As Standards Australia looks towards its next 100 years, we’re excited to be looking at new ways of developing and adopting Australian Standards. 
To complement the model that’s already in place and working well in many areas, we’re looking to expand our development models to allow new and emerging industries to work within the standards environment, as well as helping us work better in cross-sectoral areas of activity. 
To make this happen, we’re proposing changes to various Standardisation Guides to introduce: 

• An alternative path for the development of Australian Standards (including International Adoptions) 
• A streamlined process for the adoption of International Standards (opt-in process); and 
• The inclusion of a new publication type to help with the timeliness of publications and developments in particular circumstances 

Information about the proposed changes is available:

• Read the consultation paper 
• Listen to the podcast 
• Watch this video on why and how we are making the changes
• View the changes and provide comment

We’re also holding stakeholder consultation forums so you can hear from Standards Australia leaders and team members on the why, what and how, and contribute to this exciting change – a choice of dates and times are available:

• Tuesday 21st February: 9:30-10:30am 
• Thursday 23rd February: 1:00-2:00pm 
• Wednesday 1st March: 2:00pm-3:00pm
• Tuesday 7th March: 9:30-10:30am
• Monday 13th March: 11:00am-12:00pm 

Click here to register to attend a stakeholder consultation forum on Standardisation Guides.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Regards,
The Standards Australia team

Electrotechnology & Energy

Drafts for Public Comment

The control of static electricity in non-hazardous areas
Draft No: DR AS/NZS 1020:2022
Committee: EL-025
Close Date: 22/12/2022
 
Power transformers, Part 10: Determination of sound levels 
Draft No: DR AS 60076.10:2022
Committee: EL-008
Close Date: 28/12/2022
 
Battery chargers for lead-acid traction batteries, Part 1: Battery chargers for vented cells
Draft No: DR AS 2548.1:2022
Committee: EL-005
Close Date: 3/01/2023
 
Live working – Electrical insulating sleeves
Draft No: DR AS 60984:2022
Committee: EL-068
Close Date: 9/01/2023
 
Conduit systems for cable management, Part 21: Particular requirements - Rigid conduit systems
Draft No: DR AS/NZS 61386.21:2015 Amd 2:2022
Committee: EL-004
Close Date: 10/01/2023
 

Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes, Part 3: Standard sheets and gauges
Draft No: DR AS/NZS 60320.3:2022
Committee: EL-004
Close Date: 12/01/2023

Recent Publications

Electrical installations-Connectable electrical installations and supply arrangements, Part 1: Site supplies for connectable electrical installations
Product designation: AS/NZS 3001.1:2022
Abstract: Sets out requirements for electrical installations associated with site supplies for connectable electrical installations that are intended for connection to low voltage a.c. supply systems (i.e. exceeding 50 V a.c. but not exceeding 1 000 V a.c.)
History: Originated in Australia as part of AS 3001-1959 and AS 3005-1982.
Originated in New Zealand as part of AS/NZS 3001:2001.
Previous edition part of AS/NZS 3001:2008.
Jointly revised in part and redesignated as AS/NZS 3001.1:2022.
 
Electrical installations-Connectable electrical installations and supply arrangements, Part 2: Connectable electrical installations
Product designation: AS/NZS 3001.2:2022
Abstract: Specifies requirements for electrical installations associated with connectable electrical installation s used for the purposes of accommodation, habitation or other residential, commercial purposes or recreational uses that are intended for connection to external low voltage a.c. supply systems (i.e. 50 V a.c. to 1000 V a.c.) by either a detachable supply lead or a supply lead directly connected to the connectable electrical installation. Includes requirements and provides guidance for the installation of extra-low voltage systems (i.e. less than 50 V a.c. or 120 V d.c. ripple free)
History:
Originated in Australia as part of AS 3001-1959 and AS 3005-1982.
Originated in New Zealand as part of AS/NZS 3001:2001.
Previous edition part of AS/NZS 3001:2008.
Jointly revised in part and redesignated as AS/NZS 3001.2:2022.

Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.10: Particular requirements for floor treatment machines and wet scrubbing machines
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.10:2022
Abstract: AS/NZS 60335.2.10:2022 deals with the safety of electric floor treatment and wet scrubbing machines intended for household and similar purposes, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V, including direct current (DC) supplied appliances and battery-operated appliances. Examples of floor treatment machines that this standard is applicable to are floor buffers; floor polishers and floor waxers.  Examples of wet scrubbing machines that this standard is applicable to are floor scrubbers; rug shampooers and upholstery shampooers.
History: Originated in Australia as AS C157-1956. Final Australian edition AS 3157-1986. Originated in New Zealand as NZS/AS 3157-1986. AS 3157-1986 and NZS/AS 3157-1986 jointly revised and redesignated as AS/NZS 3157:1993. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 3350.2.10:1996. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.10:2006. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.10:2022.
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.13: Particular requirements for deep fat fryers, frying pans and similar appliances
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.13:2022
Abstract: AS/NZS 60335.2.13:2022 deals with the safety of electric deep fat fryers having a recommended maximum quantity of oil not exceeding 5 l, frying pans, woks and other appliances in which oil is used for cooking, and intended for household use and similar use, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V.
History:  
Originated in Australia in part as AS C105-1937. Final Australian edition AS 3172-1990. Originated in New Zealand as part of NZS/AS 3172:1986. Final New Zealand edition NZS/AS 3172:1990. AS 3172–1990 and NZS/AS 3172:1990 jointly revised and designated AS/NZS 3172:1993. Eighth edition 1996. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 3350.2.13:1997. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.13:2004. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.13:2010. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.13:2017. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.13:2022.
 
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.28: Particular requirements for sewing machines
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.28:2022
Abstract: AS/NZS 60335.2.28:2022 deals with the safety of electric sewing machines for household and similar use, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V for single-phase appliances and 480 V for other appliances, including direct current (DC) supplied appliances and battery-operated appliances.  Overlock machines and electrical sets are within the scope of this standard.
History:  
Originated as AS C171-1964. Previous Australian edition AS 3309-1992. Originated in New Zealand as NZS 6328:1992. AS 3309-1992 and NZS 6328:1992 jointly revised, amalgamated and redesignated AS/NZS 3350.2.28:1996. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.28:2006. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.28:2022.
 
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.44: Particular requirements for ironers
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.44:2022
Abstract: AS/NZS 60335.2.44:2022 deals with the safety of electric ironers for both commercial and household and similar purposes, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V for single-phase appliances and 480 V for other appliances. Appliances not intended for normal household, but which nevertheless can be a source of danger to the public, such as appliances intended to be used by laymen in shops, in light industry and on farms, are within the scope of this standard. Examples of appliances within the scope of this standard are ironing presses for one-person operation;  mangles; rotary ironers for one-person operation and trouser presses.
History: Originated as AS/NZS 3350.2.44:1999. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.44:2006. Jointly revised and designated AS/NZS 60335.2.44:2012. Jointly revised and designated AS/NZS 60335.2.44:2022.
 
Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety, Part 2.52: Particular requirements for oral hygiene appliances
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.52:2022
Abstract: AS/NZS 60335.2.52:2022 deals with the safety of electric oral hygiene appliances for household and similar purposes, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V, including direct current (DC) supplied appliances and battery-operated appliances.  Examples of appliances that this standard is applicable to are oral irrigators and toothbrushes.
History:
Originated as AS/NZS 3350.2.52:1996. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.52:2006. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.52:2018. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.52:2022.
 
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.59: Particular requirements for insect killers
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.59:2022
Abstract: This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL-002 - Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances and Small Power Transformers to supersede AS/NZS 60335.2.59:2005 three years from the date of publication of this Standard. During this period AS/NZS 60335.2.59:2005 and its amendments will also remain current. Regulatory authorities that reference this Standard in regulation may apply these requirements at a different time. Users of this Standard should consult with these authorities to confirm their requirements.
History:
Originated in Australia as AS C150-1968. Originated in New Zealand as NZS/AS 3150:1989. Previous edition AS/NZS 3150:1993. Revised and redesignated as AS/NZS 3350.2.59:1999. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.59:2005. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.59:2022.
 
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.74: Particular requirements for portable immersion heaters
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.74:2022
Abstract: AS/NZS 60335.2.74:2022 deals with the safety of portable electric immersion heaters for household and similar purposes, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V.
History: First published in Australia as AS C104:1937. Third edition 1960. Revised and redesignated AS 3104:1975. Fourth edition 1995. First published in New Zealand as NZS 952:1952. AS 3104:1995 and NZS 952:1952 jointly revised, amalgamated and redesignated AS/NZS 3350.2.74:1996. Second edition 2001. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.74:2005. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.74:2018. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.74:2022.
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.106: Particular requirements for heated carpets and for heating units for room heating installed under removable floor coverings
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.106:2022
Abstract: This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL-002 - Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances and Small Power Transformers to supersede AS/NZS 60335.2.106:2007 three years from the date of publication of this Standard. During this period AS/NZS 60335.2.106:2007 and its amendments will also remain current. Regulatory authorities that reference this Standard in regulation may apply these requirements at a different time. Users of this Standard should consult with these authorities to confirm their requirements.
History: Originated as AS/NZS 60335.2.106:2007. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.106:2022.
 
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.78: Particular requirements for outdoor barbeques
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.78:2022
Abstract: This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL-002 - Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances and Small Power Transformers to supersede AS/NZS 60335.2.78:2019 three years from the date of publication of this Standard. During this period AS/NZS 60335.2.78:2019 and its amendments will also remain current. Regulatory authorities that reference this Standard in regulation may apply these requirements at a different time. Users of this Standard should consult with these authorities to confirm their requirements.
History: Originated as AS/NZS 3350.2.78:1996. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.78:2005. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.78:2019. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.78:2022.
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.55: Particular requirements for electrical appliances for use with aquariums and garden ponds
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.55:2022
Abstract: This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL-002 - Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances and Small Power Transformers to supersede AS/NZS 60335.2.55:2011 three years from the date of publication of this Standard. During this period AS/NZS 60335.2.55:2011 and its amendments will also remain current. Regulatory authorities that reference this Standard in regulation may apply these requirements at a different time. Users of this Standard should consult with these authorities to confirm their requirements.
History: Originated in Australia as AS 3192-1975. Previous Australian edition AS 3192-1992. Originated in New Zealand as NZS/AS 3192:1992. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 3192:1996. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 3350.2.55:1998. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.55:2004. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.55:2011. Jointly revised and redesignated AS/NZS 60335.2.55:2022.
 
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 2.113: Particular requirements for beauty care appliances incorporating lasers and intense light sources
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.2.113:2017 Amd 1:2022
Abstract:
History: 0
 
Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery - Safety, Part 2.1: Particular requirements for hand-held drills and impact drills
Product designation: AS/NZS 62841.2.1:2018 Amd 1:2022
Abstract:
History: 0
 
Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery - Safety, Part 3.6: Particular requirements for transportable diamond drills with liquid system
Product designation: AS/NZS 62841.3.6:2015 Amd 2:2022
Abstract:
History: 0
 
Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery - Safety, Part 3.10: Particular requirements for transportable cut-off machines
Product designation: AS/NZS 62841.3.10:2017 Amd 1:2022
Abstract:
History: 0
 
Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery – Safety, Part 4.2: Particular requirements for hedge trimmers
Product designation: AS/NZS 62841.4.2:2018 Amd 1:2022
Abstract:
History: 0
 
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety, Part 1: General requirements (IEC 60335-1 Ed 5.2, MOD)
Product designation: AS/NZS 60335.1:2020 Amd 2:2022
Abstract:
History: 0

Withdrawals and Reconfirmations

Withdrawals

Battery chargers for lead-acid batteries - Domestic type, Part 1: Battery chargers for vented cells
Product designation: AS 2401.1-1994
 
Secondary batteries for use with stand-alone power systems, Part 1: General requirements
Product designation: AS 4086.1-1993

 

Reconfirmations

 Battery chargers for lead-acid batteries - Domestic type, Part 1: Battery chargers for vented cells
 Product designation: AS 2401.1-1994

 Secondary batteries for use with stand-alone power systems, Part 1: General requirements
 Product designation: AS 4086.1-1993

IN THIS EDITION

• CEO Report

• The Data and Digital Landscape Report

• SDAC communique August 2022

• Quantum Computing

• New Pilot Subscription Model

• Voice of Customer Quarterly Results

• Digital Twin - Event

• CET and South East Asia

• Standards Heroes

• Contributor Roadshow

• In Conversation with Prudence Lawrence

• International Update

• Sector Update

• Drafts Open for Comment

CEO Report

Standards Australia recently released its new Data and Digital Standards Landscape report, which should help shape the future of our Information & Communications Technology (ICT) industry. We created this report to help Australia maintain an edge in the competitive global digital space.

Developed by our expert contributors and staff – and with input from international experts - the report sets the direction for this crucial sector and offers recommendations for how Australia should shape its efforts on data and digitisation into the future.
Data and Digital Standards Landscape assesses, and provides recommendations for, six key technology areas, including artificial intelligence (AI), data management, information security, the ‘internet of things’ (IoT), cloud computing and smart cities.
The recommendations stress the importance of partnerships, collaboration and standards to address strategic gaps. As Standards Australia Board member and NSW Chief Data Scientist Dr Ian Oppermann points out, failing to address these recommendations could put Australia behind in this crucial arena.
Australia’s prosperity is intrinsically linked to our nation’s ability to stay at the forefront of technological advances.

At Standards Australia, we strive to do our part – and have identified that up to 4000 new standards will be required over the next decade in order to keep pace with rapid global changes, and many of these will be in the data and digital space.
Through this report, we have issued a call to arms for Australian government and business to engage with international standards development for the benefit of our nation.
Importantly, Data and Digital Standards Landscape is also a reflection of Standards Australia’s own journey to strengthen our digital capabilities to better serve our contributors, customers and the Australian community.  A core objective of our Strategic Plan is to strengthen our Reach and Relevance, and this new report speaks directly to these objectives.
I encourage you to learn more by downloading the report here. 

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive 

The Data and Digital Landscape Report

Authored by Standards Australia, with input from national and international experts, the Data and Digital Standards Landscape report sets the direction and offers recommendations for Australia’s efforts in data and digital standardisation, now and in the future.

The report assessed, and provides key recommendations for six key technology areas, including artificial intelligence (AI), data management, information security, the ‘internet of things’ (IoT), cloud computing and smart cities.
Read more here.

SDAC communique August 2022

The Standards Development & Accreditation Committee (SDAC) is a Committee of the Standards Australia Board. The committee assists us to fulfill our responsibilities as Australia’s peak national standards body, and meets regularly to discuss the wide range of matters relating to standards development and accreditation work.

Often unseen, SDAC has been referred to by many as the engine room of Standards Australia, powering our contributors to get things done.

Since October 2020, a Communique of SDAC meetings is being made available to stakeholders. The goal is to provide a direct insight into the discussions and recommendations of the committee and reflects our commitment to lead with transparency and include stakeholders in our processes.

You can access the August 2022 SDAC communique (PDF) and further details on SDAC and its members on our website.

Quantum Computing

Recognising the importance of quantum computing to science, technology and the economy, Standards Australia has been making inroads in this complex arena.

Earlier this year the organisation held a Forum on Quantum Computing, which identified opportunities in international standards development to assist with its commitment.

The intent of the forum was to identify and inform stakeholders on industry challenges and opportunities for standards development in this important space.

During the Forum, Dr Ian Oppermann - NSW Chief Data Scientist - outlined the importance of international alignment in the development of standards. allowing for the Australian industry to easily be part of the international marketplace.

Find out more here.

New Pilot Subscription Model

Standards Australia is pleased to announce a pilot program for an innovative new subscription model for users of standards.

This new model – known as Named User Access – aims to meet the expectations of our customers and other stakeholders, by modernising access to standards and enabling Standards Australia to serve Australians into the future.

Find out more here.

Voice of Customer Quarterly Results

Standard Australia’s Voice of Customer program is designed to give customers the opportunity to provide feedback about their experience working with us. This program is critical to ensure that customer needs drive business priorities.

The core purpose of this program focuses on capturing and acting on stakeholder feedback and is an important driver for understanding our stakeholder needs and expectations.  
 
In May 2022, the company launched the third wave of surveys to gather feedback from key stakeholder groups, allowing us to understand what we do well and where we need to improve.  

See the results to-date here.

Digital Twin - Event

Standards Australia invites government and industry stakeholders to join a virtual Digital Twin (DTw) informational webinar on Monday 19th September.

A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its life-cycle, is updated from real-time data, and uses simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision making. 

Adam Beck, Head of Digital Urbanism at ENE.HUB and Chair of DTw, will present updates on current DTw standards projects. These include draft standards on Digital twin concepts, terminology, reference architecture and use cases.

Adam Beck will also moderate a panel session with a number of guests who will share their journey in building Digital Twin capability and what they have encountered along the way.

This is a must attend event for anybody interested in contributing to digital twin standards development, learning more about the digital twin space, or wanting to connect with experts from industry or government.

