The holiday season here in Australia is full of
all sorts of festivities from community parties to family gatherings. Part of
these celebrations are light-filled trees, illuminated decorations and other
electrically powered enhancements. Sadly, another part of these festivities are
malfunctions and even fires due to unsafe electrical practices. To prevent you
from dealing with these issues, we provide you with the following early
reminder on electrical safety guidelines during the holiday season.
1. Purchase only lights that contain low-wattage bulbs. Also, they need to be
UL safety approved, and here in Australia that means that you need to look for
the label that states, “UL Certified SAFETY AU E12345”. On top of this, LED
lights are the most energy-efficient as well as long-lasting.
2. Always test your lights before using them to be certain that they do not
start to melt or smoke when plugged in for at least 15 minutes.
3. Inspect old lights to locate any cracked sockets, broken bulbs, frayed
wires, inadequate insulation or loose connections.
4. Never overload extension cords, circuits and outlets since this can cause
shorts and even fires.
5. Adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions as far as how many light strings
are safe to connect together for a tree or a structure. Most of the time these
instructions state that no more than three strings should be connected in a
continuous light line. A fuse may blow and possibly cause a fire if you ignore
the warnings.
6. Use insulated clips rather than staples, tacks or nails to hang lights on a
home or other structure. The latter three fastening methods can fray the wires
of the lights.
7. Never use indoor lights for outdoor uses since they are not rated to stand
up to weather, such as rain.
8. Outdoor lights burn hotter than indoor lights and for this reason, you
should not use them on your indoor tree.
9. When you change the light bulbs or adjust the strings of light, unplug them
to eliminate the risk of shock.
10. If you choose to use an artificial Christmas tree, make sure that it is
flame-resistant.
11. Water a real tree daily to prevent it from drying out. It is at risk of
catching on fire from the lights when it becomes too dry.
12. Always turn off your holiday lights when you are away from your home or
other structure and when you are asleep.
For further information about this early reminder on electrical safety
guidelines during the holiday season, turn to Light-On Electrical. Our company
specialise in a vast array of quality electrical, air conditioning and
electrical services for residential, commercial, strata and industrial
properties.
Smoke detectors are mandatory for all residential and
commercial buildings across Australia. While certain local authorities may make
additional stipulations, all detector installations must comply with Australian
Standards. When you fail to adhere to these standards, your buildings will not
be safe for use, regardless of their purpose.
A Brief Explanation of the Requirements for Smoke Detectors in Residential
Structures
Smoke detectors need to be installed near or on the ceiling of every storey of
a residential building. Location of their installations must be ideal for not
only alerting awake occupants, but also those who are sleeping. The National
Construction Code or NCC classifies residential structures in the following
manner:
• Class 1a includes row houses, detached homes, townhouses, villa units and
terrace houses
• Class 1b includes guest houses, certain boarding houses and hostels
• Class 2 is for the sole-occupancy units, such as blocks of flats and
apartments.
• Class 3 includes residential sections of motels and hotels, backpacker
lodging establishments, residential areas of educational facilities and
accommodations for children, the disabled or the elderly.
• Class 4 covers the dwellings attached to shops and other non-residential
buildings.
The smoke detectors need to comply with the Australian Standard AS 3786. Most
of the models sold today should, but it is up to you to be certain of this
fact. Also, they need to be hardwired into the electrical mains of the
residential buildings along with containing a battery backup for when the power
fails if the structures have been built since August 1, 1997. Residential
buildings built prior to this day need to comply with the earlier Australian
Standard of AS 3786 – 1993. This regulation states that the smoke detectors
need to be in the correct locations with battery backups but hardwired versions
are not mandatory.
Information about the Regulations for
Smoke Detectors in Commercial Buildings
Regulations for smoke detectors in commercial structures are a bit more
complicated to explain. However, these detectors need to be part of the
essential safety measures set forth by the Victorian Building Act of 1993 along
with the 2006 Building Regulations. If the commercial building was built prior to
July 1, 1994, the owners need to adhere to the specification in Regulations
1212-1217. However, if the commercial building was constructed after July 1,
1994, the owners need to follow the Regulations 1201-1211. Each set of
regulations dictates the specifics clearly.
To ensure that your residential or commercial building adheres to Australian
Standards, contact Light-On Electrical. We will guide you in your choice of
smoke detectors as well as install them in the correct locations.