January 2006
Example Article: SMOKE ALAMS IN ALL UNITS BY 1ST MAY 2006The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EPA Act) 1979 has been amended to require the following things:
- All Buildings where a person sleeps to have one or more smoke alarms fitted
- They must be fitted before a building (or unit) is re-sold or rented.
- They must be fitted to all dwellings by May 1, 2006
- They may be fitted to a strata unit without owners corporation approval.
- They may not be tampered with or removed. However the Act does not specify
- What type of smoke alarm must be fitted.
- Their specific location within a lot, or
- Maintenance required.
What does this mean to owners?
By May 2006 all units must have a smoke alarm fitted. Anytime a unit is sold or rented the owner (not the owners corporation) must ensure there is a smoke alarm fitted.
The smoke alarms required may simply be battery powered, though the law as it stands means there is provision for this to potentially change to 240 volt battery back-up units (AS3786) as required in new buildings.
Unit owners must be made aware of their obligations under the law.
Maintenance required? Australian Standard AS1851-2005 requires annual testing if it is a AS3786 smoke alarm, however no maintenance is required for battery only devices.
What action should an executive committee take?
- At the very least, encourage owners to purchase and install battery powered smoke alarms ($10- $40) and fit them themselves
- Consider gaining owners approval to have the owners corporation’s fire contractor fit AS3786, 240 volt battery back-up smoke alarms for $150- $240/unit depending upon layout, ceiling, number of bedrooms, number of units per visit, type and style of smoke alarm etc.
- Owners should be encouraged to install photo-optical (photo electric) smoke alarms adjacent the bedrooms as photo-optical are far more reliable and do not false alarm easily (90% of smoke alarms are of the “ionization type” and false alarm very easily - therefore causing tenants and owners annoyance and potentially ultimately tearing them down.
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