New bunk bed rules start
As of 23 October, short-term rental accommodation providers are required to meet the new mandatory bunk bed safety standard.
Fair Trading executive director Brian Bauer said the standard has been put in place to keep children safe while they are staying away from home. “Almost 300 children are treated each year in Queensland hospital emergency departments for bunk bed related injuries,” Mr Bauer said. “The key safety feature of the new rules is that top bunks must have safety rails and there must not be any gaps that a child’s body can slip through or trap a child’s head.
“Under the new regulation, it is illegal to supply or offer rooms in hotels, resorts, holiday camps or other short-term accommodation that have non-compliant bunk beds where persons up to age of sixteen are likely to stay. It is the responsibility of owners and property agents to ensure their accommodation is now up to standard.”
The maximum penalty for breaching the safety standard is $200,000 for an individual and $1.1 million for a body corporate.
The new rules have been phased in over the last two years, and are enforceable from today and the Office of Fair Trading has been reminding the short term rental accommodation industry of the changes over the last 18 months.
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