The Minister for Small Business has just announced a national interim ban on the supply of certain decorative alcohol fuelled devices throughout Australia. The legislative instrument will come into force on Friday 17 March 2017 for a period of 60 days from this date.
The national interim ban has been narrowed from the scope of the State and Territory interim bans. The national interim ban will have the effect of allowing the supply of freestanding devices provided they are:
- at least 8 kilograms dry weight and a footprint of at least 900 square centimetres; and
- designed to reduce the risk that they will be refuelled when lit by having a fuel tank that must be removed from the device for refuelling and the device includes the following permanent warning about refuelling risks:
WARNING
Filling an alcohol fuelled device while lit has caused severe burns.
You must remove the fuel tank from the device before refilling.
When refilling first check the flame is extinguished and that the device is cool.
or
- supplied with a fuel container that incorporates a flame arrestor to protect the user if they attempt to refuel the device while it is still lit and the device includes the following permanent warning about refuelling risks:
WARNING
Filling an alcohol fuelled device while lit has caused severe burns.
When refilling only use containers with a flame arrestor.
When refilling first check the flame is extinguished and that the device is cool.
The national interim ban replaces interim bans imposed by the Ministers responsible for the Australian Consumer Law in Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, the ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The State and Territory interim bans expire between 21 and 23 March 2017.
The information on the Product Safety Australia website has been updated to reflect the Minister’s decision.
