HB

HB 462010
Fire Safety in the Home
A guide to fre prevention
and protection
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Fire Safety in the Home

HB 462010
ISBN 978 0 7337 9420 9
First published as HB 461993.
Second edition 2010.
Author


BARRY M LEE, OAM, Dip Mech. E, Fl Fire E (Lond), FRSPH
Fellow Society of Fire Protection Engineers, USA

Barry is an Honorary Life Member and past president of FPA Australia, runs his own business, Lee Fire Management
Pty Ltd, which specialises in fire protection engineering. Barry was awarded the OAM in 1990 for services to industry
particularly in the field of fire protection.

Technical Consultant (formerly Technical Director) Tyco International Pty Limited. Past President, Australian industrial
Research Group, Fire Protection Industry Association, Fire Protection Association and Institution of Fire Engineers
(NSW Branch). Member Australian Committee, Det Norske Veritas and independent member DNVQA Quality
Committee. Member Australian Technical Committee, Lloyds Register of Shipping. Deputy Chairman, Industry Liaison
Committee, Fire Code Reform.

Member of Standards Australias Standards Development Committee and Chairman, Fire Standards Coordinating Group
and Technical Committee for Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems. Member of Standards Australias Technical Committee
for Gaseous Fire Extinguishing Systems. Represents Australia on ISO Technical Committee 21 and chairs
ISO/TC 21/SC 8, Gaseous Fire Extinguishing Systems.

Co-Author
____________________________

Mr David Michel, GI Fire E; AAII; MAIRM

David Michel is Project Manager at Standards Australia and Secretary to a number of Technical Committees including
Fire Maintenance, Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems, Fire Pumpsets and Water Tanks, Fire Safety and Bushfires and
Executive Officer of the Fire Standards Coordination Group.
Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the following for providing assistance in publishing this Handbook.

Fire Protection Association Australia PO BOX 1049 Box Hill Vic 3128
www.fpaa.com.au Telephone: 03 9890 1544 Facsimile: 03 9890 1577 Email: fpaa@fpaa.com.au
Cover

Cover illustration shows children in the safety of their home comforted by the warmth of a fire that could destroy their
lives if the associated risks are not considered. Note the absence of a firescreen.
Copyright

Standards Australia Limited

All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written
permission of the publisher.
Published by Standards Australia Limited, GPO Box 476, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: 02 9237 6000
Fax: 02 9237 6010
Email: mail@standards.org.au
Internet: www.standards.org.au

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HB 462010 Fire safety in the home


Page 1

Contents
Foreword .................................................... .................................... 2
Chapter 1 Introduction ....................................... 5
Chapter 2 Causes of fire in the home ................................................................................ 7
Chapter 3 Fire preventionManaging fire risk .................................................................. 8
Chapter 4 Fire protectionManually operated equipment .............................................. 10
Chapter 5 Fire protectionAutomatic systems ............................................................... 13
Chapter 6 Home escape plan .......................................................................................... 18
Chapter 7 Stop, drop and roll .......................................................................................... 24
Chapter 8 Bushfires ........................................................................................................ 26
Appendices
A Australian Standards .................................................................................................. 29
B Storage of flammable and combustible liquids ........................................................... 30
C Fire prevention checklist ............................................................................................ 32
D Identify the fire dangers in and around your home ..................................................... 34
E Major construction features ability to better withstand attack from bushfire................. 35
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 37

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Fire safety in the home HB 462010


Page 2

Foreword
In Australia every year over 9000 homes or flats have fires that cause serious damage and
frequently endanger the lives of the occupants. In the average year about 100 people, many
of them children, die in home fires, and probably more than 1000 suffer serious burns.
Every week there are narrow escapes from death or serious injury in home fires.
This Handbook concentrates on fire safety issues in the home in which persons normally live
and does not attempt to give guidelines on safety in unfamiliar buildings, although most of
the recommendations made under the heading of Special considerations for flats and units
would apply.
This Handbook does not
cover precautions to be taken when leaving the house vacant because these do not
impact directly on fire safety;
give instructions regarding the correct use of firefighting equipment (such as fire
extinguishers)consult with your local fire brigade;
specify the method of fighting fires; or
attempt to cover the construction of homes located in bushfire-prone areas, which is
covered by AS 3959, Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas.
This Handbook provides information on first aid treatment for burns as this is considered to
be of vital importance in reducing the effects of shock and initial infection.
Should the occupant, at any time, be unsure about what could or should be done to improve
the fire safety features of the residence, information both printed and verbal can be obtained
from the local fire brigade or from Fire Protection Association Australia
[1]

This Handbook should be viewed as a means of understanding what types of fire protection
and detection equipment are available and their usefulness in protecting the life and property
of the dwellings occupants, and what preventive measures can be taken by the occupant.

It should be noted that the majority of fires affecting the wellbeing and safety of occupants
occur in the least regulated of buildings, namely one and two family domestic homes.

[1]
See inside front cover for FPAA contact details.
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HB 46-2010, Fire Safety in the Home