Standards Australia's Case to Mandate Photoelectric Smoke Alarms in Residential Applications
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In Feb 2006 Standards Australia Fire Protection Committee (FP002) discovered the scientific testing of ionization smoke alarms under the existing Australian smoke alarm standard was flawed. The Australian smoke alarm standard (AS3786), has now been corrected and the flawed testing has been eliminated. When the new Standard is adopted by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) ionization smoke alarms will have to pass a valid test, a test for smoke, the same test set for photoelectric smoke alarms. Scientific test data held by the CSIRO, the Australian Government scientific testing agency, proves ionization smoke alarms are unable to pass the existing, valid test set for photoelectric smoke alarms since Australian Government testing began in 1993 (see appendix A). Appendix A also states: “Please note that the test fire specified by the standard is a slowly developing smouldering fire which will inherently favour detection devices that detect visible smoke over ionisation type smoke alarms that do not detect smoke.” (emphasis added) Ionization ‘smoke’ alarms detect hot, invisible particles of combustion such as those emitted while cooking toast or when opening the oven door while cooking a roast. They do NOT detect visible smoke. See the ‘Class Action Law Suit’ below (June 2008) regarding “... prohibited practices, unfair deceptive and unconscionable conduct ...” in relation to representations made to consumers when selling ionization, product of combustion alarms as ‘smoke’ alarms, when scientific evidence proves they do not detect visible smoke. ‘The CAN Report’ (next document below) was written to support FP002’s case for the ABCB to adopt the corrected Standard.
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education, internet, people
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science & technology / living & lifestyle / news & politics / fire safety / ionization / photoelectric / smoke alarm standard / smoke detector codes
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