Date:                   Monday, 19 September 2022
Time:                   3.00pm – 4.00pm (AEST).
Registration:        REGISTER HERE

CET and South East Asia

With the support of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Standards Australia has begun a two-year program to boost capability for Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET) in South-East Asia.

The program began with a Community of Practice Virtual Workshop held on Tuesday 16th August. Attendees included participants from the 2021 CET Summit and Masterclasses who volunteered for Community of Practice in 2021 and South East Asian National Standards Body (NSB) representatives.

The interactive session detailed the CET program, and polled attendees on areas of interest and areas of training. The session allowed attendees to reconnect and build networking opportunities.

Find out more here.

Standards Heroes

Over the last 100 years, individuals from technical, business, academic, government and community backgrounds have contributed their expertise to developing standards - helping make Australia a safer and more efficient country.

This month, we’re celebrating our Standards Awards heroes who have contributed their time to safety.

Read more about our standards heroes here, and our centenary here.

Contributor Roadshow

Are you a committee member and want to improve your knowledge of standards development?

Then make sure to join us at one of our in-person drafting workshops!

Our workshops are an excellent opportunity to expand your standards knowledge, develop skills and connect with other members of the Australian standards community.

Melbourne: Cliftons Melbourne - Level 1, 440 Collins Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000

• 19/09/22 Principles of Drafting

• 20/09/22 Drafting Rules for Australian Standards

Brisbane: Cliftons Brisbane - Level 3, 288 Edward Street, Brisbane Queensland 4000

• 22/09/22 Principles of Drafting

• 23/09/22 Drafting Rules for Australian Standards

Click here to register for upcoming sessions.

Can't attend in person? Register here for a virtual session instead.

In Conversation with Prudence Lawrence

Prudence Lawrence dedicates her time to sustainable development goals (SDG), responsible business practices, geospatial insights and advancements and data-driven decision-making and digital transformation.

Currently working as a Geospatial Manager at Australian Spatial Analytics, Ms Lawrence is an active participant in both Smart Cities committees (IT-268 and IT-269) as well as the Working Group for Digital Twin under IT-042.

Ms Lawrence is involved with standards on an international level and has been commended multiple times for her work in City Information Modelling with the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) SyC Smart Cities committee.

When and why did you become involved with standards development?

I became involved with standards development in May 2019 when I was nominated by my employer to be a part of the Standards Australia Smart Cities Reference Group. 

At the time I was working on the development and proof-of-concept applications of 3D land administration data. This small piece of work was just a part of a larger conversation that was happening within Australia and internationally in regard to cadastral modernisation and the digital twinning of land ownership and infrastructure assets. At the time I had also been awarded the Surveyor General International Fellowship and was travelling to Europe and South-east Asia to interview experts in the area of cadastral modernisation, as well as participate in geospatial and smart cities conferences and technical workshops. 2019 was very much a year spent drinking from a fire hose of data, geospatial and smart city technologies. My work with Standards Australia during that time allowed me to take a more holistic and high-level perspective to balance the more granular research and transformation work I was performing at other times.  

How do standards impact and interact with your industry?

It’s a mixed bag within the industry. You have areas of geospatial activities and technologies where standards and specifications are very important to everyday operations and data management, and then you have other datasets or areas where it is ad-hoc with very subjective modelling, structuring, and sharing. It really depends on the people at the helm and purpose of the data, from my experience. But I imagine this type of relationship with standards would be happening across industries that don’t have the mitigation of risk heavily embedded in their operations. Industries with high risk such as electrical installation, for example, see the benefits of standards and specification compliance in a far different way than other parts of industries that do not have exposure to those kind of risk profiles.

Communicating the benefit of standards when the disadvantages or risks are perhaps obscured is a little more difficult. My area of smart cities, sustainability and digital twins is associated with the risks of time, cost, resilience and innovation. For me the driver is to improve present efficiency and facilitate innovation, and a nice consequence that I see of those characteristics being addressed is the triple bottom line. Doing away with these legacy processes - duplication of effort and siloed converting of information (data) - and doing away with these inefficiencies of operation and mindset allows us to see new ways of utilising this precious and ever-increasing resource of rich data, and to use it to address the salient issues of our time.  

Why is access to standards important?

Standards allow for a shared understanding or language when we look to utilise data and manage pipelines of activities that rely on the communication of information across companies or industries. There are such great costs on time involved in trying to interpret data, trying to share data and the worst of them all - the recreation of existing data. Access to standards allows us to share a language within our industries and domains that facilitates efficiency in understanding and meaning. We often neglect that ‘understanding’ is not actually easy and straightforward, even among those who share the same native tongue. Standards can assist in building frameworks for understanding at a very basic level: the shared terminology of a domain area. At a higher level, standards help us to understand the syntax (composition or architecture) and application of the language, and that drives greater understanding between parties within an industry and when sharing data assets into a system of systems, such as those present in a functional smart city or digital twin.

What is the future of standardisation in your area of work?

I think that interest in adopting standards for areas such as digital twins and smart cities is growing, and I see geospatial data playing a key role in filtering and channelling data in meaningful ways. I see geospatial as an aggregator and a distributor of disparate data.

Currently I am involved with a specific working group looking to understand the current knowledge and usage of standards within our industry, specifically around digital twin applications. Preliminary results of a short survey show me that there is likely to be a knowledge gap of what constitutes a standard, despite there being adoption within the products and services being undertaken. Custodians and producers of data and data services may not distinguish what has been rubber-stamped as a ‘standard’. I believe unveiling the current standards being used in the industry will lead us forward in discussing how they have been of value.

We need to clarify the current standards in wide adoption and then we can uncover and adopt additional standards that assist in delivering geospatial as a horizontal technology that supports the architecture of smart cities and digital twins.

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from August (PDF):

• ISO Annual Meeting 2022

• Opportunity to review ISO 18295

• IEC Smart city survey

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page. 

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available  via Connect. 

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from July (PDF):

• International contributors survey results
• Opportunity to review ISO 20700 Guidelines for management consultancy services

Member commenting now available on the OSD platform

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.  

Upcoming Workshops

Standards Australia is undergoing a significant change to the way that we onboard and build capacity of our contributors.  
Over the coming year, you will see some big changes to the Standards Academy as we work to enhance our learning offerings and simplify and customise the experience you have when using the Academy site.
This project has already commenced and has some new sessions that you can register for, including:  

• Workshop - Introduction to the World of Standards  
• Workshop - Introduction to Committees + 

Click on the workshop links below to register for upcoming sessions or visit the Standards Academy homepage: https://standardsaustralia.litmos.com.au/ or contact academy@standards.org.au if you have further questions.
 

Part 1: Introduction to the World of Standards
Tue 06 Sept, 09:30am – 12:30pm AEST
This interactive workshop will give you a great foundation as you begin your journey into the World of Standards!
Part 2: Introduction to Committees
Thu 15 Sept, 09:30am – 12:30pm AEST  
Learn how Committees are constituted, the importance of a balanced Committee and your role and key responsibilities as a member of a Committee.

Part 1: Principles of Drafting
Wed 26 Oct, 09:30am – 01:00pm AEDT
Increase your confidence and contribution on projects. Learn the principles of writing clear, performance-based standards.
Part 2: Drafting Rules
Thu, 17 Nov, 09:30am – 01:00pm AEDT
Polish the skills needed to draft a great Australian Standard. 

Facilitating Standards Development
Tue 27 Sept, 09:30am – 12:30pm AEST or Tue 08 Nov 2022, 12:00pm – 03:00pm AEDT 
Elevate your facilitation and conflict resolution techniques.

View all upcoming workshops 2022 (PDF)

Please note: All workshops will be delivered online via Zoom until further notice. If you have any questions leading up to the event, please contact academy@standards.org.au

In Conversation with Steven Delides

Steven Delides serves on the Standards Australia Technical Committee EV-008.

Steve has 20 years of industry experience, having developed, implemented and executed sampling programs for partners in the Mining, Healthcare and Facilities Management sectors.

Steven currently acts as Group Lead / Project Director at Ecosafe, an independent risk management consultancy, specialising in water, environment and health. 

When and why did you become involved with standards development?

Ecosafe was invited to join the working group in 2019 as a representative of a company that provides specialist drinking water quality sampling / monitoring / consulting services. 

I jumped at the opportunity as I was keen to share our drinking water monitoring experience across the Mining / Resources and Healthcare, sectors as the then current standard was more focused on formal water utilities rather than privately managed drinking water systems where improvement is needed the most (such as mine sites that source, treat and supply their own drinking water and in complex distribution systems such as hospitals).

How do standards impact and interact with your industry?

Standards are essential in providing a consistent and appropriate approach to water sampling, ensuring the results of the sampling are meaningful and provide actionable intelligence to ultimately reduce human health risks from instances of adverse water quality. Without standards, water can be sampled in different ways sometimes resulting in either over/under reactions (i.e. waste of resources or insufficient action to mitigate a risk).

Why is access to standards important?
I see Standards as a beacon of our society’s collective wisdom and experience. We all benefit from capitalising on the experience and lessons learnt from industry as a whole.

What is the future of standardisation in your area of work?
Standardisation can help facilitate the benchmarking of water quality management across different sectors. Benchmarking is a powerful tool to facilitate the allocation of resources to the areas that need it the most.

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.  

CEO Report

May has seen Standards Australia celebrate many important events.

Last week, we hosted the Standards Awards. 

The Standards Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding and innovative contributions of experts and technical committees in the development of Australian and international standards. There are more than 5,000 contributors who work with Standards Australia in the development of standards and trusted solutions, and their work and ongoing commitment is greatly appreciated. 

The Awards were held in person for the first time in three years and it was wonderful to meet face-to-face after the last two years of travel restrictions. 

While in Melbourne for the Standards Awards, we hosted our Members Forum. 

The forum gave us the opportunity to regroup with our valued Members and have a dialogue on matters of strategic importance to Standards Australia. The first session was a panel led discussion open to Members and guests and it provided meaningful discussions around how the Australian economy and community should respond to changing global dynamics, and the role of standards.

Accessibility and collaboration will continue to be key priorities for Standards Australia, driving the work we’ll deliver together over the coming months.

Speaking of the future, May also saw us open entries to the Standards Australia NEXTgen program. 

The NEXTgen program is a cost free 10-month professional development program designed to up-skill participants’ CV’s, increase their standards knowledge and help them make important industry connections.

Applications will stay open until 30th June. If you have 5-7 years of professional experience and would like to learn more about the standards development process, please visit our website to find out more and apply.
— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive  

The Standards Awards

Standards Australia has announced the winners for the 2022 Standards Awards. 

The annual Standard Awards recognise members of the Australian standards development community and reward those who make a positive impact and further the development of standards within Australia and internationally. 

Find out more about the Awards and this year’s winners here.

Applications Open for NEXTgen Program

Applications are now open for Standards Australia’s NEXTgen program.
NEXTgen is a cost free 10-month professional development program designed to upskill your CV, increase your standards knowledge and make important industry connections.

If you have approx. 5 to 7 years industry experience, NEXTgen might be the program for you.
Find out more here.

Telecommunication Safety

To support the telecommunications industry in its efforts to serve its customers and support consumers safely and efficiently, Standards Australia has published AS 3015:2022, Electrical installations — Extra-low voltage power supplies and service earthing within telecommunications networks.

The standard is a revision of its 2004 predecessor and includes three key components: power systems, extra-low voltage (ELV) and earthing.   

Find out more about the revision here.

The Iconic Nation Report

Last month, Standards Australia published the Iconic Nation Report. This document details the history and the future of standards in Australia.

The report was released to Australian media and is available digitally and as a limited hard copy.

Find out more here.

Standards Heroes - Up and Coming

Over the last 100 years, individuals from technical, business, academic, government and community backgrounds have contributed their expertise to developing standards. Helping make Australia a safer and more efficient country.

This month, we’re celebrating up and coming standards heroes. These people are emerging leaders in their fields and are making significant contributions to standards and society through their actions.
Read more about our standards heroes here.
If you would like to nominate a Standard Hero, please email Marketing@standards.org.au. 

In Conversation with Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas is the Managing Director of FireMate, an Australian software-as-a-service solutions provider to the fire protection industry. 

Rob has been part of the fire protection industry since his teenage years. He started ‘on the tools’ as an electrician, which enabled him to understand the challenges that on-site teams face every day.

While founding FireMate, Rob quickly recognised the need to make Australian Standards more accessible across the fire industry. In 2022, Rob was recognised with the Standards Australia Innovation Award.

What role have standards played in your career?  
The fire protection industry is built on standards both in terms of how systems are installed and how they are maintained. As a young fire technician on the tools, it was drummed into me that my work directly impacted the safety of every person in every building. We needed to get it right, and the Australian Standards were the benchmark for all installations and maintenance. Later in my career, when I was managing teams of technicians, I likewise used the standards as a way of training new fire technicians.

At FireMate, Australian Standards have been foundational from 'day one' to how our fire protection maintenance software was developed. By automating industry best practice workflows and applying relevant standards, we can increase the productivity of fire technicians and the office teams that support them. The integration with Australian Standards that was launched in 2021 boosted this productivity to the next level by presenting technicians with the correct information from the standards just when they needed it. This 'just-in-time' application of the standards eliminates search time inside a standard document, reduces the chance of errors and improves compliance against the relevant standards.

What is key to being an innovator?
I consider the keys to being an innovator to include a disciplined approach to understanding market needs and having a can-do attitude. FireMate’s software is built by fire industry professionals for the fire industry. This means we can put ourselves in the position of fire techs, office teams and business managers. The discipline of innovation starts by consistently engaging with clients and industry colleagues and listening to their needs and problems. Asking "what if…?", "how important is that?", and "how can we do better?".

You've been Standards Australia's Innovation Award, what does this recognition mean for you?

Firstly, I’m very grateful for this award. 

I see the award as recognition of work done by a broad team that includes the whole FireMate team, Standards Australia, our clients and industry colleagues I’ve worked with over the past 20 years. Australian Standards have been part of my work day since the mid 90s as a young fire technician. It’s very satisfying to know that a solution we’ve developed is helping fire technicians and others in the industry access standards, ensuring compliance and ultimately making people and places safer.

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from May (PDF)

• ISO and IEC Consultation Survey for Australian Contributors – May 2022
• Guidelines for overseas warehouse services in cross-border trade: New Work Item Proposal 
• A governance framework for organizations deploying AI systems 

IEC Young Professionals Program

The International Electrotechnical Commission is now accepting applications for the IEC Young Professionals (YP) Programme for 2022.
The IEC YP Programme is an opportunity for emerging leaders in energy and electrotechnology to further develop their skills on an international stage. Participants will have the opportunity to meet technical experts from all over the world and see the IEC in action by attending the IEC YP Annual Workshop which will take place from 31 October to 4 November in San Francisco, USA – alongside the IEC General Meeting.
Click here for more information on how to apply.

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page. 

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.  

Sector Updates

Electrotechnology & Energy

Drafts for Public Comment

Edison screw lamp-holders
Dr-aft No.: DR AS 60238:2021
Committee: EL-041
Close Date: 9/02/2022
 
Bayonet lamp-holders
Draft No.: DR AS 61184:2021
Committee: EL-041
Close Date: 9/02/2022
 
Conduit systems for cable management, Part 22: Particular requirements - Pliable conduit systems (IEC 61386-22:2002, (ED 1.0) NEQ)
Draft No.: DR AS/NZS 61386.22:2021
Committee: EL-004
Close Date: 15/02/2022

Electrical installations (known as the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules)
Draft No.: DR AS/NZS 3000:2018 Amd 3:2022
Committee: EL-001
Close Date: 28/03/2022

Recent Publications

Lightning protection
Product designation: AS 1768:2021
Abstract: AS 1768:2021 specifies requirements for the design, installation, maintenance and testing of lightning protection on common structures, and for electrical and electronic systems within those structures for the protection of people and property from the hazards of lightning.
History: Originated in Australia as AS MC1-1969.Revised and redesignated as AS 1768-1975.Third edition 1991.Jointly revised and redesignated as AS/NZS 1768(Int):2003. Jointly revised and redesignated as AS/NZS 1768:2007.Revised and redesignated as AS 1768:2021.

Withdrawals and Reconfirmations

Proposed Withdrawals

No publications are currently open for consultation regarding their proposed withdrawal in this Sector.

Withdrawals

Luminaires, Part 2.9: Particular requirements - Photo and film luminaires (non professional) (IEC 60598-2-9, Ed. 2.0 (1987) MOD)
Product designation: AS/NZS 60598.2.9:2006
 
Luminaires, Part 2.6: Particular requirements - Luminaires with built-in transformers or convertors for filament lamps
Product designation: AS/NZS 60598.2.6:1998

Reconfirmations

No publications were reconfirmed during December/January 2022 for this Sector.

IN THIS EDITION

• CEO Report

• Standards Australia's Store Celebrates First Anniversary

• Voice of Customer Helps Set the Standard

• Australian Government Announces Landmark Digital Trade Strategy

• Standards Helping Keep Play Safe

• Bootcamp Overview

• NEXTgen Applications to Open Early May

• Set the Standard Podcast

• Standards Heroes - Trailblazers

• Standards Australia's Centenary Events

• In Conversation with Osama Ali

• International Update

• Sector Update

• Drafts Open for Comment

CEO Report

One of Standards Australia’s ongoing commitments is working to make our content in the Australian community accessible and affordable. 

