The CSIRO's Ionization Smoke Alarm Test Data:
The Key to Saving Thousands of Lives Globally
"Australian government (CSIRO) test data is the
key to banning ionization smoke alarms globally."
Adrian Butler
Adrian Butler, Chairman, Former Full-Time Fire Fighter, Co-Founder, The World Fire Safety Foundation, Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Hearing, Brisbane, Australia | 26 Oct 2015
Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) is one of the world's largest government-owned scientific agencies. The CSIRO is paid to test smoke alarms to the specifications laid out in Australia's smoke alarm standard (AS3786-1993). The Australian Standards FP002 committee oversees Australia's smoke alarm standard.
In February 2006 a senior CSIRO employee and FP002 committee member, revealed that CSIRO
test data proves that the ionization type of smoke alarm in most Australian (and U.S.) homes do not activate until dangerously high and totally unacceptable level of visible smoke.
Despite requests spanning five years, the CSIRO refuses without just cause, to release the test data.
How Safe are Products Bearing the
CSIRO (Australia) or UL (U.S.A.) Marks?
"No one questions the CSIRO's ability to test ionization 'smoke' alarms to the specifications in Australia's flawed smoke alarm standard (AS3786-1993). The problem lies with the CSIRO's ongoing certification of these defective devices after they revealed, in February 2006, that the Standard is flawed."
Australia: CSIRO ACTIVFIRE® CERTIFICATION
Adrian Butler, Chairman, Co-Founder, World Fire Safety Foundation , QLD, Australia | 30 October 2015
More > > >
United States: UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL) CERTIFICATION
Smoke alarms sold in the United States are tested to the U.S. smoke alarm standard (UL217).
After Underwriters Laboratories (U.L) were sued for alleged fraudulent testing of ionization smoke alarms in December 2011 they settled out of court with a Confidentiality Order.
More > > >
The "Gold standard" of American Safety, the Underwriters
Laboratories Seal, May be Tarnished Say Some Fire Officials
Washington Post article exposing
U.L.'s flawed smoke alarm standard
How Safe Are Products Bearing the UL Mark?
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is the worlds largest independent product testing company.
The integrity of UL’s scientific testing of ionization smoke alarms has been under scrutiny for decades.
The World Fire Safety Foundation first wrote to UL 2005 warning that their testing of ionization smoke alarms is flawed.
More > > >
CSIRO Chronological Index
Click on underlined blue text to automatically scroll to item:
1. 22 August 2006 | WFSF Film:
CSIRO Certified Ionization Smoke Alarms Not Activating Until "Dangerously High" Levels of Smoke
Australia's leading fire safety expert and Standards Australia committee member David Isaac goes public after a senior CSIRO employee reveals ionization smoke alarms have life-threatening defects.
2. 1 February 2007 | Standards Australia Report:
Standard Australia's Case to Correct Australia's Flawed Smoke Alarm Standard (AS3786-1993)
See senior employee's startling admission confirming the CSIRO's awareness of the life-threatening defects with ionization alarms (pages 9 & 10).
3. 22 February 2007 | WFSF Report:
'Recommending Selling or Installing Ionization Smoke Alarms, a Criminal Act of Negligence?'
World Fire Safety Foundation report sent to CSIRO about life-safety and legal concerns when failing to warn of the known, life-threatening defects with ionization alarms.
4. 20 May 2009 ~ Present | Open Letters:
CSIRO & UTC's Failures to Disclose
Correspondence warning the the CSIRO that the ionization alarms they certify as safe has life threatening defects.
5. 26 July 2010 | Sunshine Coast Daily Report:
“This documentary exposes the fraud and corruption that has led to millions of people around the world installing the wrong type of smoke alarm in the mistaken belief that they are protected from fire.”
6. 10 May 2011 | Channel 9 Brisbane News Report:
Ionization Smoke Alarms Unable to Pass Standard Australia's Visible Smoke Test
Darren Curtis, Senior reporter warns that "...the ionization alarms have failed the Australian standard since 1993."
7. May ~ December 2013 | WFSF Report:
'Can Australian & U.S. Smoke Alarm Standards Be Trusted?'
Report published in Australia's Volunteer Fire Fighter Association magazine with Open Letter to CSIRO CEO about life-safety and legal concerns with the CSIRO's testing of ionization alarms.
8. 13 May 2013 | CSIRO CEO Open Letter:
Should the CSIRO Certifiy Ionization Smoke Alarms?
Open letter to CSIRO CEO Dr Megan Clark AC about life-safety and litigation concerns with the CSIRO's ActivFire® certification scheme.
9. 14 June 2014 | Radio Interview:
'The Law & You' with U.S. Law Firm, Beasley Allen - Alabama, U.S.A.
