Victoria
has had a number fatalities in house fires where there are no smoke
alarms or they have not been working. It is important to replace the
battery and test them regularly. Smoke alarms have a life of 10 years
and may need to be replaced. This also includes permanently wired in
ones. They use a radioactive isotope as the detection system and this
has a limited life. The city of Greater Geelong say domestic smoke
alarms can be disposed of the red rubbish bin as the level of
radioactive is low and it is encased in the detector. The CFA now
recommends the Lithium battery-powered ones with a battery life of 10
years. More information can be found on the CFA web page:
cfa.vic.gov.au.
www.cfa.vic.gov.au.
Only working smoke alarms save lives.
CO (Carbon monoxide) is a colourless, orderless and tasteless gas which is poisonous. It is produced by the incomplete burning of fuel such a natural gas and LPG. Risk is high for gas appliances that are not vented to the outside such as gas cooktops and heaters. Risk is also high in enclosed spaces such as caravans, boats and houses. CO detectors can be purchased from hardware stores. They are in the hardware stores in the same location as smoke detectors and are about the same price.
Last summer in Victoria, there were over 100 dangerous barbecue fires involving LP Gas cylinders. Some of those barbecue fires turned into house fires, resulting in serious burns and the loss and damage of family homes.
Before you light up the BBQ this summer check the hoses. If it has sunlight on it the UV will perish the rubber hose. If necessary replace the rubber hoses. This should be done by a suitably qualified person. A useful safety measure is to install a 'Gas Safety Shut-off Valve'. It fits between the gas cylinder and the gas regulator and automatically turns the gas off with a major leak. They can be purchased from hardware stores and BBQ places.
Hints:
Use in a well-vented area. (CO poisoning)
Test for leaks using soapy water.
Turn off at the gas cylinder when finished.
For more information on gas and electrical safety see 'Energy Safe Victoria' esv.vic.gov.au.