Call to check homes after insulation ban
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Updated
The home insulation program has been plagued with problems. (7.30 Report)
The Master Electricians Association says the Federal Government's ban on foil insulation in its energy efficiency program will save lives, but every home that has had the product installed must now be checked.
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has today suspended the use of foil insulation in the Government's rebate program.
"I have instructed my Department to continue urgent consultations with technical experts and electrical safety authorities, as well as the foil insulation industry," he said in a statement.
"Based on the outcome of these discussions I will consider what additional steps will be required if foil insulation is to remain eligible for a rebate under the Home Insulation Program."
A $1,200 rebate has been offered to people who insulate their homes, but the program has been plagued with problems.
A 25-year-old north Queensland man was the second to die installing foil insulation earlier this month. Two other deaths have also been associated with the program.
Malcolm Richards from Master Electricians says about 37,000 homes have had foil insulation installed in Australia and it has been a dangerous part of the program.
"We've had two fatalities and a large number of other incidents where either a staple's been driven through the foil into a live cable or secondly we've had existing faults in the home wiring and that's led to the foil being electrified," he said.
Mr Richards says the results of a recent audit of the program show a high percentage of foil insulated homes could have electrified ceilings.
He wants each one checked.
"We're calling now on the Government to upgrade the 10 per cent auditing program to 100 per cent in the light of the figures which are indicating up to 500 homes across the country have potentially live ceilings today," he said.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt supports the call.
"We know that 16 roofs have been discovered as electrified, the industry thinks there are potentially an extra 60 deadly electrified roofs which haven't been discovered, haven't been audited and which are out there at risk to home owners, installers, and anybody who is working in the roof space in a house," he said.
Master Electricians says it is meeting with the Environment Minister tomorrow to discuss the energy efficiency program.
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