Member Area Resources - Beds and Bunks - Bunk Beds- Further Reading (Archive)
Bunk Bed Changes in QLD

The regulation requires short-term accommodation providers to ensure that bunk beds provided as part of their accommodation service meet a prescribed safety standard. Similar to the requirements that have applied to bunk bed manufacturers and suppliers since 2002, the regulation is based on specified clauses of the Australian and New Zealand Standard for bunk beds AS/NZS 4220:1994.

To assist the short-term accommodation sector manage the practical and financial impacts of upgrading or replacing any older bunk beds, accommodation providers have until 21 October 2013 to meet the prescribed safety standard.

However, the Office of Fair Trading strongly encourages all short-term accommodation providers to replace any bunk beds that do not meet the safety standard as soon as possible. The regulation is available from the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website at www.legislation.qld.gov.au. In addition general information about bunk bed safety is available from the Office of Fair Trading website at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.

View Media Statement Oct 2011.

Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said while there were current safety standards in place for bunk beds, old bunk beds that were still in use could put children at risk.

“According to Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit figures, approximately 450 people visit Queensland hospital emergency departments each year due to bunk bed injuries,” Mr Bauer said.

“Eighty-five per cent of these injuries were the result of a fall from a bunk bed, with most injuries suffered by children aged five to nine years old.”
Mr Bauer said while parents could control the quality of bunk beds in their homes they had less influence over beds used in holiday accommodation.

“In conjunction with Standards Australia and other stakeholders the Office of Fair Trading has produced an industry handbook for the accommodation providers to help bring them into line with Australian Standards,” he said.

See www.saiglobal.com and search for ‘bunk beds’.