Campaigners discuss a U.S. court case where CSIRO scientific test data was suppressed with a Protection Order.
10. 13 May 2015 | CSIRO CEO Open Letter
CSIRO ActivFire® Certification is Costing Lives
Open letter to CSIRO CEO Dr Larry Marshall about life-safety and litigation concerns with the CSIRO's ActivFire® certification scheme.
11. 3 August 2015 | CSIRO Submission
CSIRO Submission to the Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry
The CSIRO's submission to the the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee who are overseeing Australia's Senate Inquiry on 'The Use of Smoke Alarms to Prevent Smoke and Fire Related Deaths'.
12. 26 October 2015 | Hansard Report:
Australian Smoke Alarm Senate Inquiry - First Hearing Transcript
Australian Government (Hansard) transcript of Australian Senate Inquiry witness testimony exposing the CSIRO's failure to release critical test data (pages 9 - 16) and debunking the working smoke alarms' myth.
13. 27 October 2015 | Radio Interview:
'ABC Radio Interview - Senate Inquiry - Ionization Smoke Alarms'
"Another solution is what we proposed at the Senate Inquiry yesterday - is to just have the CSIRO disclose the level of smoke that the ionization alarms activate under the Australian Standard."
14. 27 October 2015 | Newspaper Report:
'Golinski Dad Says Awareness is Crucial for Fire Safety'
WFSF Chairman states, "CSIRO testing data, if released, could help end the debate and see photoelectric devices made mandatory."
15. COMING SOON | Official Requests:
Freedom of Information Requests - Housing New Zealand Corporation & CSIRO
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION) Requests under New Zealand's Official Information Act (1982) and Australia's Freedom of Information Act (1982) relating to ionization smoke alarms.
16. COMING SOON (embargoed until AAT Tribunal Decision) | WFSF Report:
Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry - CSIRO Omissions and Misrepresentations
WFSF report explaining CSIRO misrepresentations when questioned by the Chairman of the Legislative Committee at the Dec 2015 Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry.
1. 22 August 2006
Index
David Isaac, Member, Standards Australia Committee FP002 | August 2006
"Now what we discovered (in February 2006) as the Australian Standards committee doing some inquiries into test data, to our horror, was that ionization smoke alarms are allowed
to go to 50-60% obscuration per meter . . . dangerously high, totally unacceptable."
David Isaac is Australia's leading fire safety expert. He is a member of the FP002 committee that oversees Australia's smoke alarm standard. In this film Isaac explained committee members "horror" after a FP002 committee member and Australian Government (CSIRO) employee revealed that even though ionization smoke alarms do not activate until "dangerously high" levels of smoke, the CSIRO allows them to be certified as safe.
CSIRO ActivFire® Certified Ionization 'Smoke' Alarms do not Activate until "Dangerously High" and "Totally Unacceptable" Levels of Smoke
"The smoke alarm shall be designed to
respond reliably to the presence of smoke."
Clause 3.1, of Australia's flawed smoke alarm standard, (AS3786-1993)
More > > >
2. 1 February 2007
Index
Standard Australia's Case to
Mandate Photoelectric Smoke Alarms
Download
0.6 Megs
"Please note that the test fire specified by the standard is a slowly developing
smoldering fire which will inherently favor detection devices that detect
visible smoke over ionization type smoke alarms that do not detect smoke."
Statement by Mr Peter Haggar, a senior materials scientist, CSIRO employee and Standard
Australia Committee member that oversees Australia's smoke alarm standard (AS3786-1993).
3. 22 February 2007
Index
Recommending Selling or Installing Ionization
Smoke Alarms, a Criminal Act of Negligence?
Download
1.4 Megs
World Fire Safety Foundation report about life-safety and litigation concerns with the ionization
type of smoke alarms currently installed in hundreds of millions of homes around the world.
The C.A.N. report was sent to Mr Peter Haggar, a CSIRO senior materials scientist and Standards
Australia FP002 committee member (FP002 writes/oversees Australia's smoke alarm standard).
Index
4. 20 May 2009 ~ Present
CSIRO & UTC's (Kidde and Chubb) FAILURES TO DISCLOSE
OPEN LETTERS | from 20 May 2009 - 06 March 2014
Download
4.6 Megs
First Published 15 August 2012 - Updated 24 May 2015 | 35 pages
from an Australian MP & the WFSF to CSIRO CEOs and UTC Presidents
Mark Brisson
UTC Australasia
Louis Chenevért
UTC U.S.A.
Chris Gulaptis MP
Grafton NSW
Dr Megan Clark AC
Jan 2009 - Dec 2014
"The World Fire Safety Foundation believes the
CSIRO may be deemed negligent for certifying
ionization smoke alarms as fit for purpose."
