act, thecombination o toxic smoke and reduced oxygen in the aircan make waking up more dicult. So it is important tohave a smoke alarm that rapidly detects smoke.

Recent research indicates that house res today burn aster

and kill quicker than house res 30 years ago. Researchin the 1970s showed a sae escape time o 17 minutes.In 2005 this has decreased to an escape time o only 3minutes. The drastic drop in escape time is due to thecontents o modern homes (such as urnishings) that burnaster and more intently.

What is the difference betweensmoke alarms and smoke detectors?Smoke alarms are dened as sel-contained, single or multiple-station

smoke-sensing devices. Smoke alarms may include two or more single

station units wired to operate in conjunction with each other. Alarms have

a detection device and sounder.

Smoke detectors are dened as smoke-sensing devices that are not

sel-contained, that are intended or use in conjunction with a re alarm

system control panel. Detectors only have a detection device.


4/13

Ionisation Smoke AlarmsThese smell the smoke. This type detects invisible particles o combustion

e.g. rom cooking toast. They activate more quickly or ast, faming res

and little visible smoke.

Advantages:

j Cheaper than other types

j Very good with ast faming res with little visible smoke

j Suitable or general use

j Less prone to alse alarms due to dust and steam

Disadvantages:

j Very susceptible to nuisance alarms due to cooking

j May be slow to respond to slow smouldering res

j Contain radioactive material

Photoelectric (Optical) SmokeAlarms (highly recommended)

These see the smoke (optical). This type detects visible particles o

combustion e.g. smouldering cigarette smoke. They respond to a wide

range o res, but they are particularly responsive to smouldering res

and the dense smoke given o by oam lled urnishings or overheated

PVC wiring. This type is highly recommended or the amily home.

Advantages:

j Good or smouldering res and dense smokej Not as prone to cooking nuisance alarms

j Contain no radioactive material

j Suitable or general use

Disadvantages:

j Prone to nuisance alarms rom dust and insects must be kept clean

j More expensive

Protection against fre increases with the quality and t ype o smoke

alarm that is installed. Research indicates that photoelectric smoke

alarms are generally more eective than ionisation types across a

wider range o fres experienced in homes.For this reason, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS)

recommends that photoelectric smoke alarms be installed,

especially i you are installing only one alarm. I you already have

ionisation smoke alarms installed, QFRS recommends that you

supplement the existing alarms with photoelectric types, especially

between sleeping areas and exits rom your home (e.g. hallways);

and at the end o the service lie o existing smoke alarms, replace

them with photoelectric types.


5/13

Why choose photoelectric(optical) alarms?Photoelectric smoke alarms are much aster at detecting the majority o

dangerous situations than ionisation alarms. Studies have shown that

photoelectric alarms typically respond to smouldering res within three

to ve minutes, while the level o smoke is still airly low and escape is

relatively easy.

Most ionisation alarms take much longer by which time there is enough

smoke to signicantly reduce visibility, making escape not impossible

but much more dicult. The ast-faming, relatively smokeless res thationisation alarms detect quickly are not as common in most domestic

situations. When such a re starts, it is usually in the kitchen while

someone is there and can do something about it. Even i no one is there,

other nearby material usually catches re quickly giving out smoke.

Photoelectric and Ionisation smokealarms are classed according topower supply

240 volt (hardwired) Smoke Alarm is connected to ahomes electrical system and has battery back-up power supply either long

lie lithium or 9 volt short term. This type is available as a photoelectric

or ionisation alarm. The photoelectric 240 volt type o alarm is highly

recommended or all homes.

Advantages:

j More reliable than battery alarms

j Early warning occupants alerted in the shortest possible time

j Uses a battery to provide back-up power i the AC power ails

j Models can be interconnected which sound alarms in all connected units

j May come with a long lie Lithium Battery built-in and tamper proo

j Power-on indicator

j In some models a hush button exists to stop nuisance alarms

j Test button to ensure correct operation

j Tested by Scientic Services Laboratories to comply with AS3786

j Some can be purchased with a rechargeable battery (non-replaceable)

Disadvantages:

j More expensivej Need to be installed by a qualied electrician

In Queensland, hardwired smoke alarms are required to be

installed in all new properties and those properties that are

being signifcantly renovated (i.e. renovations exceeding more

than 50 percent o the original building, measured over the roo

and the external walls).


6/13

10 11

10 year Battery Smoke Alarm is stand alone andoperated only by a 9 volt long lie lithium battery. This type o alarm is

recommended or all homes. This basic alarm is available as photoelectric

or ionisation. It is recommended that a photoelectric be installed as this

type o alarm is particularly responsive to smouldering res.

Advantages:

j Easy to install

j No need to change battery (10 year battery lasts the lie o the alarm)

j Test button

j Available with tamper proo battery (battery cannot be removed)

j Considered very reliable

j Can be interconnected with other alarms

Disadvantages:

j Nil

9 Volt Smoke Alarm is stand alone and operated only by a 9 voltbattery. This basic alarm is available as photoelectric or ionisation. It is

recommended that a photoelectric be installed as this type o alarm is

particularly responsive to smouldering res.

Advantages:j Easy to install

j Test button to ensure correct operation

j Low battery indication

j In some models a hush button to stop nuisance alarms

j Battery missing indicator

j Tested by Scientic Services Laboratories to comply with AS3786

j Some models can be interconnected

Disadvantages:

j Battery needs to be replaced regularly (usually at 12 month intervals).