Our Distribution and Licensing Policy Framework details this commitment, and many of the elements and steps we’re taking to recognising this.

In line with this commitment was the investment and development of Standards Australia’s own digital Store. April saw the Standards Store’s first anniversary.

The Store exists to deliver content to our many users in an easy, modern, convenient way. And it allows us to increase the ways customers engage with Standards Australia and our content and trusted solutions across the Australian community.

In recognising the Store’s birthday, I’d like to highlight a key innovation - Small Business Sets (SBS). Small Business Sets are low-cost, self-service, industry focused packs aimed at small businesses and available by subscription. These curated content packs contain multiple standards, designed to be served in a modern digital environment, and at a low price to cater for a previously underserved part of the market.

We will be continuing to work on ways in which the Store can best support and serve our customers in the context of our overall Distribution and Licensing Policy Framework.

I’m looking forward to delivering continuous improvements throughout the next year and beyond for the Australian community.

As previously mentioned, 2022 marks Standards Australia’s centenary year.

In celebration, we recognised ‘Trailblazing’ Standards Heroes during April. These people are leaders in their industries, who have made significant contributions to Standards. Learn more on our website and via our social channels.

We also hosted an informative webinar with Edward Farrell, Director, Mercury Security Systems. The Innovation in Cybersecurity webinar discussed the pitfalls in Cyber Security in a modern technologically focused economy. You can find out more about this event in the newsletter below. Please keep an eye on our website for further events.

Thank for your continued support, I look forward to seeing and speaking with you soon.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive 

Standards Australia's Store Celebrates First Anniversary

Wednesday 27 April 2022, saw the first anniversary of Standards Australia’s Store “Store”.

Launching the Standards Store was seen as an important step in improving access to Standards Australia’s publications, allowing for content to be used more broadly across the economy. The Store allows users to buy directly from Standards Australia.

Find out more about The Store here.

Voice of Customer Helps Set the Standard

Our Voice of Customer program enables stakeholders to provide feedback about their experience working with Standards Australia through targeted surveys

In December 2021, we launched the second wave of surveys to gather feedback from our key stakeholder groups to understand what Standards Australia does well and where we need to improve.
Find out results of these surveys and next steps here.

Australian Government Announces Landmark Digital Trade Strategy

Standards Australia welcomes the announcement that the Australian Government has launched a Digital Trade Strategy to improve access to overseas markets and support new trade opportunities and job creation.

A pivotal element of the Digital Trade Strategy is the vision to engage internationally, influencing the development of international rules and standards for digital trade and technologies.

Find out more here.

Standards Helping Keep Play Safe

Accidents are the leading cause of death for Australian children under 16 years of age.

However, according to a University of Sydney study, children are most likely to be admitted to hospital from an injury suffered at home (24.5%), followed by sporting activities (19.0%), and then playground falls (8.0%).

Adherence to the national standards that cover playgrounds are voluntary, so Standards Australia is calling on every local council, every school, and every other public space manager to ensure these standards are embedded in every tender and contract pertaining to playgrounds.

Read more about standards in playgrounds here.

NEXTgen Bootcamp Overview

On Friday 29 April, Standards Australia hosted its NEXTgen Bootcamp, an opportunity for early career professionals and those new to standards.
Advertised through a post on LinkedIn, seats were filled fast for the upcoming 2-and-a-half-hour online course.

Participants went through essential knowledge in relation to the world of standards, with an understanding of how a standard is made, and the impacts standards have on Australian society.

Learn more here and stay tuned to the Standards Australia website for more information.

NEXTgen Applications to Open Early May

We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be opening applications to our NEXTgen program in early May.  

NEXTgen is a cost free 10-month professional development program that offers attendees the opportunity to learn how to become an active part of the standards development process. 

Learn more here and stay tuned to the Standards Australia website for more information. 

Set the Standard Podcast

Standards Australia's 'Set the Standard' podcast host Shannen Brown is joined by John Broadbent, Industry 4.0 educator, smart factory specialist and Founder, Director of Realise Potential. 

In this episode, they discuss the concept of Smart Manufacturing and its importance for Australia's economy.

Mr. Broadbent also discusses the main challenges faced by manufacturers who wish to implement industry 4.0 technologies. We delve into the opportunities realised by Australian manufacturers who successfully transition towards a smart manufacturing model. And finally, we speak about the importance of standards for manufacturers who wish to implement industry 4.0 technologies.

Tune in here.

Standards Heroes - Trailblazers

Over the last 100 years, individuals from technical, business, academic, government and community backgrounds have contributed their expertise to developing standards. Helping make Australia a safer and more efficient country.

This month, we’re celebrating Trailblazing Standards Heroes. These people are leaders in their industries, who have made significant contributions to Standards Australia, national and international standards, and in turn Australian and international communities.
Find out more here.

Standards Australia's Centenary Events

Last week, we hosted an Innovation in Cybersecurity webinar with Edward Farrell, Director, Mercury Security Systems.

We discussed the pitfalls in Cyber Security in a modern technologically focused economy, how standards come in to play, and how to implement security protocols to protect information. Read more here.

Our event calendar will expand throughout the year. Please check our website regularly to keep up-to-date with the latest information and register to attend.

In Conversation with Osama Ali

Osama is a chartered professional engineer and Caterpillar’s technical advisor for product safety and compliance matters in the Australia-Pacific region. 

His formative experiences have included product design and development, product compliance management, and testing and validation of earth-moving equipment.

Osama presently chairs the Construction and Mining Equipment Industry Group (CMEIG) Engineering Working Group and ME-063 (Standards Australia Technical Committee for Earthmoving Equipment).
When and why did you become involved with standards development?
I first got involved in standards through my role as a compliance engineer – developing and conducting tests for earthmoving machines based on Australian and ISO standards. 

This required me to interpret standards and helped me identify some areas for improvement. A subsequent opportunity presented itself to get involved in drafting some of those standards, and the rest is history.

I was also lucky to be involved in Standards Australia’s Young Leaders Program in 2015 (now known as NEXTgen). This was a brilliant program that helped me develop some of the soft skills needed to be an effective participant.

How do standards impact your industry?
I believe the construction and mining industries collectively represent ~20% of Australian GDP so these industries are very important to us. And safe operation of earthmoving machinery is essential for the success of these industries.

Having a comprehensive set of contemporary standards helps by providing a clear understanding of what is expected, instilling confidence to stakeholders, and acting as a documented benchmark of what may be considered as industry best practice.

Standards give the construction and mining industry ‘a common language’, enabling stakeholders to communicate and assess earthmoving machinery safety expectations.

On a more personal level, I really enjoy being part of a diverse group of industry stakeholders coming together and collectively solving industry problems through standardisation.

What is the future of standardisation in your area of work?
In terms of the standards portfolio covered by ME-063 (Earth-moving Equipment), I think that portfolio will likely evolve to reflect a rapidly increasing level of technology implementation and the transition to electrification / alternative energy powertrains.
To facilitate this future, there’s already supporting standards work in various stages (completed, in-development, at a concept stage) but something that will likely continue to evolve.
Things like taking an operator out of the machine and automating machine functions, incorporating new technologies or functionalities, or changing from a diesel engine to a rechargeable battery and electric motors – all these transitions will benefit from a strong standards development strategy and there is no shortage of work to do in these areas.
At a committee level, I think we will continue to see a need for a high level of collaboration from industry, likely leveraging some of the new digital tools and platforms we’ve become comfortable with over COVID. What we may also see is a new mix of stakeholders and skillsets engaged to ensure we continue to have contemporary standards to support the aforementioned evolution.

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from April (PDF)

• Australian National Committee considers new IEC Strategic Plan 

• Invitation to an international workshop on Live streaming marketing services 

• Upcoming Event: AI with Trust

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page. 

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect. 

IN THIS EDITION

• CEO Report
• Centenary - Standards Heroes
• Centenary - Events
• New Member Appointed
• International Women's Day
• Standards Australia and Bureau of Indian Standards Collaborate
• How to Avoid Building Stress with Standards
• Set the Standard Podcast
• Level up your standards knowledge with Bootcamp
• Pacific Quality Infastructure Intiative - Needs Assessments
• Genomics Informatics Forum
• In Conversation With Barbara Kerlen
• International Update
• May 2022: Australian Participation at ISO and IEC Consultation Session
• Sector Update
• Drafts Open for Comment

CEO Report

This month saw us announce celebrations and activities for Standards Australia’s centenary year.

100 years is an impressive birthday for any company, and we’re pleased to have serviced our community for such a long time and one of such dramatic change in the course of human history.  

Standards Australia celebrates its centenary not as a tired relic of the past but as an innovative and energetic organisation working to add even greater value to the Australian community.

In celebrating our centenary, we honour the past and recognise that we would not have reached this milestone without the support of our members and the dedication of our contributors, stakeholders and, staff. 

Our purpose is as relevant today and for the future, as it was in the past.  As we look the future, Standards Australia is firmly committed to its fundamental public purpose role of delivering trusted solutions that empower communities.

We continue to invest our resources in transforming the organisation so that we have the capacity and capability to effectively address the growing needs and expectations of contributors, customers and stakeholders in the modern digital world.  

Throughout the year, we’ll be celebrating our centenary in a number of ways:

Standards Heroes – each month we’ll be recognising and profiling key individuals throughout our history who have gone above and beyond for standards. These people will be appearing on our website and social media channels monthly and we invite you to join in celebrating these individuals.

We launched our first Standards Heroes category in March, aptly profiling our ‘Women of Influence,’ in line with International Women’s Day.  

Events – we have a full event program throughout the year, commencing with our virtual centenary launch event at the end of March, then moving into a series of webinars throughout the year followed by a very special partnership with TEDx Sydney in the lead up to our official birthday on October 12.

Further information, including how to register to attend events, can be seen below.

I highly recommend following our social media channels to join in the festivities and stay abreast of other highlights we have in store.

Thank you once again for your dedication to our company, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive 

Centenary - Standards Heroes

People are our greatest asset.

Over the last 100 years, individuals from technical, business, academic, government and community backgrounds have contributed their expertise to developing standards, helping make Australia a safer and more efficient country.

Throughout our centenary year, we will be putting the spotlight on a selection of individuals and committees who have made a lasting impact on standardisation.

Find out more here.

Centenary – Events

Standards Australia is proud to be hosting a number of exciting and engaging events in the lead up to our 100th Birthday on October 12.

As we highlight our past and look forward to our future, we’re excited to share events that pay tribute to our contributors, engage in new ideas and solutions, and provide opportunity for innovation in thought.

Our event calendar will expand throughout the year. Please check our website regularly to keep up-to-date with the latest information and register to attend.

New Member Appointed

The Board of Standards Australia approved the appointment of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS) as Members of Standards Australia at their Board meeting in March.

Organisations interested in applying for membership to Standards Australia are invited to review the criteria which is intended to update and broaden the company's membership, with the aim to grow Standards Australia's relevance and reach and reflect a modern Australia.

Information regarding our Members and the criteria for membership is available here.

Enquiries regarding how to apply to become a Member and requests for a Membership Application form are welcomed by Standards Australia and should be directed to our Company Secretary. 

International Women's Day

This month, Standards Australia celebrated International Women’s Day. We acknowledge the importance of inclusivity and equal opportunity. As an organisation, we will continue to promote equal opportunity and work together to break the bias.

To learn more about the women who have influenced Standards Australia, go to our Centenary page. Or see the following short video.

If you would like to get involved in standards development, please read more here.

Standards Australia and Bureau of Indian Standards Collaborate

Standards Australia welcomes the announcement of the Standards and Conformance Trade Enabling Program which will enhance collaboration between Standards Australia and its Indian counterpart, the Bureau of Indian Standards.

The program strengthens Australia and India’s already prosperous bilateral relationship. It will enable trade opportunities between the two nations in a range of areas such as agriculture, energy, resources, infrastructure, science and innovation, and healthcare.

Read more here.

How to Avoid Building Stress with Standards

As home renovations and new home constructions surge in 2022, many homeowners are at risk of adding time, cost and stress to the process by failing to meet regulatory standards.

While it might be tempting for home owners to do most of the work themselves, the cost of not following regulations can cost hundreds of thousands in the long run.

Read more here.

Set the Standard Podcast

Standards Australia has launched a new podcast called ‘Set the Standard,’ where we speak with industry experts to gain insights into current and emerging industries and to better understand the role of standards in empowering the Australian community.

Recently, we spoke with Lisa McLean, CEO at NSW Circular, Kar Mei Tang, Chief Circular Economist at NSW Circular and Connie Ho, Strategic Initiatives Manager at Standards Australia to explore the current and future state of Australia's Circular Economy.

Tune in here.

Level up your standards knowledge with Bootcamp

Do you know someone new to the world of standards? Keen to brush up on the basics? Read on!

Standards Australia’s Bootcamp is a free, two-hour course tailored to boost your CV by developing practical skills and background knowledge on standards. 

We’ll be running a session on Friday, 29 April from 9.30am – midday AEST, online via Zoom.

Bootcamp is ideal for graduates, young professionals, and anyone new to the industry.

Standards Australia’s Bootcamp is open to the first 25 registrations, so if you know someone suitable to attend, please share this link with them.

Pacific Quality Infastructure Intiative - Needs Assessments

The Pacific Quality Infrastructure (PQI) Initiative, led by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, aims to strengthen, educate and inform quality infrastructure across Forum Island Countries.

Standards Australia is conducting a series of Needs Assessments with Forum Island Countries and their National Standards Bodies.

If you would like to contribute to the Needs Assessments for your country or would like to find out more, please see here

Genomics Informatics Forum

Standards Australia is hosting a forum on the ISO/TC 215 Sub Committee regarding Genomics Informatics on Friday, 29 April 2022, from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (AEST). 

The debrief and workshop will seek to:

• Inform Australian stakeholders of Genomics Informatics-related standards under development at ISO
• Inform Australian stakeholders of ISO/TC 215/SC 1 Road Map
• Determine participation options for Australian stakeholders
• Determine next steps for Australian stakeholders to be involved in ISO/TC 215/SC 1

Email with any questions or for further information.

In Conversation with Barbara Kerlen

Barbara Kerlen is a national leader in quality assurance and compliance. She’s worked with Standards Australia since 2014 as a championing voice for the consumer.

Ms Kerlen currently sits on three committees (CS-118, QR-008 and CMC) and liaises with Standards Australia on over 20 committees for the NRA as nominating organization, working as a champion to enable high standards of safety for the consumer.

In 2020, Ms Kerlen’s dedication to standards and her work on button battery safety resulting in the establishment of CS-118 Button Battery Safety, was recognised when she was awarded the W.R. Hebblewhite Medal.

When and why did you become involved with standards development?
I first became aware of Australian standards in my first Australian quality assurance role, mainly interacting with standards in the textile space. My relationships with the Australian Fashion Council and National Retail Association encouraged participation in standards committees and I’ve never looked back. When I moved roles to work as a Quality and Product Safety Manager for a wider range of products, I became more involved in consumer safety – with a focus on button batteries.

How do standards impact and interact with your industry?
I believe well-developed standards are a great tool for industry stakeholders, especially when it comes to the international stage. We need the best possible standards in the market to support Australian consumers and businesses.

Why is access to standards important?
Access to standards is important in ensuring all stakeholders have access to well-developed documents, that set benchmarks, provide clarity on product design for safety, and set adequate guidance for product testing.

Standards greatly help industry to prevent harm to consumers, and we have a duty of care to all Australians when selling products.

What is the future of standardisation in your area of work?
In the space of standards development for consumer protection I see international collaboration as a key to best outcomes for industry and consumers. Australian standards committee members are passionate, knowledgeable and determined. I expect we will see more Australian standards adopted internationally in the future, not just Australia adoption of international standards.

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from March (PDF) 

• You’re Invited: ISO and IEC Consultation Session for Australian Contributors – May 2022 
• Guidelines for overseas warehouse services in cross-border trade: New Work Item Proposal 
• Launch of the IEC Global Impact Fund 

May 2022: Australian Participation at ISO and IEC Consultation Session

Standards Australia will be hosting a consultation session for all Australian contributors to ISO and IEC on 4 May 2022.

We invite participants to attend the event via Zoom to share their feedback on participating in international standards development and hear updates on Australian priorities. It is also an opportunity to learn more about Australia’s engagement in ISO and IEC and what’s to come in 2022-2023, including an update on a return to face to face meetings. 

Register your participation here.

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.

Standards Australia has updated its Privacy Policy.

Please see the new version at https://www.standards.org.au/privacy-policy 

The main changes relate to Standards Australia’s use of advertising.  

The updated Policy also reflects changes to Standards Australia’s use of third party service providers located overseas. 

We take the security of our committee member and customer data seriously, including by requiring any third-party providers we use to have acceptable security measures and by putting in place physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards in line with industry standards.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us here. 

