Australian laws are introducing the “two buttons start”

[adam-aussie-vac]

Hey guys, so I found out that Australia is going to be introducing a specific function for front loading washing machines, and that is where you have to hit two buttons to start the machine, it’ll prevent a toddler or someone who probably shouldn’t be in the laundry anyway from climbing in and starting the machine, it does make me wonder if it’s only household appliances or if it’ll also be commercial/industrial equipment


It will come into effect on July 1 so any washing machines that are being sold after that we’ll have to be compliant, so probably anything before that will go really cheaply, if there’s an expensive machine that isn’t compliant, you can probably get it cheap

 

[vacerator]

Two kids would be needed have to start the machine if one is inside. They don't start with the door opened. This feature will not outsmart them. Don't they already have lock out controls feature?

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Potentially, but I would know that some washing machines that after you hit that button then you can shut the door and it’ll start by itself instead of waiting for you to shut the door and if you would hit the start button, you would have to physically shut the door and then hit the start button to start the machine

 

[aussie-plugs]

Is this another case of government needing to be seen to do something when any sort of tragedy occurs? Ironically, the video shows a new Miele where a four-step process is required. Select the program to turn on the machine at all, then close the door, then press button one, then buttong two (start). Existing Mieles already need to be 1. turned on, 2. have program selected, 3. close door before "start" option is activated, then 4. press start. I just wonder how much more complicated things need to be to protect the kids? Are there perhaps much more basic machines than mine out there, which is what this law is aimed at?

 

[spinspeed]

How ridiculous. How can a child climb in to the drum, and then shut the door on itself. Totally get it if one child inside and another outside to shut the door and hit start button. Nanny state of Australia.

 

[me]

Surely, if you are going to require this stupid thing, the requirement should be that you have to press your combination of buttons to release the lock to be able to open or close the door, so a kid also can't climb in and suffocate if the door is closed.

Maybe they should require an emergency stop button on the inside of the door as well! ;O)

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Is this another case of government needing to be seen to do something when any sort of tragedy occurs? Ironically, the video shows a new Miele where a four-step process is required. Select the program to turn on the machine at all, then close the door, then press button one, then buttong two (start). Existing Mieles already need to be 1. turned on, 2. have program selected, 3. close door before "start" option is activated, then 4. press start. I just wonder how much more complicated things need to be to protect the kids? Are there perhaps much more basic machines than mine out there, which is what this law is aimed at?

Apparently, it’s only for front loading machine machines, so things such as older top loaders with timers and twin tubs would still be all A-OK, although now I actually probably want to read up on the law of it

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

I found the law and apparently it was introduced in 2024 although it does make me wonder, for any machines that are a front loader but they have the control panel at the back so kids can’t touch it would that still probably have to be a thing?

 

[pstehle]

One problem will be that kids learn from watching mommy or daddy use the thing, so it's a matter of time before one gets past this. Canada and a few clinics in the US have a "last man out" button that starts a timer when exiting an x-ray or other radiation vault, with the intent that that person assumes responsibility to promise no one else remains in the room. It can still easily be ignored, the hope is that it will make a responsibly person think about whether or not there's someone there. Small children are still learning responsibility like this, so it seems a bit futile to me...

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

One problem will be that kids learn from watching mommy or daddy use the thing, so it's a matter of time before one gets past this. Canada and a few clinics in the US have a "last man out" button that starts a timer when exiting an x-ray or other radiation vault, with the intent that that person assumes responsibility to promise no one else remains in the room. It can still easily be ignored, the hope is that it will make a responsibly person think about whether or not there's someone there. Small children are still learning responsibility like this, so it seems a bit futile to me...

Okay, in my opinion probably it would be a better idea to have a machine at chest height that’s smooth on the front so kids cannot climb up it into the drum as in in a similar way to the height of a top loader but having the drum at that height or even just going with the European style top loaders, the small enough that a kid can’t get into it and tall enough that a kid can’t climb it Yes it technically has that quote. Two buttons start already because you have to shut the laundry drum and then close the lid on the machine

 

[me]

One problem will be that kids learn from watching mommy or daddy use the thing, so it's a matter of time before one gets past this. Canada and a few clinics in the US have a "last man out" button that starts a timer when exiting an x-ray or other radiation vault, with the intent that that person assumes responsibility to promise no one else remains in the room. It can still easily be ignored, the hope is that it will make a responsibly person think about whether or not there's someone there. Small children are still learning responsibility like this, so it seems a bit futile to me...

If they make the machine too complicated, parents will end up getting their kids to show them how to work it.

 

[henene4]

Australia has a few regulations for safety that appear weird to me.


Built in refrigerators often have cardboard backsides.
That backside is basically just there for manufacturing: You have your formed plastic "tub" that'll be the inside, a plastic base with mounting points for everything, then sidewalls and a top of some sort. All of that is placed in a box like structure and then any gaps are foamed in for insulation. That foam then basically becomes the structure keeping everything in place. The backside is just there to separate the foam from the box it's foamed in and to contain the expanding foam.

However, besides the foam being pretty flammable itself, AUS does not allow cardboard backsides due to fire resistance laws.
So, they get the same machines, same mechanics, same production - just the backside is basically paper thin steel or aluminium instead of cardboard.


One safety feature I think still isn't universally implemented in top loaders is that if the machine is paused and the lid is opened, that after a certain time an automatic drain is initiated.
That appears way more logical than the two button safety - I only know that from production machines like huge metal presses so that no matter how tired and overworked you are, there is no way for you to initiated that motion with your hand in the machine.
Here, a closed door will just do the same...

 

[mrb627]

If it were me, I would climb in the machine and then start it with the remote app on my phone.
Just kidding, please don't do this kiddos.