Research indicates that a primary reason why smoke alarms do not

operate when needed is because batteries have been removed ater

repeated alse alarms.

False alarms are oten caused by steam rom bathrooms or by

cooking umes.

Research indicates that photo-electric alarms are less prone to alse

alarms rom cooking umes.


7/13

1 1

Other options include:

j Alarms or the hearing impaired

j Alarms with emergency lights

j Special models or kitchens and caravans

j Inter-connectable models which sound alarms in all connected units

Hearing impaired options

For people who would not be able to hear a conventional smoke alarm

there are special smoke alarms available or the hearing impaired which

make use o a vibrating pad and/or a fashing light in addition to the

audible warning. These may not be readily available rom retail outlets

but are available rom smoke alarm suppliers. Suppliers are listed in the

yellow pages under Fire Protection Equipment.

Maintenance adviceTest smoke alarms regularly and ollow the manuacturers instructions.

240 volt (hardwired):

Do not replace the supplied battery back up with one o a dierent type,

in particular replacing a zinc carbon or alkaline with a non-rechargeable

lithium type. The use o the incorrect batteries can deteriorate the

perormance o the smoke alarm. There is a saety concern when retrotting

lithium batteries into 240 volt smoke alarms. I a non-rechargeable lithium

battery is placed in a 240-volt device and is subjected to a charging current

then it will explode.

10-year lithium battery:

Some models come with a pre-installed 10-year lithium battery.

This eliminates the need to replace the battery every year, as the lithium

battery will last or the lie o the smoke alarm.

12 Month 9 volt batteries:

Should be changed at least once a year. Decide on a memorable day such

as an anniversary, birthday or public holiday, a suggestion could be to

program the change date into a mobile phone or calendar.

Smoke alarms should be cleaned each month using the fne nozzle

o a vacuum cleaner or sot brush.

Smoke alarms must never be painted.


8/13

1 1

Choosing a smoke alarmProtection against re increases with the quality and type o smoke alarm

that is installed.

240 Volt (Hard-wired) photoelectric smoke alarms are preerable to battery

operated smoke alarms.

When Purchasing smoke alarms, select models that display one o these

symbols:Australian Standard (AS), Scientifc Services Laboratory (SSL).

Smoke alarms can be installed either stand alone or interconnected.

Interconnection allows all smoke alarms to sound simultaneouslyshould any one alarm activate. All occupants are alerted,

maximising the opportunity or escape. Childrens bedrooms should

have a smoke alarm, and be connected to the parents bedroom

because children sleep more soundly than adults. A signifcant

percentage o residences ftted with smoke alarms remain

unprotected due to depleted or missing batteries.

How many smoke alarmsare required?Legally required minimum:

As a legal minimum requirement, a smoke alarm must be installed on or

near the ceiling on any storey;

j Between any area containing bedrooms and the rest o the house or

unit e.g. hallways.

j On a storey not containing bedrooms on the most likely evacuation

route rom the storey.

Recommended by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service:

j Smoke alarms in single dwellings should be located in all sleeping

areas and in all paths o travel between sleeping areas and exits to

the open air.

j Smoke alarms in buildings containing 2 or more separate dwellings

should be located in all sleeping areas and in all paths o travel

between sleeping areas and exits to common corridors.

j Smoke alarms in multi-level dwellings, in addition to the above

provisions should be located in the path o travel between each level

in such dwellings.

j Due consideration be given to the eect on smoke alarm perormance

by air conditioners, heaters, ans and other temperature control

devices, smoke alarms should be located where these devices will not

compromise the eectiveness o the smoke alarms.

j Whenever possible, smoke alarms should not be installed in close

proximity to kitchens and bathrooms.


9/13

1 1

Near bedrooms and on every

storey o a multi-level house.

* Minimum by law rom

1 July 2007.

Additional alarms are needed

in homes with separated

sleeping areas.


1 July 2007.


1 July 2007.

Inside the bedroom i you are

a heavy sleeper or i you close

the door.

* Additional recommendation

or added saety (not law).

Ideal Locations:Advice on Landlords, Tenantsand Sellers requirements

j Smoke alarms complying with Australian Standard 3786-1993

to be installed in houses and units.

j Smoke alarms to be located outside sleeping areas and one on

each level (the same as the location requirements or homes built

since 1997 under the Building Code o Australia). The typical

home will require 1 or 2 smoke alarms.

j Lessors to install alarms, replace them when necessary, and

clean, test and, i necessary, change batteries, beore the start o

a tenancy.

j Tenants to test and clean every 12 months and replace batteries

as required during the tenancy.

j The seller o a home must give written notice to the purchaser

beore settlement advising whether smoke alarms are installed in

the home. The seller is also required to give notice to this eect to

the Queensland Land Registry. This must be done within 90 days o

settlement. A standard orm (24) is available rom the Queensland

Land Registry.

Between the bedrooms and

the rest o the house.


10/13

1

Customer Copy Customer Copy

Properly located smoke alarms

are only one part o a good home

fre saety system.



fre saety system.


11/13




fre saety system.



fre saety system.


12/13




fre saety system.



fre saety system.


13/13

smokealarm industry booklet

Documents