Some household items can be safety hazards, especially for young children.

Check your homes for common safety hazards and how to keep everyone safe:

• Baby and children's products, including change tables, cots and bunk beds.
• Sporting equipment. Trampolines, basketball hoops and treadmills.
• Button batteries.
• Pools and spas.
• Blind and curtain cord safety.
• Engineered stone.
• Furniture stability.
• Home DIY work.

Rental security

If you need information about locks and security doors in a rental home, see rental property security standards.

Decorative alcohol fuelled burners

Decorative alcohol fuelled devices, or ethanol burners, use alcohol fuel to make a flame. These burners have caused house fires and serious injury.

Mandatory standard

Ethanol burners must:

• Be fixed in place OR have a weight of at least 8 kilograms and a footprint of at least 900 square centimetres.
• Pass a stability test
• Include a fuel container with a flame arrester or a fuel pump
• Display warnings about refuelling hazards

Refuelling hazards

It can be very dangerous to refuel these devices. When the fuel is low, the flame can be blue or clear, making it hard to see. Refuelling when there is a flame or the device is still warm can cause an explosion.

Stay safe

• Always follow the safety instructions that come with the device.
• Never refuel when the device is still warm or if there is a flame.
• Use only approved fuel containers or automatic fuel pump systems.

Lithium-ion batteries 

Lithium-ion batteries are a common rechargeable battery. They can be dangerous if used, charged or stored incorrectly.

Risks of lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries can be highly flammable and cause explosions. They have caused property damage, serious injury, and even death. If there is an emergency, call 000 immediately.

Lithium-ion battery fire can be difficult to extinguish. The battery can reignite or explode days later.

Common uses of lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are in many rechargeable devices, such as:

• Phones, laptops, and smart wearables
• eRideable devices
• Camping and gardening equipment
• Toys
• Cordless tools
• Cordless household appliances

Stay safe

Most incidents happen while recharging. Follow these tips to stay safe:

• Avoid storing multiple batteries close to each other.
• Check charging times of devices. Set timers as a reminder to unplug devices.
• Disconnect products from chargers once they are fully charged.
• Charge lithium-ion batteries or products on surfaces such as concrete, ceramic, or steel.
• Never charge lithium-ion batteries or products on materials such as beds, sofas or carpet
• Use authentic charging cables and devices
• Do not use damaged chargers or charging cables.
• Don't use batteries showing signs of swelling, overheating, or damage.
• Check Recycle Mate or B-Cycle to safely dispose of lithium-ion batteries or products.
• Never put lithium-ion batteries or products in the bin or council waste collections. This can cause fires in bins, garbage trucks and waste facilities.

For more tips on avoiding fire risks visit:

• Building and Energy's Lithium-ion battery safety page 
• Product safety Australia’s Lithium-ion batteries page

More information about product safety

Product Safety Australia has more information about specific product standard bans and recalls.