IN THIS EDITION

• CEO Report
• 2022 Standards Awards - Nominations Open
• Standard Australia's Grad Program
• World Engineering Day
• In Conversation With Enzo Alfonsetti
• Attending International Meetings
• International Update
• Sector Update
• Drafts Open for Comment

CEO Report

Hello and welcome to the first 2022 edition of E-News.
As I write this, Australia is gradually lifting the COVID-19 health restrictions and welcoming tourists back to our shores for the first time in two years.The opening of international borders is good reason to celebrate. I’m delighted families can be reunited for the first time in years, and visitors can return and enjoy our beautiful country.
As a company, we have plans to re-commence hosting face to face technical committee meetings in the near future with more information to be made available in the coming weeks. We appreciate many people may still be anxious or unwilling to travel. As such we will continue utilising our virtual ways of working to accommodate as many people as we can in hybrid meetings where practical to do so. A guide to our hybrid meeting approach can be seen here.
I’m also looking forward to reuniting in person with our regional partners and international counterparts after a long time apart. And pleased that our technical experts can, once again, bring their skills overseas to positively impact global standardisation.
In addition to re-engaging personally with colleagues in Australia and overseas, there’s a lot to look forward to in the international space this year.
We are continuing to work with our neighbours in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. The next phase of the ASEAN-Australia Digital Trade Standardisation Initiative is being prepared for 2022 , and we continue to engage with partners in South East Asia on areas of mutual priority, from digital trade to critical and emerging technologies.  In the Pacific, last month, we facilitated mentoring sessions with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), and in March, we’ll be preparing to host the first regional standards committee meeting.
The intention of this meeting is to foster regional collaboration in standard development. This collaboration will address unique and shared challenges, develop a regional strategy to prioritise key standard development initiatives, and better integrate Pacific neighbours’ technical expertise and infrastructure to promote the development of sustainable quality infrastructure.
Back at home we announced that nominations are now open for the 2022 Standards Awards. These awards are given to those who have made significant contributions to standard development and demonstrated outstanding service in enabling Standards Australia to attain its objectives. I strongly recommend you nominate your peers and can read more about the awards and how to enter below.
I look forward to working with you all in the year ahead.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive 

2022 Standards Awards - Nominations Open

We’re pleased to announce that nominations for the 2022 Standards Awards are now open for entry.
The Standards Awards, presented in Standards Australia’s centenary year, are awarded to those who have made significant contributions to standards development and demonstrated outstanding service in enabling Standards Australia to attain its objectives. We look forward to receiving entries for these prestigious awards via the Standards Australia website.
Winners are chosen by a panel including Standards Australia’s executives and standards development senior managers. Winners will be announced in May.
Previous winners are eligible for renomination, and self-nominations are welcome.
Read more about the awards and how to enter here.

Standards Australia's Grad Program

In 2020, Standards Australia launched its Graduate Program.

The program is an opportunity for talented graduates to kick-start their careers. 

It spans 12 months and offers new professionals the chance to rotate across several Standard Australia departments. It allows graduates to learn about the company's processes, procedures, activities, and goals, while creating valuable connections.
You can read more about the program here.

World Engineering Day

We’re sponsoring World Engineering Day this Friday 4th March.
The World Engineering Day team are hosting many informative activities, including a hackathon before the day and a 24-hour live stream.

In Conversation with Enzo Alfonsetti

Enzo Alfonsetti is the Head of Type A Gas Appliance and Component Safety for Energy Safe Victoria.
In addition, he currently chairs the Standards Australia AG006 committee for gas installations, is a member of the ME-093 committee for Hydrogen Technologies and convenor of the End Use Applications working group under ME-093. 

Enzo is also the current chair of the Gas Technical Regulators Committee (GTRC) and a member of our Standards Development and Accreditation Committee (SDAC).

When and why did you become involved with standards development?

I originally became involved in standards development in the 1980s when I worked in the manufacturing sector. I was involved in maintaining Australian Gas Association (AGA) standards. I was a representative of the manufacturing sector for both gas and electric cooking appliances.
How do standards impact and interact with your industry?

I now work for Energy Safe Victoria, which is an independent statutory authority for gas, electrical and pipeline safety. As a Technical Regulator, we rely heavily on standards through their reference in our legislation, which allows us to regulate the market and achieve national consistency with other jurisdictions.
Why is access to standards important?

Access to standards is important in ensuring practitioners are conducting their work in accordance with the relevant requirements that are legally binding through the referencing of these standards in legislation.
What is the future of standardisation in your area of work?

For Energy Safe Victoria’s gas division, the future of standardisation is the development or adoption of standards for the production, storage, handling and utilisation of hydrogen to facilitate Australia’s commitment under the Paris Agreement to meet its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Attending International Meetings

After two years of full virtual meetings, our international contributors will be pleased to know that increasingly ISO and IEC are scheduling meetings with the ability to participate face-to-face. IEC has a number of meetings scheduled in coming months in hybrid mode and ISO announced that ISO committee meetings will be able to be conducted in hybrid mode after the 1st May. It will be up to individual participants whether they attend the meetings in person or virtually.
As with all meeting attendance please liaise with your Project Manager to arrange endorsement and to complete a webform for your attendance. If you are attending a meeting face-to-face please indicate if you require a travel subsidy. We are currently reviewing subsidies to take into account current airfare and accommodation rates, as well as other cost increases incurred for travel since the pandemic started. New travel subsidy levels are expected to be finalised in March 2022.
SA also strongly encourages participants to become familiar with the ISO and IEC Guidance on Effective virtual and hybrid meetings which provides useful advice regarding meeting duration for each different mode of meeting. Factors such as time zone rotation should be considered as part of the meeting scheduling process and if this is not being taken into account please draw your Project Manager’s attention to these situations so we can raise these issues ISO and IEC.
It is exciting that we can start planning to meet with colleagues in person again. Please do reach out to your Project Manager or the International team (intsect@standards.org.au) if you have additional questions.

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from Jan / Feb (PDF) 

New IEC Statutes and Rules of Procedure come into effect
Natural gas fuelling stations for vehicles: New Field of Technical Activity

New editions of household appliances’ safety standards published

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page. 

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect. 

IN THIS EDITION

• CEO Report
• Small Business Sets Offer Standards at an Affordable Cost
• Enter the Drones
• World First Standard for Seatbelts
• Nominations Open for Standards Heroes
• New Members Admitted
• International Update
• Sector Update

Drafts Open for Comment

CEO REPORT

As 2021 comes to a close, I’d like to thank our members, contributors, stakeholders and staff for their ongoing commitment during another challenging year.
We approached this year with the goal to make standards more affordable and accessible to the end user. I am very pleased to be able to report that this goal was realized and achieved many times throughout the year: In April, we successfully launched the Standards Store. The store is a big step in transforming service delivery. Increasing ways customers engage with Standards Australia while supporting our licensing and distribution framework will allow content to be used more broadly across the economy.
November saw us partner with the Housing Industry Association, Master Builders Association NSW and launch our innovative Small Business Sets.

In addition to providing greater accessibility to standards, we also focused our efforts on developing and implementing collaborative tools to support customers. 2021 saw us launch the Voice of Customer program, which utilizes targeted surveys to understand what we’re delivering well and where we can progress. This program will help us better work with our many contributors and customers, enabling our organization to meet their needs.
We have also made much progress in 2021 on our international engagement work. Standards Australia was elected to new international governance groups, including the ISO Council, the IEC Council Board (CB), the IEC Conformity Assessment Board (CAB) and the Chairman’s Advisory Group of the ISO committee on developing country matters (DEVCO). We are also a member of the ISO. 

These significant appointments add to our existing position on the IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB) and ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) and give Australia a voice on the organizations’ policy, operational and strategic direction.
Next year, we look forward to continuing to support our stakeholders through the development of standards that enable our communities and increase our contribution and influence at the international level. We will continue to drive initiatives that generate more value and become even more accessible to Australian industries.
On behalf of Standards Australia, I thank you again and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive  

Small Business Sets Offer Standards at an Affordable Cost

For almost 100 years, Standards Australia has been developing standards to support safer communities, boost economic growth and influence global standardization.  One of our goals is to promote better access to standards at an affordable cost.  This year, we launched our online Store along with a subscription service called Small Business Sets. The NCC Primary References Set bundles together 214 standards referenced in the National Construction Code. A three-year subscription costs approx. $2.50 per day.  
Learn more here.

Enter the Drones

Australia is positioning itself to take part in the international standards committee ISO TC 20/SC 16 Unmanned Air Systems.

The official scope of this committee is “Standardization in the field of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) including, but not limited to, classification, design, manufacture, operation (including maintenance) and safety management of UAS operations”.  

The group has published five standards and has 25 projects under development. Standards Australia facilitated a workshop to brief Australian stakeholders on current works and how they can get involved to ensure the Australian industry positions itself well in the international market. The first committee meeting of the Australian experts will be early 2022.

Read more here.

World First Standard for Seatbelts

Seatbelts are a vital safety feature in any car. However, not everyone can rely on seatbelts alone; people living with disabilities, people who require modified seatbelts, pregnant women and pets all require additional accessories on seatbelts to better suit their safety needs.

Standards Australia Committee CS-075, Seat Belts for Use in Motor Vehicles, has launched a project to develop the world’s first standard on accessories for seatbelts used in motor vehicles.

Learn more about the project here. 

Nominations Open for Standards Heros

2022 marks Standard Australia’s 100th birthday.
Our centenary year provides us with the opportunity to recognize the beneficial work we have delivered alongside our dedicated members, contributors, stakeholders and staff.

We will celebrate the people that have contributed their expertise and have helped shape our organization throughout its history; our ‘Standards Heroes’. 

 Throughout 2022, we’ll be profiling a selection of our ‘Standards Heroes’ on our website and social media platforms, highlighting their accomplishments and how they’ve impacted the world of standards. 

We’d like to invite you to put forward a nomination for consideration for a hero to profile.  These nominations can include people with established careers, up and comers and anyone positively impacting their industry and the associated standards. We’re looking for interesting and engaging individuals whose stories will inspire people to get involved.

If you have a nomination, please let our team know by emailing Marketing@standards.org.au with their name and why you think they’re a Standards Hero. Please note, a nomination is not a guarantee of inclusion.  
 

New Members Admitted

Standards Australia has admitted its first new members under a new Company Constitution adopted in March 2021.

Standards Australia congratulates the Caravan Industry Association of Australia; Safety Institute of Australia trading as Australian Institute of Health and Safety; and the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) on their recent admittance as Members.
Organizations interested in Membership of Standards Australia should review the new criteria, which is intended to broaden the company's membership, with the aim of ensuring that membership continues to grow Standards Australia's relevance and reach, and better reflect the communities we serve.
Information regarding our Members and the criteria for Membership is available here.
Enquiries regarding how to apply to become a Member and requests for a Membership Application form are welcomed by Standards Australia and should be directed to our Company Secretary.  
 

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from December (PDF).

• Promoting cultural and geographical diversity
• Recapping ISO and IEC governance and leadership in 2021
• Invitation to an international workshop on live streaming marketing services

Spector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect. 

Australian Solar Standard (AS/NZS 5033) revised to support growing solar industry  

• In two decades, almost 4 million solar PV panel systems have been installed across Australia, which has seen a dramatic reduction in overall costs. 
• Standards Australia has published a revision to AS/NZS 5033:2021, Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays
• The revision aims to support users in meeting compliance requirements and promote consumer safety.  

In the past twenty years, over 3.9 million solar photovoltaics (PV) panel systems have been installed across the country [1]. These solar systems generate electricity by capturing energy from sunlight via three essential components: solar photovoltaics, the inverter and the direct current (DC) isolator.  

  According to Solar Choice solar energy gained popularity in 2008 and 2009 following Government tariffs that offered up to 60 c/kWh for solar energy exported into the grid [2]. In the years prior, prices were as high as $15 to $20 per watt marking a significant saving and incentive to invest in solar energy. Since then, prices have dropped to an average of over just $1 per watt.  

  With lower associated costs, more households across Australia are focusing on renewable energy, and the highest levels of safety must be considered, from manufacturing to installation and use. It’s important that standards are in place to help support efficient installation and guide safety requirements, to support consumer confidence.  

  To support the growing solar panel industry, Standards Australia Technical Committee EL-042, Renewable Energy Power Supply Systems and Equipment, has recently published revised standard AS/NZS 5033:2021, Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays, to ensure safeguards are in place. 

  “With millions of solar PV panel systems being installed across Australia, clear and relevant standards are paramount in supporting safe practice for industry professionals, homeowners and businesses,” said Roland Terry-Lloyd, head of Standards Development at Standards Australia.   

Solar installation and compliance 

  Overall, the revision aims to provide clear and relevant guidance to support safe systems and safe practices for industry professionals and consumers. The standard has been restructured to promote better readability, supporting users in meeting compliance requirements. AS/NZS 5033 is referenced in AS/NZS 3000, commonly known as the Wiring Rules, which is called upon in legislation. Compliance with the requirements of both standards is essential. 

  If an Australian Standard is referenced in legislation, the relevant authority specifies the date the standard comes into effect. This date and ‘transitional period’ will be made clear in the preface of the standard.  

  AS/NZS 5033:2014 will remain current for six months after this time it will be superseded by AS/NZS 5033:2021. Regulatory authorities that reference this standard may apply these requirements at a different time. Users of this standard should consult with these authorities to confirm their requirements. A contact directory of some regulators is available here. 

  The revision includes several other significant updates. The updating of requirements for micro inverter installations and DC conditioning units will enable greater use of technology across larger panels, supporting better safety outcomes. 

  “At the time the 2014 standard was written, solar panels were at most 250W per panel, but technology is quickly changing, and it’s not unusual for panels to be greater than 400W,” said EL-042 Co-Chair Sandy Atkins.  

  “Therefore, AS/NZS 5033:2014 was limiting for installation professionals,” Mr Atkins finished. 

  Committee El-042 assessed different requirements around the world against Australian conditions, identified achievable safety outcomes, and determined a number of different solutions that industry can choose to best suit their installations.  

  “If you still want to use DC isolators then you can, but if you don’t, the standard allows for other solutions such as disconnection points,” said Mr Atkins.  

  Australia previously had a limitation of 600V for panels for houses but recently aligned with international requirements of 1000V. Additionally, AS/NZS 5033:2021 also aligns with international standard IEC 62548:2016, Photovoltaic (PV) arrays — Design requirements.  

  “Solar is booming worldwide, so it’s important we align with international standards so that the Australian market can use international products and technologies as well,” said Mr Atkins.  

  The recently published standard is AS/NZS 5033:2021, Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.    

[1] Clean Energy Regulator, Postcode data for small-scale installations | Accessed: 29 September 2021

[2] Solar Choice, Solar panels cost data: Solar Choice Price Index | Accessed: 29 September 2021   

CEO REPORT

In October, we celebrated Standards Australia’s 99th birthday. This milestone is no small feat and is a testament to the combined work and dedication of our members, contributors, stakeholders and staff. The effective collaboration of many people is essential to the development of trusted standards solutions and we greatly value this investment that delivers such great benefit for Australia.  

The effective collaboration of many people is essential to the development of trusted standards solutions and we greatly value this investment that delivers such great benefit for Australia.  

To help us continually improve the experience of our stakeholders we are pleased to present the Voice of Customer program.  

 The Voice of Customer program uses targeted surveys to collate customer feedback and responses, including with our members, contributors, stakeholders and staff. The program will help us continuously make improvements based on your feedback, and I look forward to your engagement with this SA outreach initiative and implementing change as needed. 

In addition to opening conversations and collating feedback, we’ve also continued to work towards providing access to standards at a lower cost via our Small Business Sets (SBS).   

Small Business Sets are designed to suit user requirements of Small Businesses with 1-19 employees. They offer online and offline access to a bundle of standards that can be accessed across smartphones, tablets, phones, and other computing devices.  

  Our National Construction Code focused SBS, called NCC Primary References Set, bundles together 122 standards that are referenced in the NCC. This set allows easier access at an affordable cost and is proving to be a popular and helpful industry tool.    

Finally, we are all hopeful that as the health restrictions in Australia are lifted, we can enjoy the coming summer months with family and friends and reunite with colleagues. 

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive  

World Standards Day

As the Australian member of ISO and IEC, together with other national standards bodies, we recognize and thank the individuals and members who contribute their expertise to standards development. We also celebrate how standards impact and shape daily life.  

The theme for this year’s World Standards Day is 'Shared vision for a better world’ and focuses on how standards can help achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all UN member states in 2015. These goals focus on social imbalances, the development of sustainable economies, and addressing climate change and its consequences.    

World Standards day reminds us of our mission and the value of the work involved in standards development.  We thank you for being part of a contributor and supporter of our work.
You can read more here.

Voice of Customer

We’re pleased to present our Voice of Customer program. This program gives our stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback about their experience with Standards Australia through targeted surveys.

The program focuses on capturing and acting on stakeholder feedback and is an important driver of our partners’ needs, understandings and expectations. Ultimately, the program will help us continuously make improvements based on the needs of our stakeholders.

