Staying safe in your home
Learn how to stay safe in your public housing home, avoid fires and mould, and learn what to do if you find sharps or have asbestos.
Home fire safety and house fires
Fires can start from many common household appliances.
They can spread quickly. If fire takes hold, get out, stay out and call 000.
You can learn how to:
- prevent common fires in your home
- use some basic firefighting equipment like extinguishers and fire blankets.
Read more about home fire safety at ACT Emergency Services Agency.
Removing sharps
Injecting equipment such as a needle or syringe is called a sharp.
If you find a sharp in a public place:
- Do not touch it. If possible, stand guard to make sure no-one gets hurt.
- Call the Sharps Hotline on 132 281.
- A city ranger from Urban Services will come and collect it.
If the sharp is:
- in your home, you’re responsible for getting rid of it
- in a common area of a block of flats, call Housing ACT on 1800 950 255.
Mould
Mould is common inside Canberra homes. It can cause health issues for many people.
It often grows in areas where it’s cold, dark and damp.
You'll often find it in laundries, bathrooms or kitchens if you don't use an extraction fan or other ventilation to remove moisture from showers, cooking or clothes dryers.
Learn how to prevent condensation or remove mould.
Asbestos
If your home was built before 1990, it may have asbestos.
When you move in, you’ll get an Asbestos Advisory form telling you:
- where asbestos is usually found in homes
- if Housing ACT knows where asbestos is on your property.
Materials with asbestos are not a health risk if you leave them alone and keep them in good condition.
If material with asbestos breaks down or you damage it, contact Programmed Maintenance on 02 6207 1500 immediately.
If you get work done on your property, you must tell the tradesperson in writing about the asbestos before they start work. This is the law. You can give them the Asbestos Advisory Form.