Adrian Butler, World Fire Safety Foundation Co-Founder and
Chairman's message to the CSIRO's legal counsel | 29 July 2009
Adrian Butler
More > > >
5. 26 July 2010
Index
For 40 years the facts about the ionization type of smoke alarm supposedly 'protecting' hundreds of millions of families around the world have been hidden from the public and our fire fighters.
Legal precedence, scientific evidence and fire-fighter testing have now established the inherent flaws in ionization smoke alarm technology.
The World Fire Safety Foundation believes that selling, recommending or installing ionization alarms in homes could be deemed a criminal act of negligence. Discover the facts for yourself and find out how to properly protect your family from fire.
Film Probes Smoke Alarms
Sunshine Coast Daily Newspaper Report about the launch of the
updated World Fire Safety Foundation film, 'Stop The Children Burning'
26th July 2010 10:20 AM
A DOCUMENTARY which claims to expose the “devastating truth” about Australia’s most common type of smoke detectors will premier on the Sunshine Coast tonight.
Stop The Children Burning is the work of local film maker Peter Enright and tells the stories of three families who relied on the most common type of smoke alarm, the ionization type, with devastating results.
“This documentary exposes the fraud and corruption that has led to millions of people around the world installing the wrong type of smoke alarm in the mistaken belief that they are protected from fire,” the film’s publicity claims.
The screening will be held at the Maroochy Surf Club at 7pm and will be followed by an open forum with Adrian Butler from the World Fire Safety Foundation and Graham Hanlon, who is the manager of state community safety for the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
Extracted 30 Oct 2015 from Sunshine Coast Daily website:
www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/film-probes-smoke-alarms-devastating-truth/592072
6. 10 May 2011
More > > >
Ionization Smoke Alarms Unable to Pass
Standard Australia's Visible Smoke Test
Lead story on 6 o'clock Brisbane news warning that the ionization type of smoke alarm in
most Australian homes have failed* Australian Standards tests for visible smoke since 1993.
*unable to pass CSIRO tests for visible smoke
Index
7. May ~ December 2013
Index
Can Australian & U.S. Smoke Alarm Standards Be Trusted?
Download
5.8 Megs
Published in 'the official magazine of Australia's Volunteer Fire Fighters Association
Part 1: May 2013 edition, pages 5 - 8 | Part 2: December 2013 edition, pages 10 - 11
Note: 1. Flawed CSIRO testing - page 7 | The CSIRO's refusal to allow testing to be filmed - page 10
2. Administrative Appeals Tribunal Hearing (Butler vs CSIRO) regarding CSIRO test data .
Mr Chris Gulaptis MP from the Hansard recording of his parliamentary speech, NSW Australia | June 2013
Chris Gulaptis MP
"Will the CSIRO allow the media to
film its smoke alarm testing?"
8. 13 May 2013
Index
Should the CSIRO Certifiy Ionization Smoke Alarms?
WFSF OPEN LETTER TO
CSIRO CEO, Dr Megan Clark AC | 13 May 2013
Download
5.3 Megs
Darren Curtis, lead story, Channel 9 News, Brisbane, Australia | 11 May 2011
*Unable to pass Australian government (CSIRO) tests for visible smoke
"The fire services have known the ionization alarms have failed* the Australian Standard since 1993."
Darren Curtis
More > > >
9. 14 June 2014
Index
'The Law And You'
Ionization Smoke Alarm Whistle Blowers Radio Interview
Montgomery, Alabama U.S.A. | 14 June 2014 | with Labarron N. Boone Esq.
Labarron N. Boone, Partner, Beasley Allen Law Firm, Montgomery Alabama, U.S.A. with:
David Isaac, Australia's Leading Fire Safety Expert, FP002 Committee Member, NSW, Australia,
Dean Dennis, World Smoke Alarm Expert, Fathers For Fire Safety, Ohio, U.S.A., and
Adrian Butler, Chairman and Co-Founder of the World Fire Safety Foundation
Labarron N. Boone
Download
MP3 - 8.5 MB
More Beasley Allen Radio Interviews
H E R E > > >
10. 13 May 2015
Index
CSIRO ActivFire® Certification is Costing Lives
WFSF OPEN LETTER TO
CSIRO CEO, Dr Larry Marshall | 13 May 2015 | Updated 18 Sept 2016
Download
3.3 Megs
11. 3 August 2015
Index
12. 26 October 2015
Index
Hansard Comment: This is an uncorrected proof of evidence taken before the committee. It is made available under the condition that it is recognized as such.
WFSF Comment: This uncorrected proof will be replaced with the corrected (completed) document as soon as it is available.
Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry
First Hearing | Hansard Transcript
Brisbane, Australia | 26 October 2015
Download
0.5 Megs
Mr Louie Naumovski's Senate Inquiry testimony (pages 1-8 below) explains why the
statement that the public need "working smoke alarms" is putting lives at risk.
The public need working photoelectric smoke alarms | 26 Oct 2015
Logan House Fire Support Network (LHFSN) Co-Founder Mr Louie
Naumovski Debunks the "You Need Working Smoke Alarms" Myth
LHFSN's Senate Inquiry Submission > > >
13. 27 October 2015
Index
with ABC Journalist & Presenter, Annie Gaffney and
World Fire Safety Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder, Adrian Butler
ABC Radio Interview
Senate Inquiry - Ionization Smoke Alarms
"Another solution is what we proposed at the Senate Inquiry yesterday - is to just have the CSIRO disclose the level of
smoke that the ionization smoke alarms activate under the Australian Standard . . . once we get that information
we believe that's the information that can lead to having ionization smoke alarms banned and recalled."
7 minutes, 32 seconds
More ABC Radio Interviews > > >
Annie Gaffney
14. 27 October 2015
Index
Golinski's Dad Says Awareness
is Crucial for Fire Safety
Scott Sawyer | 27th Oct 2015 7:49 PM
HIS son lost everything in a devastating housefire on Boxing Day 2011 and now celebrity chef Matt Golinski's father, Keith, has fronted a Senate inquiry in his push to see mandatory safety requirements improved.
Mr Golinski, who lost his daughter-in-law and three granddaughters in the blaze, said he was determined to see photoelectric smoke alarms adopted as mandatory measures in Australia, after major question marks had been raised over the safety of traditional, ionization alarms.
ionization alarms are the norm in Australia, however Mr Golinski said he was convinced photoelectric alarms, as well as greater community awareness were needed.
"People are really living a life of Russian Roulette," he said.
Mr Golinski said it was rewarding to see the amount of attention the issue was getting from both senators and the national media.
"It's very satisfying to see the amount of interest," he said.
"The change (to photoelectric) has certainly got to happen.
"It has to come through legislation and changes to building codes as well as public awareness."
There is growing evidence supporting the push for a shift, with photoelectric alarms able to be activated by identifying smoldering smoke, rather than having to wait until a flame had been formed like traditional alarms.
Many experts say this ability to identify and sound the alarm while a fire may still be in its smoldering stages could be the difference between life and death, and believe ionization alarms should be outlawed, as they simply don't act fast enough.
"ionization alarms aren't safe, they should be recalled," World Fire Safety Foundation chairman, co-founder and former fire fighter Adrian Butler said.
The Beerwah resident said he was grateful to Senator Glenn Lazarus for his support of the campaign, and said CSIRO testing data, if released, could help end the debate and see photoelectric devices made mandatory.
He said the push for a change in smoke alarm regulations had already gained plenty of traction in the US and he hoped the current Senate inquiry would be the catalyst for change in Australia.
Mr Golinski said while the pain would never fully heal, he hoped the changes would be introduced to avoid other families having go through what his had.
"You never get over a thing like that completely but you learn to keep it in its right place," he said.
"We had a horrible experience with a fire and (ionization) alarms that didn't operate that were supposed to be functioning and didn't warn anyone."
Extracted 30 Oct 2015 from Sunshine Coast Daily website:
www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/golinskis-dad-says-awareness-crucial-fire-safety/2821690
Mr Keith Golinski's interview with Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper the day after giving
testimony to the Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry that the smoke alarms in his
son's home failed to activate resulting in the loss of his wife and three daughters.
"We had a horrible experience with a fire and (ionization) alarms that didn't operate that were supposed to
be functioning and didn't warn anyone."
Keith Golinski
15. COMING SOON
Index
INFORMATION REQUESTS
Housing New Zealand Corporation - Official Information Act (1982)
CSIRO - Freedom of Information Act (1982)
COMING SOON
16. COMING SOON (embargoed until AAT Tribunal Decision)
Index
Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry | 4 Dec 2015
CSIRO Misrepresentations
COMING SOON-Embargoed Until AAT Tribunal Decision
See video below that was played at Tribunal Hearing - starts 20min, 50sec
Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry | 4 Dec 2015
Senate Inquiry Video Evidence Presented by WFSF at Administrative Appeals Tribunal | 9 July 2018
(video starts at 20 minutes 50 seconds)
Mark Burgess: Testified on behalf of CSIRO | Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Hearing | 5 Dec 2016
"The world is a dangerous
place to live; not because
of the people who are evil,
but because of the people
who do nothing about it."
Albert Einstein
"Ignorance, allied with..
power, is the most.. ferocious enemy..
justice can have."
James A Baldwin
"The only thing..
necessary for the.. triumph of evil is that..
good men do nothing."
Edmund Burke