Disposable cigarette lighters

The mandatory standard prescribes the requirements for child resistance, labelling and testing and performance of disposable lighters.

About cigarette lighters

The mandatory standard for disposable cigarette lighters includes:

  • all disposable cigarette lighters
  • novelty lighters
  • certain refillable lighters.

The mandatory standard prescribes the requirements for

  • child resistance
  • labelling
  • testing and performance.

There is also a permanent ban on novelty cigarette lighters.

Mandatory standard

The Consumer Goods (Disposable Cigarette Lighters) Safety Standard 2019 sets out the mandatory requirements for the supply of disposable cigarette lighters.

Disposable cigarette lighters are flame producing devices that are:

  • designed to light cigarettes, cigars and pipes and
  • designed to be discarded when its fuel supply is exhausted, or incorporate a separate container of fuel that is designed to be discarded when empty, or be refillable with fuel and
  • is not a refillable repairable lighter within the meaning of the European Standard if the device is designed to be refillable

The mandatory standard allows compliance with either of the:

You must consult the mandatory standard for these details.

Key requirements

These requirements provide an overview of the mandatory standard. Suppliers must not rely on this information as a complete guide to compliance.

Child resistance

  • All lighters must meet requirements for child resistance.
  • Lighters must have a device which stops small children from accidentally operating the lighter.
  • Such devices may include:
    • a button that must be activated before it can work
    • a release catch that enables the spark wheel to be used, or
    • a metal guard that must be pressed firmly in order to rotate the spark wheel.

Labelling

Lighters must be permanently marked with the name of the manufacturer/distributor and the warning, "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN" or "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN".

Lighters sold in packages at retail outlets must also carry warning labelling on the packaging.

Testing

The mandatory standard includes features you can visually check and specifies testing to ensure disposable cigarette lighters meet performance requirements.  Suppliers need to organise this testing through specialist laboratories.

Performance

The standard requires disposable cigarette lighters to meet performance requirements including:

  • flame heights
  • splitting and spluttering
  • non-hazardous burning behaviour
  • flame extinction
  • resistance to damage when dropped
  • resistance to internal pressure.

More information is available in the Explanatory Statement available on the Federal Register of Legislation website.

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