What are the changes to Queensland Smoke Alarm Legislation and what date do I need to comply by?
Queensland is leading the way in fire safety, and new legislation will make our households the safest in Australia.
Key aspects of the legislation that you need to be aware of are:
- All Queensland dwellings will be required to have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in ALL bedrooms, and in hallways that connect bedrooms to the rest of the dwelling. This is a requirement on every level.
- A 10-year phased rollout of interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in Queensland will happen over three specific periods starting from 1 January 2017.
www.qfes.qld.gov.au/community-safety/smokealarms/Pages/existing-properties.aspx
So you might be thinking, how long do I have until the changes are legally required? The three specific dates to comply with and have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms are:
- From 1 January 2017: in all new dwellings and substantially renovated dwellings (this applies to building applications submitted from 1 January 2017).
- From 1 January 2022: in all domestic dwellings leased and sold.
- From 1 January 2027: in all other domestic dwellings.
The interconnected photoelectric alarms see smoke and will alert you in early fire stages so you can escape. Because they are interconnected, you will be alerted no matter where you are in relation to where the fire starts. These types of smoke alarms need to be hardwired by a licensed electrician. If hardwiring is not possible, a non-removable 10-year battery smoke alarm can be installed in place.
