Insulation update.
Notes and information on Insulation and Electrical Safety.
Ceiling Insulation.
A U Sparky have a lot of
experience with dealing with electrical equipment and ceiling insulation.
Contact us now to find out how you
can have you house inspected and made safe if you have had Foil Insulation
installed.
Members of the public will need to contact the Government’s
Hotline on 131 792 to obtain a Reference Number, which they
will then need to supply to the contractor undertaking the test. The contractor
will then be reimbursed by the government. Any remedial work required to fix
problem ceilings will also be reimbursed by the government, as long as it is
related to faulty foil insulation.
We recommend you contact the electrical safety office,
Energex or your Local Master Electrician Immediately if you suspect a electrical
fault or receive any kind of electric shock if you have insulation installed.
Important Link:
http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/fair-and-safe-work/electrical-safety/business-and-industry/insulation
Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations
The Honourable Cameron Dick
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Tougher safety measures for foil ceiling
insulation
The Bligh Government has introduced tough new
mandatory safety measures to minimise the risks associated with electrically
conductive foil ceiling insulation.
Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick today issued a Ministerial Notice
under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 that requires insulation installers to
arrange an inspection by a licensed electrical contractor before foil insulation
is installed in a ceiling.
“Installers must also ensure safety switches are installed on all circuits in
the ceiling space before work begins,” Mr Dick said.
“Foil insulation must be marked and separated from any wiring that cannot be
protected by a safety switch.
“I decided to issue the notice on the advice of the Electrical Safety Office,
Queensland’s independent electrical safety regulator.
“The notice relates specifically to electrically conductive foil ceiling
insulation products other than silver batts, to further strengthen the
regulatory safety measures that were implemented in Queensland in November last
year.”
Mr Dick said the Electrical Safety Office had advised that there was a large
stockpile of foil insulation products in Queensland and this surplus stock could
be sold legally at discounted prices and installed outside any new federal
scheme.
“The Queensland Government is concerned that these foil products could be rushed
into the marketplace and exacerbate any electrical risks that already exist,” he
said.
“The Electrical Safety Office is especially concerned that there is a high
likelihood of these foil insulation materials being used in ceiling spaces of
homes, leaving a legacy of electrical risk.
“The Electrical Safety Office has previously issued electrical safety alerts
advising that installation defects, vermin damage, the natural ageing of
electrical cables and home maintenance activities, can result in the
electrification of foil insulation over time.
“If homeowners choose foil ceiling insulation products, the latest Ministerial
Notice will ensure the strongest possible precautions are in place for the
safety of workers and householders – both now and in the future.”
Mr Dick said the notice applied from today in Queensland, irrespective of any
requirements or conditions to be imposed through the Australian Government's
yet-to-commence Household Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme.
“Last month, the Federal Government foreshadowed the introduction of a
strengthened compliance regime in conjunction with state and territory
occupational health and safety and fair trading authorities,” he said.
“This latest notice will complement any new compliance regime and provides a
clear regulatory framework necessary to address this important safety issue.”
Mr Dick said investigations by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the
Electrical Safety Office into the deaths of three insulation installers since
last October were continuing.
“Inspectors are doing everything within their power to expedite these matters,
but not at the expense of carrying out thorough investigations which will get to
the bottom of what happened in each case and find out whether there were any
breaches of Queensland’s safety legislation.”
Householders, insulation installers, electrical contractors and other
tradespeople wanting more information about the Ministerial Notice can visit the
Electrical Safety Office’s website at www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au or call
1300 650 662.
Media contact:
Office of the Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations 3239 3487
Sourced from
http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=68840
Qld imposes new insulation checks
Updated: 15:45, Tuesday March 9, 2010
The Queensland government will move to strengthen rules surrounding foil
insulation to ensure residents are not put in danger from an influx of cheap
products.
A federal government insulation scheme was canned after it was linked to the
deaths of installers, at least 93 house fires, and safety and quality problems
potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of homes.
Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick said the Queensland government was
concerned a stockpile meant products could be rushed into the marketplace,
exacerbating safety risks.
'Electrical safety officers (are) aware that there is currently a large
stockpile of insulation products in Queensland and this surplus stock may be
sold and installed at discounted prices outside any new federal scheme,' he told
state parliament on Tuesday.
Mr Dick said he would issue a ministerial notice under the Electrical Safety
Act on Tuesday afternoon regarding electrically conductive foil ceiling
insulation.
The new rules will require installers to arrange a pre-insulation electrical
inspection by a licensed electrical contractor and to install safety switches on
all circuits in the ceiling space.
They will also require installers to mark and separate foil insulation from
any wiring that cannot be protected by a safety switch.
Mr Dick said the rules would apply in Queensland irrespective of any
requirements under the federal government's yet-to-commence household renewable
energy bonus scheme.
He said the Electrical Safety Office would be advertising the new rules to
electrical contractors.
Sourced from MEDIA PUBLICATIONS.
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