Need to know
- A new mandatory safety standard for washing machines is set to come into force in Australia
- It will require users to perform two distinct actions to start a load of laundry
- Fatal incidents overseas where children became stuck in washing machines are behind the rule
A new rule requiring users to perform a minimum number of steps to start a washing machine is set to be introduced in Australia.
The national standards body has designed what it says is a world-first mandatory safety measure to protect children after fatal incidents where kids have become trapped.
"The changes we're pushing forward here are to have a two-step process to start a [washing machine] cycle," says Adam Stingemore, Chief Development Officer at Standards Australia.
The standard, which manufacturers selling washing machines in Australia will have to follow, "should take us a long way to limiting kids getting into [a] washing machine and then starting it themselves", Stingemore says.
Fatal incidents driving change
Stingemore says incidents overseas where children have been caught in washing machines that have started running have led to the new standard.
"Over the last few years, there have been some really awful incidents around the world of children getting into washing machines and those washing machines starting and the children, in many cases dying," he explains.
Standards Australia's representatives pointed CHOICE to reports of incidents overseas, including one in New Zealand, where a young child was reported to have died after becoming trapped in a running washing machine.
Extra requirements a world first
Stingemore says the new standard will mean all washing machines will have to be designed to require users to take "two active steps", such as pressing two buttons, to start a cycle.
Any new washing machine sold in Australia won't have to comply with the dual-function standard until mid-2026, but Stingemore says the publishing of the new rule in June has already put Australia in a world-leading position.
Australia won't have to comply with the standard until mid-2026, but the publishing of the new rule has already put Australia in a world-leading position
"We are the first to put this into our washing machine standard," he says, adding that Standards Australia will push for the measure to also be included in the international requirements many jurisdictions use to regulate the washing machines sold to their consumers.
"We [will] push it up into the international system to get the change made there," he says.
Standard welcomed, but more safety rules needed
CHOICE experts regularly review washing machines and make sure models being sold to local consumers meet Australian standards.
Laundry expert Denis Gallagher says the new standard will change how Australians wash their clothes and CHOICE testers will be making sure machines sold here meet the latest requirement.
"We support the move and will be looking into this aspect in future washing machine tests," he says, adding that CHOICE scrutiny already helps progress product safety by testing goods to higher benchmarks than those required by mandatory standards.
We support the move and will be looking into this aspect in future washing machine tests
CHOICE product category manager Denis Gallagher
"While we generally follow all current standards, for some baby and children products we test over and above the legal requirements to include safety aspects we feel should be covered," he explains.
CHOICE deputy director of campaigns and communications Andy Kelly says while this work drives improvement, businesses making and selling goods should be required to do more themselves to make sure their products are safe before they end up in the hands of consumers.
"Australia's product safety regime remains reactive," he says. "We're calling on the government to introduce a general safety provision in the Australian Consumer Law."
"This would impose a duty on businesses to ensure the products they sell are safe before they're sold. Strong penalties for noncompliance would incentivise businesses to be more proactive about product safety," he says.
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