A recession isn’t the time to mandate two fire-safety devices and saddle homebuyers and builders with additional costs, a state panel decided Tuesday.

The technology, required in some way in every other state, could prevent up to $1.8 million in property damage a year, according to one panel member.

But installing them in new Indiana homes would cost more than $500,000 a year.

The state’s nine-member Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission voted unanimously not to mandate arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) and tamper-resistant outlets in new homes as part of the Indiana Electrical Code.

“You can tell someone until you’re blue in the face the more expensive arc-fault breaker is the newest and safest thing, but he’ll pick the (cheaper) $6 ground breaker every time,” said commission member Burke Jones of the Fair Play Volunteer Fire Department in Madison. “He’s got insurance.”

Indiana is the only state without any AFCI provisions, said John Gardner, a spokesman for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. AFCIs are mandatory in at least 27 states and required in limited circumstances — such as bedrooms only — in all states but Indiana.

AFCIs shut down power that arcs, or jumps, from its intended path. A home’s electrical wiring or any electrical cord that’s old, faulty or pierced by a nail or screw can cause an arc and spark a fire.

The nonprofit Electrical Safety Foundation International says arcing causes more than 30,000 U.S. home fires a year, resulting in $750 million in damage.

Tamper-resistant outlets have internal shutters that readily accept electrical plugs but can prevent children from shocking themselves. More than 2,400 U.S. children are injured each year after sticking metal objects such as keys or paper clips into the sockets, according to the electrical foundation.

“Indiana (often) is behind the times when it comes to life safety,” said Pike Township Fire Marshall Steve Jones, a supporter of the mandates. “Indiana routinely ignores parts of the National Electric Code because of the financial concerns of special interest groups, like the builders.”

The two safety devices would add $325 to $475 to the cost of a $150,000 home, said Carlie Hopper, Regulatory Affairs Director for the Indiana Builders Association. AFCIs can be up to 10 times more than the cost of a typical circuit breaker; tamper-resistant outlets are about double the cost of regular outlets.

Hopper argued installing the safety devices should be the responsibility of the homeowner.

“At some point, you’ve got to draw the line,” she said. “It’s a slippery slope when it comes to building new homes. Once you open the floodgates, you’re adding all these devices that add on to the final price of the home.”

Although several commissioners said the lack of a public outcry helped them make their decision, Chairman David P. Hannum discounted that reasoning.

“This isn’t on the level of the average homeowner,” Hannum said. “It’s naive to think there would be a public outcry over something in their circuit box.”