In May 2021, we launched a series of initial surveys to gather insights and gain valuable external understanding of our strengths and areas of improvement. Ongoing surveys will help us  identify changes that we can implement that will positively impact key stakeholders’ experiences with us.

We will communicate the results from the surveys, alongside plans to address areas of improvement, via quarterly updates in E-News.

The next round of surveys will be distributed in December 2021, via email. 

We understand that many of us suffer from survey fatigue, however we would strongly encourage you to get involved with the surveys if contacted. Your experience and feedback matters.

You can learn more about the Voice of Customer program here. 

NCC Small Business Set

This year, via the Standards Store, we launched the subscription product Small Business Sets (SBS). SBS is designed to provide small businesses easier access to standards through significant discounts to a curated selection of commonly used and referenced standards. 

Our largest set is is the NCC Primary References Set. It contains 122 standards and technical specifications listed in Schedule 4 of the National Construction Code. 

Working Together to Build Better Outcomes

The Australian Steel Association and Standards Australia have a long history of working together to ensure members’ voices are heard and represented. With Standards playing a crucial role in the steel industry, there are now more avenues than ever for ASA members can become involved and help shape the future of standards development.

Next month, we'll be hosting a combined webinar: Working Together to Build Better Outcomes In this webinar, that pulls back the curtain to remove the mystery and outline new processes put in place to provide faster solutions for the steel sector. Hosted on Tuesday 9th November, attendees will hear insights on:

• Why standards matter in the steel industry 
• Understanding the standards pathways available for ASA members
• Making it easier for experts to participate in standards development 
• A snapshot of Standards’ Bootcamp and NEXT gen program

Find out more here.

Set the Standard Podcast

On the latest episode of Standards Australia’s podcast, host Shannen Brown covers regulatory technology (RegTech), an industry which uses information technology to enhance regulatory processes. Shannen speaks with Deborah Young, CEO of the RegTech Association,

to understand the imperative role regulatory technology plays in today’s modern era of increased regulation and compliance.

Standard Australia’s Senior International Partnerships manager, Jesse Riddell, also joined to share the challenges that RegTech companies face across borders and how Standards Australia can support Australian companies.

You can watch the podcast episode here.   

Aged Standards Open for Consultation

To keep our catalogue contemporary and relevant, we are seeking feedback on a number of Aged Standards (documents over ten years old), belonging to inactive Technical Committees. Let us know if these standards are still used by your industry or community by Friday 17 December 2021. 

Learn more at our Aged Standards Review page. 

International Update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from October (PDF). 

Upcoming info sessions include:

• Guidance on Effective Virtual and Hybrid Meetings
• Small hydropower plants (SHP plants): New Field of Technical Activity
• Australia represented on IEC Advisory Committee 
• Webinar on International Standards and International Trade

Incubating Capacity for CET Standards

This month, we partnered with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to deliver a four-day series of digital summits and masterclasses.

‘Incubating Capacity for Critical and Emerging Technology Standards' focused on critical and emerging technologies in the ASEAN region.

From October 25th, participants learned about Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities, Advanced Manufacturing and Standards and Statecraft from a range of expert speakers.

We’ll be sharing further detail of the event in November via our news site.

Guidance on Effective Virtual and Hybrid Meetings

Following the recent release of the joint ISO/IEC ‘Guidance document on effective virtual and hybrid meetings’, Standards Australia will be holding information sessions for Australian Chairs and Convenors of international technical committees and Chairs of Australian National Mirror Committees. Presenters will provide an overview of the guidance to support Australian Chairs and Convenors in this transition. Two sessions will be held on:

Tuesday 16 November, 10-11am AEST
Thursday 18 November, 2-3pm AEST

Please register in advance to secure your spot.

Sector Update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.  

Drafts Open for Comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.  

CEO Report

Next month, on October 14th, we celebrate World Standards Day.

This day allows us the opportunity to reflect on the vital role standards plays in our communities as well as recognizing the work of our members, contributors, stakeholders and staff. 

This World Standards Day, I’d like to take a moment to express my appreciation of the dedication everyone has shown to our shared vision of delivering trusted solutions that improve life and empower communities. Especially during such a challenging time, with many of our contributors in extended lockdown.

Despite lockdown and borders being closed, we were able to virtually attend ISO Week 2021 in September. The General Assembly provided many insightful discussions on how we can utilize international standards to create a better world for us and future generations. I know I left this event with a drive to continue collaborating internationally to deliver our best work locally and globally.

It is worth noting, also, that in order to pave the way for the new normal, IEC and ISO have jointly prepared a new guide on how to plan and run meetings to ensure the highest level of participation (taking into account the different time zones), build the best consensus and speed up progress for the standardization projects. Over the coming weeks our team will be providing our international experts with opportunities to learn more about this guidance document and promote its broad uptake.  

While on the topic of international standards and ISO, I was very pleased to be elected to the Council of the International Organization for Standardization for a three-year term with the strong support of ISO members.

As a founding member of ISO, Standards Australia has a strong record of leadership and engagement in the organization’s technical, policy and governance work.

As a member of the ISO Council, I will work on behalf of Australia and in collaboration with others to strengthen ISO’s role and effectiveness as the preeminent global standards body.

I’m grateful for the excellent work of a very dedicated Standards Australia team, the support of the Commonwealth government and most particularly the strong vote of support and confidence from ISO members.

I’m looking forward to contributing to the implementation of ISO’s Strategic Plan over the next three years and representing the views and insights that Australia brings to this important global body.

I look forward to the work we’ll continue to deliver.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive  

The future has begun

ISO Week was hosted by the British Standards Institution (BSI) as a virtual event with the theme of The Future Has Begun. 

The ISO Committee on developing country matters (DEVCO) met on 16-17 September to discuss topics like digitalization, engaging with the next generation and the role of standards in supporting regulation. 

The General Assembly (GA), made up of all ISO members, met from 22-24 September. In addition to governance updates and election results, members discussed topics like innovation, diversity and inclusion, and climate and governance. 

The GA approved the London Declaration, outlining the ISO community’s climate commitment in support of the Paris Agreement and the broader UN Sustainable Development Goals. ISO Council and TMB also met alongside the GA meetings. An update from the TMB sessions will be provided in October’s update.

Standards Australia lights the way

Announced late last month, the newly revised AS 2560.2 provides guidance on appropriately lit facilities for a number of different sports.

The standard aims to guide safely lit indoor and outdoor sporting venues, and support sporting clubs and communities in maximizing their use and time when playing sports.   

Driving standardization in road signs

Standards Australia has revised AS 1742.1, the first part of a fourteen-part series. The revision includes more than 250 new road signs used for regulating, warning and guiding road users. 

Find out more in our recent media release.  

Prefab Conference

During September we were a premium partner of the prefabAUS 2021 virtual conference: Merging to Mainstream | Offsite: Building blocks for a sustainable future.

The virtual event was a great success with attendees hearing about industry change, research and innovation. 

Thank you to prefab, the attending speakers and hosts for putting together such informative sessions. 

We’re looking forward to next year’s conference, remaining connected with the industry and continuing to help facilitate sharing valuable insights from respected industry professionals Australia and overseas.  

In Conversation

Peter has been a lighting design professional for nearly 40 years, with a particular passion for sports lighting. He is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society of Australian and New Zealand and has been actively involved in producing standards both in Australia, through Standards Australia, and internationally with the International Commission on Illumination.   

Some of his proudest achievements across his career include designing the floodlighting of Stadium Australia for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, and the original sports lighting system at stadiums like Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and AAMI Park in Melbourne to name a few. In 2019, Peter retired from corporate life and set up his own consulting business, Peter Jones Lighting Design.  

How did you first become involved in standards development?
I‘m not entirely sure, but I think I first got involved in standards in the early to mid1990s. Initially I was a representative for the Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia and New Zealand working on LG-001, but with the formation of the peak body for the Australian lighting industry known as Lighting Council of Australia, I transitioned to represent them which I continued to do until my retirement back in 2019. However, I felt I still had something to contribute so since then I’ve been involved as an independent chair for one Standards committee.

When I first started working with Standards Australia, there was a real need for standardization and development in the industry. We had limited guidance and benchmarks, and there was a definite gap when it came to standards for lighting designers.

Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked across a number of standards committees, mainly LG-001, LG-009 and LG-010 with a small stint on LG-002 and LG-007, but most recently as chair for LG-009 Sports Lighting.

I’ve always worked towards the goal of creating engaging and developing standards that impact multiple disciplines and sports to benefit the lighting industry and the sporting community and I hope this continues into the future.

Why is having access to standards important?
Standards provide a real benefit for the lighting industry; they set our benchmarks and show lighting designers, engineers and end users the ‘how’ as well as the ‘why’.

Not only do standards guide us, but they also help us provide a lit environment that is safe, comfortable, and energy efficient.

Standards give us the opportunity to bring all interested parties together and set the benchmark for lighting across activities, such as sports.

What is the future of standardization in your area of work?
Standardization will be ever-changing in the lighting industry. With innovation in technology, methodology and light sources, comes new, unique challenges and the standards will need to continuously update to meet these.

The constant need to refresh will see standards evolve and develop. I expect there will also be a need to continually assess the lighting standard set, to see how to work together and how they can adapt to allow for best practice outcomes. 

Aged Standards open for consultation

To keep our catalogue contemporary and relevant, we will be seeking feedback on a number of Aged Standards (documents over ten years old), belonging to inactive Technical Committees. 

A list of these aged documents will be released from 15 October 2021 until 17 December 2021 and will be available on our Aged Standards Review page.  

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page. 

Click here to view our highlights from September (PDF)  

• Guidance on effective virtual and hybrid meetings 
• Small hydropower plants (SHP plants): New Field of Technical Activity

IEC efforts to curb e-waste 

IEC 1906 Award

The IEC 1906 Award was established in commemoration of the foundation of the IEC. It honors technical experts around the world whose work is fundamental to the IEC.  

A total of 207 experts from 67 TCs (ISO/IEC JTC 1 included), originating from 24 National Committees, have been nominated to receive this year’s IEC 1906 Award, which recognizes exceptional recent achievements contributing in a significant way to advancing the work of the IEC. Two Australian standards experts were nominated this year. 

Congratulations to: 

Mr David Dart – Expert of the IEC Technical Committee 17, High-voltage switchgear and controlgear. 

Mr Alex Baitch – Expert of the IEC Technical Committee 99, Insulation coordination and system engineering of high voltage electrical power installations above 1,0 kV AC and 1,5 kV DC.   

You can find out more about the awards on the IEC website.  

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.  

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.  

SDO News

Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree-based Products – Requirements 

In September 2021, Responsible Wood published the latest version of the AS 4707 standards for chain of custody. 

Reviewed by Responsible Wood every five years, the standard was approved for publication following review by the AS 4707 standards reference committee and working group chaired by Peter Zed.   

Businesses that achieve AS 4707 chain of custody certification are able to identify and provide Responsible Wood and/or PEFC certified wood or wood products. 

You can find out more here.  

A proposal to establish a new ISO Technical Committee on District Energy System has been submitted by SAC (China). Standards Australia invites stakeholders to share their views on the proposal to help inform the Australian position (feedback is requested by 1 July 2021).
The scope of the proposal is focused on Standardization of planning, operation, maintenance, optimization and application of the integrated district energy system with multiple energy carriers.
Excluding: specific energy (electricity or non-electricity) technologies, information technologies
or control technologies within the scope of other ISO or IEC/TCs.
To provide feedback or learn more about the proposal, please contact us at intsect@standards.org.au.

Updates to Wiring Rules

The Wiring Rules, also known as AS/NZS 3000:2018, Electrical Installations, has been updated.
 
“The Wiring Rules are an integral part of modern Australian life. It is of interest to industry, government and community for the standards to be continuously updated, setting the benchmark for electrical installations. They play an important role in keeping the broader community safe by providing guidance to the design, construction and verification of electrical installations,” said Kara Chan, Engagement Manager at Standards Australia.

Amendment 2 includes:

• A transitional period of 2 years will be introduced for industry to implement Type A Residual Current Devices (RCDs) (sensitive to AC and DC waveforms), moving away from the use of Type AC RCDs, (sensitive to AC waveforms), due to a number of DC voltage appliances and photovoltaic systems (PV) in use currently by industry.

• Clarifications surrounding the meaning and application of alterations and repairs in regard to RCD installation.

• An exception for “not testing an RCD if there is no power available” has been removed. All RCDs will be required to be tested as part of the installation verification process.

• Clarification of access requirements for switchboard within switchboard rooms

• AS/NZS 61439:2016, Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies, series is now  mandatory in design, manufacture and verification for switchboards greater than 125A, or greater than10kA prospective short-circuit current

• Figures for generator connection have been updated to align with AS/NZS 3010:2017, Electrical Installations – Generating sets.

• “Polarity” and “correct circuit connections” have been combined into one clause to provide clarity.

 “The recent updates to the Wiring Rules are a reflection of how Standards Australia endeavour to add value to the Australian community by continuing to develop standards that meet the needs of industry," concluded Ms. Chan.
 
AS/NZS, 3000:2018, Electrical Installations, Amendment 2, is available through Standards Australia’s website and directly from SAI Global and Techstreet.

This month has been exciting, marking a new milestone for Standards Australia with the successful launch of the Standards Store. The fruition of months of work across the entire business, the store represents our continued commitment to deliver an improved experience for our users. Utilising innovative digital technology, it successfully adds an additional channel for customers.
 
The store is a big step in transforming service delivery. Increasing ways customers engage with Standards Australia while supporting our licensing and distribution framework will allow content to be used more broadly across the economy. Specialised products that provide pricing flexibility will facilitate economical access for many users. Building on this work will remain key to our broader better access strategy and development. I would like to thank our team and all of those who worked with us to make this happen.
 
As we move forward, we will remain focused on developing and delivering innovative standards across our 13 sectors. A notable area of development is in the renewable energy sector with recently published standards supporting the movement towards a more sustainable future.

Internationally, Standards Australia remains a trusted voice as we continue to strengthen relationships and long-standing bilateral ties. Additionally, we partnered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to deliver a program to build the capacity of ASEAN partners in the development and adoption of international critical and emerging technology standards for safety, security and trade.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Supporting standards in the Pacific

Despite the challenges of 2020, Standards Australia’s work to support the Pacific Island regions has continued at full tilt with strong engagement with the region, including Australia’s longstanding bilateral ties and regional memberships in bodies including Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC) and Asia-Pacific Economic Commission (APEC).

Read more about our continued commitment in the region on our website.

New partnership to strengthen digital trade and security

Standards Australia has partnered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to deliver a robust program that will support knowledge building and standards collaboration across the ASEAN region in critical and emerging technologies.

The partnership will seek to support safety, security and continued market access in the ASEAN region by providing guidance for a more co-ordinated development and adoption of international standards.

Read more in our recent media release.

New standard in testing LED lamp performance

With inefficient halogen lamps proposed to be phased out in Australia from late 2022, consumers will soon be looking for more certainty around performance claims for light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.

The recently published standard now provides suppliers of LED lamps with clear guidance on how to measure important energy and functional parameters. These parameters include guidance around energy use, light output and colour rendering.

Read more in our recent media release.

Updated boiler standard puts safety and environment front and centre

Standards Australia has recently published a revised standard addressing the significant technology advancements that have occurred in the industry since the standard was last published in 2004.

The standard aims to increase safety requirements for the operation of boilers and other pressure equipment devices. For the first time, it includes requirements to address the emission of greenhouse gases from boilers.

Read more in our recent media release.

Jumping onboard the ocean energy wave

Australia made waves on a global scale for all of the right reasons as Standards Australia announced the formation of a mirror committee of the global IEC Technical Committee 114: Marine Energy - Wave, tidal and other water current converters.

Read about the progress of the committee and how Australia's ecosystem and landscape will contribute to the innovation of marine energy standards development on our website.

Getting the big picture

Standards Australia's contributors are a great source of insight on the challenges and opportunities that exist in their industries, governments and communities. The breadth of work we are involved in, historically, has made it difficult to understand these challenges and opportunities.

Standards Australia has put in place a function to analyse a range of data sources, including discussions directly with contributors, to help identify the key priorities and the major challenges faced in each sector. These insights will inform our Engagement team in their discussions to better align Standards Australia's work program with opportunities and challenges within a sector. It will also allow Standards Australia to understand the strategic issues faced by our existing stakeholders and to explore ways in which Australian Standards might help address the issues outlined.

As we come to the end of our third year of Technical Governance Review implementation, Standards Australia will host workshops in May to discuss with our contributors the work that’s been completed and priority areas for further review. This dialogue will help inform Standards Australia's TGR forward plan.

For more information please contact sem@standards.org.au

A range of projects are underway within the Technical Governance Review Implementation Plan for FY 2021- TGR Implementation Plan FY2021 (PDF)

For an update of the progress to date, see the Current Quarterly report.

NEXTgen Program: Applications Opening Soon

Standards Australia’s NEXTgen Training Program is an education initiative supporting our next generation of contributors and leaders.

The program selects emerging technical experts and provides them with an exciting opportunity to become involved in the national and international standardisation processes. 

