AUTUmN/WiNTER 2010 ISSUE 20 (PDF) - Energy Safe Victoria

6www.energysafe.vic.gov.auESV alerts certifyingbody following“explosions” inschools’ ovensThe approval certificate for athermostat featured in at least twodomestic ovens has been suspendedfollowing incidents of burns beingreceived in the cookery classroomsat some schools.The most recent incident occurred at StaughtonCollege, Melton South, in early May. The classteacher received slight burns to her face andarm in the incident when a cooker exploded.ESV is aware of two other incidents – one ina Tasmanian school earlier this year, the otherat Kyneton Secondary College in March 2008.Following the explosion at Melton South, ESVinformed the Australian Gas Association (AGA),the certifying body of the particular thermostat,of the incidents.ESV also requested that the approval certificatefor the thermostat in question be suspendedbecause of the apparent unsafe operatingconditions being experienced.The AGA has now advised that the certificatehas been suspended.ESV also informed the Victorian EducationDepartment of the situation. Schools were thencontacted and advised that the two models ofovens featuring the thermostat are not to beused until further notice.ESV has asked the manufacturer of the twoovens for a list of the models incorporatingthe thermostat and details of any designchanges, if any, incorporated into thecookers over the years.The manufacturer has advised that it has notinstalled the thermostat in its ovens since 2006.Kyneton Secondary CollegeIn early March 2008 ESV received a report ofan “immediately dangerous situation” with anupright domestic cooker at the college followingan incident where a student was injured dueto an oven explosion.ESV inspectors found that the front plate ofthe thermostat that engages the outer pin ofthe safety magnet device compartment wasin a depressed location.Under normal operating conditions the frontplate would return to its normal non-operatingposition and will allow the pin of the safetydevice to return to its correct location whenthe oven is turned off.Subsequently all the cookers at the school werechecked and two others were found to have thesame problem with sticking thermostats.The thermostats in the three cookers werereplaced with new ones. There have been nofurther reports of problems with these cookers.Launceston Church Grammar School,TasmaniaA few days before the incident in the classroomat Melton South, the Office of the Director ofGas Safety Tasmania alerted ESV of a cookerexplosion and injury to a student at the school..The thermostat in question was incorporatedin the cooker involved. It was the second timesuch an incident had occurred with the particularcooker. Again there had been an injury.Investigations found the cookers involved in theKyneton and Launceston school incidents weredifferently badged models but were virtuallyidentical and made by the same manufacturer.Staughton College, Melton SouthIn the Staughton College incident, the classteacher received slight burns to her face andarm in the incident.ESV inspectors were told that the victim wascrouching in front of the oven and was openingthe door when the oven exploded. She couldnot recall having pressed any ignition buttons.Although investigators could not find a faultwith the oven identified as being involved in theincident, they looked at four other appliancesand discovered a problem due to a stickingthermostat – as per the other two schools –in one of the other ovens.Gas-fired generatorsto power publichousing in VictoriaA revolutionary new combined heatingand power system for Victoria’spublic housing residents will reducecarbon emissions and energy bills forvulnerable Victorians, Housing MinisterRichard Wynne announced recently.Mr Wynne said that under the scheme, theState Government would work with CeramicFuel Cells Limited (CFCL) to install 30 BlueGenceramic fuel cells in homes later this year.ESV has worked with CFCL by streamliningthe regulatory process so as not to hinder thedevelopment of the system.As there is currently no Australian Standardfor solid oxide (ceramic) fuel cells, ESV hasclassified the BlueGen unit as a Type Bappliance and dealt with it accordingly.With the proposed development of a specificAustralian Standard for ceramic fuel cells, theBlueGen unit will be re-classified as a Type Aappliance and ultimately be mass certified byone of Australia’s Certifying Bodies.The Minister said the $1.35 million projectrepresented the world’s first installation ofBlueGen units in public housing.He said the units are designed to last 15 yearsand their effectiveness and energy efficiencywill be evaluated after two years.The BlueGen unit is a mini-generator thatconverts natural gas into electricity and heat.The electricity supplies power to the house andgenerates heat to create hot water, removing theneed for a separate household hot water unit.“The exciting part of BlueGen is that it is highlyefficient, generating electricity with only abouta third as much greenhouse gas emissioncompared to the current Victorian system,”Mr Wynne said.The generator.Thermostat sticking Note safety device pin is compressed open.Thermostat in a non-operational position.An off spot from theUK’s Daily TelegraphnewspaperCommenting on a complaint from a Mr. ArthurPurdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman forNorth West Gas said, “We agree it was ratherhigh for the time of year. It’s possible Mr. Purdeyhas been charged for the gas used up duringthe explosion that destroyed his house.”