The new rule that could change how you do your laundry

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.

“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.

“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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Liam

I joined CHOICE in March 2022, with a background in production and journalism gained through work in daily news radio and podcasting. I have a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. I also completed exchange studies at Gifu University, Japan. As a journalist with the Editorial & Investigations team, I create accessible content that answers consumers' most burning questions, from which scams to be aware of and how to save money, to whether new services and products are worth using and how the latest developments in consumer news could affect them. You can find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Recent articles from Liam Will you get the same prices at Aldi's new Corner Stores? 5 tax scams you need to know about Loyalty program customers warned over latest impersonation scam How wood fires compare to other forms of heating Rising cost of electricity will improve solar payback times How to avoid and report scams

I joined CHOICE in March 2022, with a background in production and journalism gained through work in daily news radio and podcasting. I have a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Technology Sydney. I also completed exchange studies at Gifu University, Japan. As a journalist with the Editorial & Investigations team, I create accessible content that answers consumers' most burning questions, from which scams to be aware of and how to save money, to whether new services and products are worth using and how the latest developments in consumer news could affect them. You can find me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Recent articles from Liam Will you get the same prices at Aldi's new Corner Stores? 5 tax scams you need to know about Loyalty program customers warned over latest impersonation scam How wood fires compare to other forms of heating Rising cost of electricity will improve solar payback times How to avoid and report scams

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