NEXTgen offers training and direct exposure to the standards development process through webinars, meetings and professional development activities. 
 
Do you know someone who would be interested in applying for this opportunity? Email NEXTgen@standards.org.au for further information.

May 2021: Australian Participation at ISO and IEC Consultation Session

Standards Australia will be hosting a consultation session for all Australian contributors to ISO and IEC on 18 May 2021.

We invite participants to attend the event via Zoom to learn more about Australia’s presence in ISO and IEC governance groups and what’s to come in 2021-2022. It is also an opportunity to share your feedback on participation in international standardisation, including the adaptation to virtual standards development.

Register your participation.

In Conversation with Sandeep Mathur

Sandeep Mathur is a great contributor to Standards Australia with his involvement in standards development for the past 20 years. Most recently, Mr Mathur serves as a Member of Standards Australia’s IT-030 Committee for IT Governance & Management, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the standardisation process through his experience in business and university. He has published several research papers in reputed journals, shares his knowledge in project management by regularly presenting at conferences and teaches portfolio and data management at the University of Technology Sydney.

Standards Australia (SA): When did you first become involved in standards development?
Sandeep Mathur (SM): I first became involved with standards development in 1997 prior to Y2K when there was lot of uncertainty around the world in what was going to happen when the clock ticked over to 1 January 2000.

I ended up writing three handbooks “SAA SNZ HB104 - A Guide to Year 2000 Compliance,” “SAA SNZ HB121 - Year 2000 Compliance Measures for Personal Computers” and “SAA SNZ HB134 - Year 2000 Compliance Measures for Software”. I must say Y2K feels like a distant memory now; so much has happened since then. I formally joined IT-030, IT Governance and Management, in 2008 as a representative of the Project Management Institute.

SA: How do standards impact and interact with your industry?
SM: The commercial impact of the lack of standardisation within industry is well documented. Publications such as SA/SNZ TS 8019:2016, Governance of Benefits Realization for IT enabled Investments, where I was fortunate to be a Project Editor and principal author, provided guidance to the governing bodies to help them ask the right questions and promote the culture of accountability on benefits realisation. The use of this technical specification potentially reduces wastage which is prevalent in IT enabled investments in a large number of organisations and is a great example of how Standards Australia adds value to the industry through its committees and publications.
 
SA: In the growing world of sustainable cities and communities, where do you see the evolution of standardisation in your area of work?
SM: Standardisation and the need for global standards is here to stay. Transport for NSW is a key example of standards for data sharing with its Future Transport Technology Roadmap 2021-2024 revealing a major uplift in the NSW Government’s ambition to strengthen our global leadership in transport innovation and to create new uses of technology and data analytics for the safe and efficient movement of passengers and freight. This uplift leverages internationally recognised capabilities and experience, rich and open data sets and intelligent systems using the latest analytics to better manage transport networks and services. Each of the local and international delivery partners need to talk the same language when using real-time data from sensors and intelligent systems to create smart transport networks. The need for global standards will only grow as we embrace the new digital world.
 
Accolades

• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Fellow of the Australian Computer Society
• Industry Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney
• Chair of the ACS - National Diversity & Inclusion Council
• Member of ACS Member Advisory Board
• Member of Standards Australia’s IT-030 Committee for IT Governance & Management
• Currently undertaking a PhD at UTS in the efficient delivery of data science programs

Mr Mathur is the Director of Active Transport at Transport NSW. Throughout his professional career he has been on several for-profit and not-for-profit Boards with experience across project, program and portfolio management with:

• Transport for NSW
• Tourism Australia
• First Data
• Westpac
• HSBC
• Commonwealth Bank
• Deutsche Bank
• Société Générale
• IBM
• CSC
• Fujitsu

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from April (PDF)

• Critical Minerals: New Area of Standardisation
• Deoxidizers and desiccants: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity

Online Game Term: New Work Item Proposal

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.

Responsible Wood Update 

Public comment is now being sought on a revised draft for the Australian Standard for Chain of Custody for Forest and Tree Based Products – AS 4707.

The Australian Standard, along with the Australian Standard for Sustainable Forest Management (AS 4708), was developed by Responsible Wood. They are key components of the Responsible Wood Certification Scheme (RWCS).

AS 4707 underpins the endorsement of the PEFC Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree Based Products certification scheme operating in Australia.

“The Responsible Wood Certification Scheme is recognised as a world leading certification scheme for natural and plantation forests,” said Peter Zed, Chairman of the Standard Reference Committee. 

“The Committee includes a broad range of organisations in Australia involved in forest management, forest research, auditing, community, environmental, indigenous and labour unions. These organisations are keen to get public feedback on how the revised Standard can be further improved,” concluded Mr Zed.

The Committee invites public comment on the draft standard. Comments should be submitted by 5pm AEST, Friday the 25th of June 2021, preferably using the submission form available from Responsible Wood.

The review process is being undertaken in accordance with Standards Australia procedures. Responsible Wood is accredited as a Standards Development Organisation (SDO) and is accredited to develop Australian Standards in accordance with the standards development procedures.

The Responsible Wood Certification Scheme, of which AS 4707 is a key component, is accredited by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC is the world’s largest certification system for sustainable forest management.

The Standard Reference Committee has sought to ensure that the revised standard (AS 4707) continues to be consistent with PEFC endorsement requirements.

The draft standard and the submission form can be downloaded from the Responsible Wood website. 

For more information about the revision of the Australian Standard for Chain of Custody of Forest and Tree Based Products please contact: Simon Dorries (CEO – Responsible Wood) on 07 3359 1758 or email standards@responsiblewood.org.au.
 

• Standards Australia has published a revised standard that sets out increased safety requirements for the operation of boilers and other pressure equipment devices.
• For the first time requirements to address the emission of greenhouse gases from boilers are included in the standard. 
• The revised standard also addresses the significant technology advancements that have occurred in the industry since the standard was last published in 2004.

Operators of boilers will now be better protected following a substantial revision of one of the industry’s key safety standards. The revision dramatically improves testing requirements and controls for increased workplace and personal safety. The standard now provides safer methologies and improved requirements to address factors such as boiler controls, special lifting equiptment, boiler access and other work health and safety (WHS) aspects.

The updated standard also sets out new requirements to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases from boilers, as well as addressing the significant technology upgrades that have occurred in the industry.

“Supporting safer work environments and safety for the public is paramount particularly when dealing with hazardous equipment such as boilers that can pose serious risks. This updated standard puts safety at the forefront with clear, concise testing methods and safety requirements,” said Roland Terry-Lloyd, Head of Standards Development with Standards Australia.

“For the first time the inclusion of requirements aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from boilers, as well as methodologies that address the vast array of new technology now deployed in the sector, has resulted in an internationally competitive standard,” said Mr Terry-Lloyd.

James Forbes, Chair and Drafting Leader for the new standard, said the revision was a huge task for the committee with over 1,000 updates and modifications made during the drafting process. The end result is a much improved document to guide the industry.

“This new version is a standard of international quality that now focuses on the best criteria of any standard of any country – safety, the environment and technology,” concluded Mr Forbes.

The recently published standard is:

AS/NZS 2593:2021, Boilers – Safety management and supervision systems

Latest News

New standard to test LED lamp performance

• Standards Australia has published a new standard that sets out clear test methods for measuring key performance indicators of LED lamps, including efficacy, light output and colour rendering.
• Drawing from a range of international and regional standards, the standard provides Australian and New Zealand suppliers and regulators with clear, internationally recognised methods and guidance. 
• The standard has been developed to support the proposed introduction of minimum energy efficiency and quality standards for LED light bulbs in Australia and New Zealand.

With inefficient halogen lamps proposed to be phased out in Australia from late 2022, consumers will soon be looking for more certainty around performance claims for light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.
 
The recently published standard provides suppliers of LED lamps with a clear guidance on how to measure important energy and functional parameters that can assist in guiding consumers buying decisions, such as energy use, light output and colour rendering.
 
“The standard provides guidelines on how to test LED lamp products in a consistent manner that is aligned with international practices. Compliance with this testing standard provides consumers with confidence about claims made by the manufacturer,” said Glenn Toole, Chair of the committee responsible for the standard.
 
The standard brings together test methods and information from a range of resources, including international and regional standards. Additional guidance on how to interpret methodologies and/or apply them specifically to LED lamps is also included, to assist with the standard being a comprehensive reference guide.
 
“With the Council of Australian Government Energy Ministers agreeing to introduce minimum energy efficiency and quality standards for LED lamps in Australia and New Zealand in line with European Union standards, this test standard is an important first step that will be useful for suppliers and regulators,” said Roland Terry-Lloyd, Head of Standards Development with Standards Australia.
 
Recently published standard:
AS/NZS 5341:2021, LED lamps – Test methods – Energy and functional performance 

Contact

Laura Johns

Public Affairs Officer

02 9237 6311

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Drafts for Public Comment

All drafts open for public comment can be found here.

Specification for radio disturbance and immunity measuring apparatus and methods, Part 3: CISPR technical reports
Draft No.: DR SA/SNZ TR CISPR 16.3:2021
Committee: TE-003           
Close Date: 23/02/2021

Recent Publications

All publications may be purchased from our distributors, Standards Australia Webstore (powered by Techstreet), and SAI Global.

Information technology - Big data - Overview and vocabulary
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC 20546:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO/IEC 20546:2019, which provides a set of terms and definitions needed to promote improved communication and understanding of this area. It provides a terminological foundation for big data-related standards. This document provides a conceptual overview of the field of big data, its relationship to other technical areas and standards efforts, and the concepts ascribed to big data that are not new to big data. KEYWORDS: Big Data; Terminological foundation.
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC 20546:2020.
 
Internet of things (IoT) - Interoperability for internet of things systems, Part 1: Framework
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC 21823.1:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO/IEC 21823 1:2019, which provides an overview of interoperability as it applies to IoT systems and a framework for interoperability for IoT systems. It enables IoT systems to be built in such a way that the entities of the IoT system are able to exchange information and mutually use the information in an efficient way and peer-to-peer interoperability between separate IoT systems. KEYWORDS: Interoperability; Internet of Things; System framework.
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC 21823.1:2020.
 
Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services
Product designation: AS EN 301 549:2020
Abstract: This Standard adopts EN 301 549:2019 (V3.1.1), which specifies the functional accessibility requirements applicable to ICT products and services, together with a description of the test procedures and evaluation methodology for each accessibility requirement in a form that is suitable for use in public procurement within Australia.
History: Originated as AS EN 301 549:2016. Second edition 2020.
 
Information technology - Governance of IT - Application of ISO/IEC 38500 to the governance of IT enabled investments
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 38506:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO/IEC 38506:2020, providing guidance on governance of IT enabled investments to the governing body of all forms of organizations, whether private, public or government entities, and will equally apply regardless of the size of the organization or its industry or sector. KEYWORDS: IT investments; IT governance; Resource allocation.
History: First published as AS/NZS ISO/IEC 38506:2020.
 
Information technology - Internet of things (IoT) - IoT use cases
Product designation: SA TR ISO/IEC 22417:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO/IEC TR 22417:2017 for Australia, which identifies IoT scenarios and use cases based on real-world applications and requirements. It also assists in the identification of potential areas for standardization in the IoT environment to ensure ease of operation and interoperability. KEYWORDS: Internet technology; Internet of things; IOT; Use cases.
History: First published as SA TR ISO/IEC 22417:2020.
 
Information technology - Cloud computing - Overview and vocabulary
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC 17788:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO/IEC 17788:2014 for Australia, which provides an overview of cloud computing along with a set of terms and definitions. Terminology foundation for cloud computing standards. Applicable to all types of organizations, e.g. commercial enterprises, government agencies, not-for-profit organizations. KEYWORDS: Cloud computing; Terminology; Information technology.
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC 17788:2020.
 
Information technology - Cloud computing - Reference architecture
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC 17789:2020
Abstract: Adopts identically ISO/IEC 17789:2014, which specifies the cloud computing reference architecture (CCRA). The reference architecture includes the cloud computing roles, cloud computing activities, and the cloud computing functional components and their relationships. KEYWORDS: CCRA cloud computing reference architecture.
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC 17789:2020.
 
Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions, Part 1: Country code
Product designation: AS/NZS 2632.1:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO 3166 1:2020, to specify basic guidelines for the implementation and maintenance of country codes. Codes intended for use in any application requiring the expression of current country names in coded form. KEYWORDS: Codes; Countries; Guidelines; Country codes.
History: Originated in Australia as AS 2632.1-1999. Originated in New Zealand as AS/NZS 2632.1:2008. Third edition 2015. Fourth edition 2020.
 
Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions, Part 2: Country subdivision code
Product designation: AS/NZS 2632.2:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO 3166 2:2020, to specify basic guidelines for the implementation and maintenance of country subdivision codes. Intended for use in any application requiring the expression of current country subdivision names in coded form. KEYWORDS: Country; Codes; Subdivision; Current; Guidelines.
History: Originated as AS/NZS 2632.2:1999. Previous edition 2013. Third edition 2015. Fourth edition 2020.
 
Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions, Part 3: Code for formerly used names of countries
Product designation: AS/NZS 2632.3:2020
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO 3166 3:2020, to specify basic guidelines for the implementation and maintenance of codes for formerly used names of countries. Intended to represent non-current country names, i.e. the country names deleted from ISO 3166 since its first publication in 1974. KEYWORDS: Codes; Non-current country names.
History: Originated as AS/NZS 2632.3:1999. Second edition 2015. Third edition 2020.
 
Internet of Things (IoT) - Reference Architecture
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC 30141:2021
Abstract: Identically adopts ISO/IEC 30141:2018 for Australia, which specifies a general IoT reference architecture in terms of defining system characteristics, a conceptual model, a reference model and architecture views for IoT.KEYWORDS: Reference architecture; Internet of Things; Conceptual model; System characteristics; Architecture views
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC 30141:2021.
 
Digital radio - Terrestrial broadcasting, Part 1: Characteristics of terrestrial digital audio broadcasting (T-DAB+) transmissions
Product designation: AS 4943.1:2021
Abstract: This Standard specifies requirements for digital terrestrial radio transmissions (DAB+) in Australia, including the audio and data coding, the characteristics of the transport stream, the channel coding and the modulation system to be used and the features provided.KEYWORDS: terrestrial digital audio broadcasting characteristics
History: First published as AS 4943.1:2009. Second edition 2021.
 
Playground equipment and surfacing, Part 6: Additional safety requirements and test methods for rocking equipment (EN 1176-6:2017, MOD)
Product designation: AS 4685.6:2021
Abstract: Adopts and modifies EN 1176-6:2017 for Australia, which specifies additional safety requirements and test methods for seesaws and rocking equipment intended for permanent installation for use by children. Safety requirements and test methods for seesaws and rocking equipment intended for permanent installation for use by children. Provides protection to the user against possible hazards during use.KEYWORDS: Safety; Seesaws; Rocking; Playgound; Equipment
History: Originated in part as part of AS 1924.1-1976 and AS 1924.2-1981. Revised and redesignated as AS 4685.6-2004. Third edition 2021.

CEO report

This month marks a year since we moved to remote working as part of our COVID-19 response. Living with this pandemic for the past 12 months has tested not only our resilience and adaptability but also that of our members and contributors. 

While it has been challenging, we have forged ahead, continuing to develop and adopt the standards that Australia needs to support the growth and resilience of our economy.

Through the same 12 months, our Board has led a review of the governance of Standards Australia at a company level. Supported by independent consultants, cameron.ralph.khoury, this review looked deeply at the modernisation of our company governance arrangements of Standards Australia to support our continued success as we mark our centenary next year.

Last Friday, our members met for an Extraordinary General Meeting, hosted remotely. Members voted to adopt a new Constitution. This has shown us that despite the challenges of COVID-19 and travel restrictions, great steps forward can still be taken when there’s a will to get things done.

This new Constitution outlines new criteria for membership of the company, improved rules for our Standards Development and Accreditation Committee and even more involvement from members in the work of the Board. Please view the new Constitution here (PDF).

One of the other changes to the Constitution that was overwhelmingly supported, is that members will now undertake the role which was previously held by Councillors in a streamlining of governance forums. I would like to thank all of those who have served on the Standards Australia Council and look forward to your continuing contribution to the standards cause in Australia.

This commitment to the cause is true of our more than 5,000 contributors who continue to collaborate and drive standards’ agendas forward in Australia and internationally. It is equally true for the nominating organisations who support them and our internal team who are working literally around the clock (in different shifts and in different global time zones).

I hope you all manage to take a few days rest over the short break.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Empowering consumers with information on energy efficiency

With many options on the market picking an energy efficient clothes dryer, washing machine or dishwasher can be challenging.

Standards Australia has recently published a revised series of standards specifying how manufacturers and suppliers must test to meet energy efficiency labelling requirements.

For further information read our recent release.

Nurturing our children’s curiosity safely

Children’s curiosity about the world is a powerful catalyst for their developmental skills and attitude towards learning. Standards Australia recently published adopted standard AS/NZS 8124.4:2020, Safety of Toys, Part 4: Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities, with the objective to reduce risk and health hazards within children’s experiential play kits.
 
