New Fire Alarm Laws for Qld Caravanners
Safety is at the forefront of new rules for caravan owners after a fatal caravan fire that tragically killed two people in Upper Brookfield last year.
The 2023 fire engulfed the van from all sides and two people were found deceased, leading to a call for tighter regulation of smoke alarm safety in caravans across the state.
As a result, legislation has been changed, and from July 1, 2024, all caravans and motorhomes with a new or transfer registration in Queensland must have an Australian Standard 3786:2014 compliant photoelectric smoke alarm.
By January 1, 2027, all caravans and motorhomes must comply.
A spokeswoman for Jawa Caravans Brisbane said increased safety regulation in the caravan industry is long overdue.
“Most concerning are caravans that come fitted with poor quality lithium batteries which pose a terrible safety risk.”
Prior to the new legislation, Queensland was one of only three states in Australia where smoke alarms in caravans and mobile homes were not mandatory.
The new laws are specifically focused on photoelectric smoke alarm systems. This is because, according to extensive trials and research, photoelectric smoke alarm systems have been found to be far superior to other types.
Studies by Texas A&M University found that (over a 2.5-year period of testing) ionisation alarms failed to provide adequate egress time in smouldering fire scenarios over 55% of the time. This is compared to a fail rate of just 4% for photoelectric alarms.
As part of the new legislation, all smoke alarms that are installed with the vans will also need to be interconnected, similar to home fire alarm systems. This means when one is triggered, all alarms will activate together.
These smoke alarms can either be hardwired to the mains power supply with a secondary source, or they can be powered by a 10-year non-removable battery.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) recommends installing at least one operational photoelectric smoke alarm inside the caravan near the bed and another in the annex if you sleep there.
QFES has also recommended that unregistered caravans, motorhomes, and mobile homes have a working smoke alarm to ensure early fire detection and safety.
The service says to avoid smoke alarms that have this symbol on them as they aren’t compliant, which means you won’t be covered by law.
Failure to comply with the requirements is an offence with a maximum penalty of five (5) penalty units (currently $774).
If you own or are purchasing a caravan in Queensland and have concerns over fire safety compliance, talk to the dealer or seller before you buy. Compliance is not only law, it can also save lives.