For further information read our recent release.

World Water Day 2021

On Monday, 22 March we acknowledged World Water Day 2021 and the theme of valuing this crucial resource by raising awareness of the global water crisis.

Standards Australia spoke to Steve Cummings, Chair of ISO 31600,Water Efficiency Labelling Programmes – Guidance for implementation,about the development of the first international standard in water efficiency labelling, its importance for developing countries and why we all need to value water.

Read more in our blog.

International Women’s Day 2021

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is about challenging gender bias and choosing to help create an inclusive world.

Staff participated in short video to support the #ChooseToChallenge initiative.

Adding value to young professionals

Standards Australia holds a keen interest in educating the next generation of innovators and leaders through the NEXTgen Training Program. 

In the first of its kind, NEXTgen hosted a Bootcamp to graduates from the Telstra Graduate Program. 

The Bootcamp was such a success that it is now set to become part of the annual Telstra program providing insights into the world of standards including the standards development process, how to support innovation and most importantly how to become involved!

You can read more about the success of the NEXTgen Bootcamp in our recent blog or contact Lisa Osborne, Learning & Development Manager, to book a Bootcamp for your organisation.

Standards Awards 2021 – Nominations now closed

The Standards Awards nomination applications have now closed. Thank you to all who took the time to nominate individuals and committees who have made a positive impact on standardisation.

The winners will be announced in May at the Standards Awards dinner.

In Conversation with Jennifer George

Jennifer George is the CEO of Strategic Commercialisation Australia, a business development and consulting firm which evaluates and finds partners for deep technical companies - primarily in the medical device and smart city space. She is also the founder and convener of a smart cities networking group designed to bring together interested partners, city councils and smart city entrepreneurs to enhance the growth and interoperability of smart city technologies. The group now represents more than 350 Australian digital companies and is being commercialised into a start-up.
Standards Australia: When did you first become involved in standards development?
Jennifer George: I first became involved in Standards Australia smart cities community in 2019. 

SA: How do standards impact and interact with your industry?
JG: I expect that we will experience massive growth in connected digital technologies in the smart cities sector over the next few years. Knowing more about the emerging standards that underpin these technologies is important because a number of technologies are all emerging at the same time. As industry segments evolve at different rates there is likely to be some overlap in current standards, but I expect these will be refined over time. That’s why I think it’s important for a person who works across sectors, like I do, to be part of this process. We can see those overlaps and help to create a better standard overall.

Additionally, taking a deeper dive into the issues that might limit technology growth right now, like lack of standards for scaling up, helps me to identify new commercial opportunities and I can build these into future Newcos. For example, the recent release of cadastral data creates an opportunity for companies to combine this with existing city data and modelling techniques to create new future-based modelling services for architects and city planners. This business can only be scalable if all the data meets some kind of standard.

SA: In the growing world of Sustainable Cities and Communities, why are accessible standards important?
JG: I commercialise deep technology (deep tech) so understanding the standards, even though they are not requirements, helps to ensure that the technologies that SMEs are building can scale and will interoperate with other devices overtime. I work a lot in data analytics so when we are talking about extracting value from whole city data it is important for that data to be of high quality, to be relevant and for it to be easily combined to other available data in a meaningful way. Standards help to achieve this.

SA: What is the future of standardisation?
JG: Standardisation is key for market growth. This is evident by the fact that every time we see the emergence of new technologies followed by second-to-market participants, it calls for standards to improve interoperability follow soon after. I work on the cutting edge of innovation, building new digital companies or helping new companies that already exist to flesh out their business offering, so naturally if something is newly invented standards must follow shortly after.

Take for example autonomous vehicles, at the moment these vehicles operate mostly in selective loop situations but once they are operating on a multitude of different road types, the OEMs that make the vehicles will have to be able to identify standards for road conditions, connectivity and compatible traffic signals to assist the vehicles to operate efficiently and safely anywhere. When this happens across many roads standards will then assist in full scale growth. If we don’t have the certainty that standards provide, industry growth would be much slower indeed.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from March (PDF)

• Chain of Custody: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity.
• Roofing and waterproofing building materials: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity.

Opportunity to review ISO/IEC Guide 17:2016, Guide for writing standards taking into account the needs of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.

SDO News

Responsible Wood update

AS 4707 standard reference committee updates on revision of chain of custody. Draft standard available for comment in mid-2021.

With more than 300 chain-of-custody certified companies in Australia, the AS 4707, chain of custody standard – in addition to delivering Responsible Wood-certified products to the marketplace – has a tremendous impact on internal management processes of businesses along the timber value chain.

The standard provides organisations in the wood or forest products certification chain with the minimum criteria and requirements to implement a credible system.

This system tracks wood or forest products originating from Responsible Wood-certified forests through all phases of ownership, transportation and manufacturing to the end consumer.

Following the appointment of the AS 4707 standard reference committee and working group in late 2020, the committee met in Brisbane to review the current standard (AS 4707:2014) and commence on a working draft.

The reference committee nominating bodies include the Association of Accredited Certification Bodies, Australian Forest Products Association, Australian Institute of Packaging, Omega Consulting, Timber Development Association, Tasmanian Forest Products Association, the University of Melbourne, the Victorian Forest Products Association and the Women in Forestry Network.

Peter Zed of Omega Consulting has been appointed Chair of the committee. He holds an Honours degree in Forestry from ANU and has worked within the timber industry for more than 40 years. His involvement has ranged from plantation development to forest product manufacturing in roles as diverse as R&D scientist to Chief Executive.

The new standard is expected to adopt changes in the chain-of-custody rules for PEFC ST 2002:2020 and trademark-requirements and PEFC ST 2001:2020 trademark rules.

PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification authority with more than 20,000 companies certified under the PEFC chain-of-custody standard.

Responsible Wood is the national governing body for PEFC in Australia with the Australian standard endorsed by and mutually recognised by PEFC International.

“We expect the draft standard to become available for public consultation in mid-2021”, said Simon Dorries, Responsible Wood CEO.

“The consultation is an essential part of Responsible Wood's standards setting process where we share the work by the standard reference committee and working group, obtaining the input of everyone concerned,” concluded Mr. Dorries.

Empowering Australian consumers with information on energy efficiency

• Standards Australia has published a revised series of standards with the objective of providing consumers with information to better enable them to select energy efficient dishwashers, clothes washing machines and clothes dryers.
• The revisions will assist in minimising confusion within industry by providing manufacturers and suppliers with requirements that are consistent with legislation. They provide the methodology to measure energy efficiency as well as providing energy efficiency labelling requirements.
• The standards are now consistent with the requirements specified in the relevant regulatory instruments, the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 (GEMS Act) determinations.

 With many options on the market, picking an energy efficient clothes dryer, washing machine or dishwasher can be challenging. Standards Australia has recently published a range of standards aimed at making that choice easier for sustainably minded consumers.
 
The recently published standards specify how manufacturers and suppliers across dishwashers, clothes washing machines and clothes dryers must test appliances to meet energy efficiency labelling requirements.
 
“In a time where sustainable living is on most people’s minds, Standards Australia are part of the movement to empower consumers to make decisions when purchasing household appliances based on their energy efficiency labelling,” said Roland Terry-Lloyd, Head of Standards Development at Standards Australia.
 
The revised series of standards are now consistent with the current determinations, which will minimise confusion within the industry by streamlining industry requirements.
 
“By aligning these standards with the legislative requirements and current market offerings, suppliers and consumers can both benefit from increased clarity in energy consumption declarations,” said Phillip Robinson, Technical Manager of Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association and Chair of committee responsible for the standards.
 
The standards provide manufacturers with test load requirements and test methods to measure energy and water consumption for industries to be able to supply products that meet the GEMS Act labelling requirements.
 
“The guidance is a reflection of how Standards Australia continues to deliver value to our communities by guiding manufacturers to provide information that will assist consumers to make educated decisions when purchasing,” concluded Mr Terry-Lloyd.
 
The recently published standards are:
 
AS/NZS 2442.1, Performance of household electrical appliances - Rotary clothes dryers, Part 1: Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption.

AS/NZS 2442.2, Performance of household electrical appliances - Rotary clothes dryers, Part 2: Energy efficiency labelling requirements.

AS/NZS 2007.1, Performance of household electrical appliances - Dishwashers, Part 1: Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption.

AS/NZS 2007.2, Performance of household electrical appliances - Dishwashers, Part 2: Energy efficiency labelling requirements.

AS/NZS 2040.1, Performance of household electrical appliances - Clothes washing machines, Part 1: Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption.

AS/NZS 2040.2, Performance of household electrical appliances - Clothes washing machines, Part 2: Energy efficiency labelling requirements.

Contact

Laura Johns

Pulic Affairs Officer

02 9237 6311

Standards Australia and Future Fuels CRC accelerate Australia’s hydrogen economy

08 February 2021

Read more

Getting the most out of solar with standards

18 December 2020

Read more

In this Edition:

CEO report

The Standards Store – coming soon!
Standards Awards 2021 – Nominations now open
Strategic review of our engagement work
Keeping our communities safe
Renewable energy possibilities for Australia’s economy
Sunny side up
Technical Governance Review
Graduate Program
In Conversation with Dr. Andrew Arch
International update
Sector update
Drafts open for comment

CEO report

This is the first E-News for 2021. I am feeling hopeful and optimistic that we are seeing the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Whilst we acknowledge the difficulties COVID-19 has brought to many across the country, this year promises to deliver better times for us all. Here at Standards Australia, we are continuing to adapt and grow to better support Australian communities.

With a clear vision of achieving our strategic goals of reputation, reach, relevance, and revenue, this year will mark major milestones for Standards Australia. As a public purpose organisation, we plan to move forward with a strong focus on our customers and remain committed to delivering standards that add value to our communities, industry and government. 

With importance placed on accelerating our reach, we have exciting plans to diversify how we engage with our stakeholders, communities and the public. This developmental work will take shape whilst our core focus remains on delivering standards that support the many facets of Australian industry. 

Our technical committees have had a strong start to the year with the progression of important work. I would like to acknowledge and thank the individuals and committees who are the engine room of Standards Australia.

In celebration and to appreciate the value our members add to Standards Australia, the Standards Awards nominations are now open. I strongly encourage you to nominate individuals who go above and beyond, making important contributions to standards development.

I look forward to working with you all in the year ahead.
— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

The Standards Store – coming soon!

Standards at your fingertips! Standards Australia are excited to announce the upcoming launch of the Standards Store. 

With the aim to provide a seamless customer experience the store will allow users to purchase standards directly from the website with real time access. 

Discover, access and engage! The Standards Store will offer many features including easy access of browsing categories, the ability to track for updates and the opportunity to preview standards before purchasing.

The launch of the Standards Store will be announced shortly. To learn more about it and some of the other digital advancements we are making, please watch this video.

Standards Awards 2021 – Nominations now open

Each year, Standards Australia recognises outstanding contributions to standards development work. Individual and committee efforts are recognised as well as service in Australia and internationally. For further information regarding the six award categories or to submit a nomination you can visit Standards Awards.

Nominations close on Thursday, 25 March 2021.

Strategic review of our engagement work

In August 2020, we conducted a strategic review on our stakeholder engagement function. The objective was to gain further understanding on how to better deliver strategic value and insights in support of our standards development program. 

The results of this review encouraged us:

• To develop a new engagement model 
• Appoint new team members
• Develop new roles
• To stay engaged in existing areas of work

We believe this approach will allow for a more valuable and insightful delivery of standards, whilst supporting new and emerging areas of work across the economy.

A number of new positions have been created and advertised on our careers page. We have a very exciting program across the team and look forward to working with all of our stakeholders as we move into this new model. 

To speak to one of our engagement managers please email sem@standards.org.au

Keeping our communities safe

Play is an essential part of children’s development with outdoor playgrounds providing a place for children’s learnings such as evaluating injury risk, social behaviours and gaining independence.

Standards Australia has recently adopted standards to the series of AS 4685, Playground equipment and surfacing, Parts 1-6, with modifications made to reflect the Australian industry and community needs.

For further information read our recent release.

Renewable energy possibilities for Australia’s economy

Standards Australia are excited to announce the new collaboration agreement with Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) to support the implementation and use of hydrogen by expediting the development of hydrogen standards.

The hydrogen sector in Australia is gaining momentum with Standards Australia having published several standards aiming to support hydrogen production, with more currently under development.

For further information regarding the agreement read our recent release.

Sunny side up     

Standards Australia delivered AS/NZS 4777.2, Grid connection of energy systems via inverters, Part 2: Inverter requirements, 15 months ahead of scheduled time to assist with industry needs. The standards main objective is to improve inverter performance and assist in maintaining a safe and stable energy supply for the community.

Find out how the standard will assist in supporting Australia’s grid capabilities in our recent release.

Technical Governance Review

Standards Australia's contributors are a great source of insight into the challenges and opportunities that exist within their industry, government and communities. The breadth of work we are involved in, historically, has made it difficult to understand these challenges and opportunities.

Standards Australia has put in place a function to analyse a range of data sources, including discussions directly with contributors, to help identify the key priorities and the major challenges faced in each sector. These insights will inform our Engagement team in their discussions to better align Standards Australia's work program with opportunities and challenges in a sector.

It will also allow Standards Australia to understand the strategic issues faced by our existing stakeholders and to explore ways in which Australian Standards might help address those.

A range of projects are underway within the Technical Governance Review Implementation Plan for FY 2021- TGR Implementation Plan FY2021 (PDF)

For an update of the progress to date, see the Current Quarterly report.

Graduate Program                     

Standards Australia welcomes our second intake of talent for the Graduate Program. From the 365 applications, four successful graduates have joined the business to experience the ‘ins and outs’ of Standards Australia. The graduates will spend time across four sectors within the organisation and gain further knowledge into the world of standards development.

“The inaugural year of Standards Australia’s Graduate Program was hugely successful, hiring all four graduates into permanent positions. Due to this success, we have now adopted this program into our business welcoming our 2021 cohort on-board in February. Our people are the secret of our success at Standards Australia. The Graduate Program allows us to attract emerging talent to understand standards and how they contribute to the net-benefit of our Australian Community.”

— Emma Lowes, General Manager of People and Performance

In Conversation with Dr. Andrew Arch                                                                          

Dr. Arch has been working in the field of digital accessibility for over 20 years, joining Intopia as a Principal Consultant in mid-2017. In his earlier career Dr. Arch was involved in agriculture, natural resource economics and information management. Since 2000, he has established the digital access team at Vision Australia, worked on ageing and disability at the W3C in Europe and as the senior accessibility and inclusion expert in the Australian Government, including at the Digital Transformation Agency before joining Intopia.

Dr. Arch is currently the Chair of Standards Australia’s IT-40 ICT, Accessibility Committee and is an active member in the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.

Standards Australia (SA): When did you first become involved in standards development?
Dr. Andrew Arch: My first job in web accessibility was with Vision Australia in 2001 and I became involved in the Web Accessibility Initiative at the W3C. The Education and Outreach Working Group’s role was to develop strategies and resources to promote awareness, understanding and the implementation of web accessibility. This included working with the Guidelines Working Group to promote WCAG 1.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 1). When WCAG 2.0 was subsequently released, I was working for the W3C on ageing and accessibility. More recently, I worked for the Digital Transformation Agency and contributed significantly to the governments Digital Service Standard.

SA: How do standards impact and interact with your industry?
AA: Standards provide the framework to address the technical requirements of accessibility. However, like any technical standard, they need to be applied with the end user in mind. Fortunately, WCAG has evolved to include more usability issues over time but that does leave some of the success criteria open to debate about pass or fail. Accessibility standards provide a baseline for implementing digital accessibility with the next step being understanding and considering how people actually use digital products and interact with technology.

SA: In our ever-growing digital world, why are accessible standards important?
AA: The web accessibility standards provide a baseline for making digital products more accessible for people with disability. Additional guidance that the W3C provides along with the WCAG standard helps designers and developers address the ways assistive technologies such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice input etc can better interact with products. They also provide advice on meeting the needs of people who interact differently, such as with a keyboard but no mouse, or those who might be colour blind or need to change text size or colours.

SA: What is the future of standardisation?
AA: As the web and digital industries continue to mature, it seems they’re turning more to standards for guidance to be sure they are safe and/or usable. That is certainly the case with the recently published AS EN 301 549:2020, Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services, which extended WCAG to address associated issues such as the physical use of ATMs and kiosks. This recognises that it’s more than just what’s on the screen that makes a product usable.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.
 
Highlights from January and February (PDF)

• Assistance dogs: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity. 
• Chain of Custody: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity.

Roofing and waterproofing building materials: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity.

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment      

Make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.

Wiring Rules Feedback Survey

Standards Australia are currently seeking feedback from those who interact with AS/NZS 3000, also known as the wiring rules.

The Wiring Rules Feedback Survey will assist the committee of experts responsible for the standard continue to set the benchmark for electrical installations and electrical work.

All those who complete the survey will enter in a draw to win one of ten $50 e-gift cards.

If you have any further questions, please access the Terms & Conditions or reach out to mail@standards.org.au.

Thank you for your assistance

Helping industry manage further volatility and risk

For many businesses the management of offices, staff, and products has been completely disrupted.

• Standards in the area of risk management and business continuity are key in preparing organisations for known and unknown challenges such as COVID-19.
• Standards Australia has worked with technical committees to expedite the publication of key standards in this space.

This year has seen the traditional ways of how Australians work be disrupted, in a way of which our generation has never seen. In late April, studies showed 46 percent of working Australians were working from home, compared to 4.7 percent in 2016.
 
“The current pandemic has highlighted the need for effective planning. We have worked closely with experts in this space to provide new guidance material around risk management and continuity strategies to ensure that operations and infrastructure are appropriately supported,” said Daniel Chidgey, Head of Stakeholder Engagement at Standards Australia.
 
Examples of the newly published guidance on improving security and resilience include:

• AS/NZS 5050:2020, Managing disruption-related risk, which assists management in both the public and private sectors to identify early indications of the emergence of risk.
• AS ISO 22301:2020, Security and resilience - Business continuity management systems – Requirements and AS ISO 22313:2020, Security and resilience - Business continuity management systems - Guidance on the use of ISO 22301.

To pave a way forward for further standardisation in the area of risk management and business continuity, Standards Australia has also released a briefing paper.
 
“The aim of the briefing paper is to ensure we are set up for success and can continue to deliver the right standards solutions to meets Australia’s future needs,” continued Mr. Chidgey.
 
Standards Australia welcomes feedback on the risk management and business continuity briefing paper via sem@standards.org.au until 4 December 2020.

Contact

Meg Cole-Adams

Public Affairs Officer

02 9237 6071

Standards Australia’s new public comment platform launched

To make public commenting easier and simpler for both commenters and committees, Standards Australia has launched a new public commenting platform through the contributor portal, Connect.

“Through a range of updates and additions, our public commenting platform aims to improve and automate the public comment and resolution process by making it more open, transparent and interactive,” said Roland Terry-Lloyd, Head of Standards Development at Standards Australia.

“372 standards were published last year, and for individuals who wanted to give feedback, it could at times be a challenging process. The upgraded platform addresses these concerns with a range of new functions, including allowing users to read draft standards online.”

With a new and improved navigation system, the public comment platform gives users the ability to read and endorse comments left by other contributors and informs individuals if their comment/s have been accepted by the committee before publication. Additionally, the system will allow for comments on international standards proposed for adoption in Australia. 

“This platform is part of our ongoing commitment to provide our contributors with the best possible experience and strengthen Standards Australia's long-term commitment to foster transparency in standards development,” concluded Mr Terry-Lloyd.

Draft standards already out for public comment will stay on the legacy system, while standards that have gone to public comment from 16 October will be available via the upgraded platform. To access either system, individuals can register via the Connect portal.

CONTACT

Meg Cole-Adams

Public Affairs Officer

02 9237 6071

Standards Sectors

Electrotechnology & Energy

Drafts for Public Comment

Grid connection of energy systems via inverters, Part 2: Inverter requirements
Draft No.: DR AS/NZS 4777.2:2020
Committee: EL-042           
Close Date:10/09/2020

Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 101: General requirements - System components
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.101:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 102: General requirements - Control gear
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.102:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 103: General requirements - Control devices
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.103:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 104: General requirements - Wireless and alternative wired system components
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.104:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 201: Requirements for control gear - Fluorescent lamps (device type 0)
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.201:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 202: Particular requirements for control gear - Self-contained emergency lighting (device type 1)
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.202:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 207: Particular requirements for control gear - LED modules (device type 6)
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.207:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 208: Particular requirements for control gear - Switching function (device type 7)
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.208:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 209: Particular requirements for control gear - Colour control (device type 8)
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.209:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 301: Particular requirements - Input devices - Push buttons
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.301:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 302: Particular requirements - Input devices - Absolute input device
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.302:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 303: Particular requirements - Input devices - Occupancy sensor
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.303:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020
 
Digital addressable lighting interface, Part 304: Particular requirements - Input devices - Light sensor
Draft No.: DR AS 62386.304:2020
Committee: EL-041           
Close Date:15/09/2020

CEO report
Building resilience in Australia’s supply chain
Definitions from A to Z
Speedier pathways
Copyright licensing standards
Elaine Attwood nabs International Award
Standards development finds new normal
In conversation with Geoff Clarke
International update
Sector update
Drafts open for comment

CEO report

Over a period of two weeks in September we held our annual nominating organisation forum. Through six remote sessions we engaged with representatives of the different organisations that nominate the over 5000 experts to our technical committees. These sessions were an opportunity to update nominating organisations on Standards Australia's continuing program of transformation and most importantly, listen as to where we can improve or adjust our processes to better suit our contributors and stakeholders.
 
The feedback received from the forum is key in assisting us effectively execute and build on our objective of adding greater value and providing exceptional service. Our goal over the coming years is to build the capacity, capabilities and platforms that will enable Standards Australia to better serve our standards developers, users and buyers.
 
Providing improved solutions for our customers has seen Standards Australia recently take on responsibility for assisting customers with copyright licence and permission requests as well as launch a new online construction dictionary. These are two important initiatives that will support different sections of our standards community and I encourage you to read more information about these changes below.
 
I’m also very pleased to advise that our Senior International Engagement Manager, Karen Batt, was recently elected to the ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) for a 3 year term 2021-2023. With GMO Kareen Riley-Takos elected as a member of the IEC Standards Management Board (SMB) last year; Australian contributor Elaine Attwood receiving the 2020 ISO Simon Holland Award and Karen now elected to the ISO TMB, Australia can be very proud that it is represented by a range of highly capable, experienced and professional women.

—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Building resilience in Australia’s supply chain

In Australia’s largest cities, an estimated 42% of items used in households arrive via shipping container. The impact of COVID-19 has affected supply chains in Australia and around the world.

To pave a way forward for Australian industry, Standards Australia has published a Discussion Paper calling for feedback on how standards might shift in response. Standards Australia looks forward to discussions with industry and government as this process commences.

Read more in our recent release.

Definitions from A to Z

In an aim to bring further clarity and consistency to industry, Standards Australia, alongside the ABCB, has launched the National Dictionary of Building and Plumbing Terms. The website enables individuals to search for definitions used in the National Construction Code (NCC) and Australian (or joint AS/NZS) Standards referenced in the NCC.

Read more in our recent release.

Speedier pathways

Are you seeking a fast way to benchmark a new technology, product or approach?

Standards Australia provides alternative solutions to Australian Standards for use when technical content is required, and traditional consensus standardisation may not deliver the optimal solution, at the right speed.

The two main alternatives are through the development of a Technical Specification or Interim Standard. More information can be found in our Speed to Market Pathways (PDF).

Copyright licensing standards

Standards Australia now can deal directly with customers for their copyright licenses and permissions.

By removing the risk of copyright infringement, your business can achieve a level of confidence around your training materials, business instructions, reports and tenders.

To find out more about the new process or to get in touch with the licensing team visit our License Content page.

Elaine Attwood nabs International Award

Representative for the Consumers Federation of Australia, Elaine Attwood has received the ISO Simon Holland Award for 2020. The award, aligned with ISO’s Excellence award, recognises individuals’ major contributions to ISO’s technical work. Elaine has made significant contributions to the work and community of ISO/TC 229 Nanotechnologies.

Standards development finds new normal

Remote meetings have now become a core part of the way we work, and we have been monitoring the overall engagement of our contributors and staff through surveys and regular check-ins.

In a survey conducted in May 2020, there were strong indicators that in the future, contributors would prefer a combination of virtual and face-to-face meetings.

Participants cited the benefits of virtual meetings include time and cost savings as well as shorter and more productive meetings. Associated challenges have been building rapport and communicating effectively with fellow participants, and technology issues. Overall, now that web conferences are the new norm, many are finding this to be a productive form of collaboration.

In conversation with Geoff Clarke

Geoff Clarke is the chair and expert member of several IT and governance standards committees and is employed by Microsoft. He works with national standards bodies, government and industry experts to ensure that Microsoft and its customers can achieve their strategic goals through the innovative and responsible use of IT.

Geoff is nominated by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) to represent that industry on a number of Standards Australia committees on topics such as Governance, Cloud Computing, IT Security and Artificial Intelligence.

Standards Australia (SA): How did you get involved in standards development?

Geoff Clarke (GC): I was working for Microsoft in Brisbane in 2007 when a colleague from our headquarters in USA said he was going to attend an ISO/IEC JTC 1 Plenary at the Gold Coast. He asked if I would like to present on JPEG XR, a new standard for digital photography. After doing some research on where that standard was going and the work that Microsoft was starting to support in Windows, I could see its potential, not just for more accurate photos, but for supporting the relatively new world of digital preservation. The JTC 1 meeting was great, with so many interesting people from all over the world and such a variety of IT related topics.

A few years later there was a position available for a “Regional Standards Manager” to be based in Australia, I jumped at the opportunity. While I’m not an expert in SC 29 (the group working on JPEG and MPEG) I’m happy to say that I’m a member of Australia’s JTC 1 Strategic Advisory Committee, so the interesting people and variety of IT related topics continues.

SA: How do standards interact with and impact your industry?

GC: I’m sure a lot of people in many industries would say the same thing – our industry relies heavily on standards because we need our various products and services to work together, and we need to explain our capabilities so our customers, suppliers and regulators know we can be trusted. That’s certainly true in the IT industry where, despite the constant innovation and change, standards are essential for interoperability and trust.

SA: How can standards support the use of growing technologies such as Artificial Intelligence?

GC: The standardisation work we’re doing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quite exciting because we all realise the impact we can have on shaping not only the technology itself but how it is used in the world. The Australian committee mirrors the international committee ISO/IEC SC 42 and our committee is comprised of not only geeks like me, but also lawyers and ethicists and safety experts. We’re working hard to see not only good technology but to bake in the responsible use of that technology as well.

AI is a very fast-developing technology. And with an international standard typically taking about 3 years to develop, you might think that is too slow. But the basic principles, the governance, the architecture and even the terminology don’t move that fast. And all these points really need to be decided and explained because those standards are what is really going to accelerate the development of AI and its adoption across the world. With hundreds of experts from more than 30 countries actively participating, it’s worth taking the time to get it right.

SA: What is the future of standardisation?

GC: I think international standardisation – particularly through ISO and IEC – has a great future simply because it brings together so many experts from so many countries to create solutions that can benefit us all. These forums are carefully constructed and managed to ensure a safe and equitable process to get to a consensus.

The coronavirus has forced us all to work together virtually, but that lack of physical travel means more people can participate in these eMeetings. It’s made some of the work – like brainstorming – a bit harder, but overall we’re going to see more participation and more “mixed mode” meetings when we finally can sit down together again.

The world of IT standards has changed a lot over the years. In the past we were mostly concerned about interoperability, portability, and integration. A lot of that technical detail is now the realm of open-source software, so we see less of those kinds of technical standards at the international level. As IT matures and its capability continues to grow and impact more of what we do, we will still see “foundational” standards describing concepts, architectures and vocabulary, but more of the focus will be on how the technology is used. That means we’ll be working on standards that describe its intended uses, its impact, the management of it and how it should be governed. ISO is well placed to provide the forums for that, and Standards Australia is here to help us ensure those standards work for Australia and help our local businesses participate in the global marketplace.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from September (PDF)

• Cold Chain Logistics: Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity
• Cannabis Facilities and Operations: Proposal for International Workshop

Robotics: Proposal for a new Technical Committee

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

Contact Us

Adaptive Strategies in a COVID-19 World

Standards Australia invite you to a webinar at 2pm on 21 October to learn about Australian business success stories and their economic recovery.

As a lead on the Industry 4.0 Advanced Manufacturing Taskforce, Standards Australia recognises the crucial role it has in supporting consistency and the ability of businesses and organisations to scale into new areas as it has never done before.
 
Join Daniel Chidgey alongside Kareen Riley-Takos (Standards Australia), Nicole Henry (National Measurment Institute), Michael Haddy (Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre) and Fred Eske (Aus Industry) as they share insights and answer your questions on COVID-19 recovery and building resilence for the challanges ahead.
 
Register for this webinar via Zoom.

CEO report

For businesses and organisations, July marks the beginning of a new financial year. For Standards Australia, the last 12 months have been very much focused on our Technical Governance Review (TGR) and business and digital transformation to deliver an even greater experience for our contributors and greater value for our customers.

Last month saw us wrap up the final quarter of the TGR FY 2020 implementation plan. We are in the second year of this important project and spent it building on the recommendations and trialling new initiatives. Some highlights include the introduction of specialised resources for committees with large, complex or contentious work programs and further updates to our contributor platform, Connect.

These are great steps forward, but the journey is far from over and we look forward to delivering on more of the recommendations as we move into the next stage of this project. You can find a more comprehensive update of our FY 2020 TGR achievements and learnings below.

While there are many unknowns for Australia and around the globe at this present time, we are committed to staying agile and developing effective guidance for Australian communities and continuing to help Australia shape international standards. I look forward to working alongside you all in the year ahead.
—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Fuelling the hydrogen industry

The conversation around sustainability and the potential of renewable energy has rapidly grown in 2020. Hydrogen in Australia is one sector gaining momentum. Standards Australia recognises its potential role across industry to help Australia decarbonise, improve fuel security, and create new investment and export opportunities.

Eight international standards have recently been adopted to help shape the future of the hydrogen industry in Australia, which could add $11billion in GDP growth each year by 2050.

Read more in our recent media release.

To flush or not to flush?

Stories of fatbergs and blocked sewers continue to pop up across the country, affecting both inner city systems and regional areas. Much of the commentary on this plumbing challenge is directing blame towards wet-wipes or similar products that are alleged to be unable to break down when flushed.

To help provide clarity around this issue, Standards Australia has been working alongside a committee of experts representing the water and waste services industry to develop an Australian Standard.

Read more in our recent media release.

Educational furniture standards take a front seat

Three furniture standards recently published by Standards Australia aim to provide the education sector with a more comfortable learning space for students.

“With Australian children spending large amounts of time at their desks and chairs, it is important we promote appropriately designed and durable furniture for schools and their pupils,” said General Manager of Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute (AFRDI), Ian Burton.

Read more in our recent media release.

Two years of TGR

The Technical Governance Review (TGR) led by independent consultants cameron.ralph.khoury was undertaken through 2017 and 2018. A final report was released in April 2018 by cameron.ralph.khoury, and Standards Australia released its response shortly after.

Standards Australia has maintained its commitment to implement the changes outlined in the response, with a clear focus on the six main steps of the standards development process, supported by a three-tiered reform approach. Standards Australia outlined changes to be implemented as part of this review in the Implementation Plan FY2020.

Highlights of initiatives delivered in the past 12 months are:

• Ongoing improvements to the contributor platform, Connect.
• Training for Committee Chairs and Nominating Organisations.
• Oversight of the appointment and retention of Committee Chairs.
• Implementing a structured plan for communicating the value of standards.
• More open consultation on the organisation's strategic priorities.
• Improved structures to identify the expertise required to carry out a project, and the stakeholders needed to participate in a committee.

Other committed initiatives underway are:

• A new Public Comment system, including the ability to comment within the draft, and giving visibility of the outcomes of those comments.
• Online Proposal system, to replace the existing manual forms.

Throughout the program, we have committed to update our stakeholders on progress of the work – view our quarter 4 report.

Rolling out our FY 2021 Implementation Plan

In order to continue with the work program, Standards Australia undertook a gap analysis of the TGR recommendations and developed our Implementation Plan FY2021. The implementation plan continues to deliver against key recommendations from the TGR and we are once again committed to informing our stakeholders on the progress of the work on an ongoing basis.

Bushfire Commission important step in supporting communities

With all that has happened in 2020, the summer bushfires seem like a long time ago, however the devastating impacts are still being felt by communities hardest hit. Almost daily reminders of the enormous impact of these fires have been heard at The Royal Commission into the National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

The Commission is an essential step in mitigating and responding to future natural disasters. There have been over 1,700 public submissions made, one of which was from Standards Australia. On July 8, we presented our recommendations and answered subsequent questions from the Commission.

Our submission, which you can find here, is an important way to ensure the work we do in supporting communities contributes to the ongoing efforts of the Government to respond to future disasters. We look forward to the findings of the final report due at the end of August 2020.

Have your say on standards

Restrictions and the impact of COVID-19 have not slowed down the development of standards with a range of draft documents currently at the public comment stage. From updates to a plumbing and drainage series to a key grid connection standard, plenty is going on across our 13 sectors.

Hearing from industry, contributors and the general public is essential in our ability to publish considered and consensus-based standards, let us know your thoughts through our public comment platform now.

JAS-ANZ to manage Australian membership of IECEx Scheme

Standards Australia has transferred management of Australia’s membership of the IECEx Conformity Assessment Scheme to JAS-ANZ by mutual agreement.
 
The IECEx is a voluntary system which provides an internationally accepted means of proving compliance with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. IEC standards are used in many national approval schemes and as such, IECEx certification can be used to support national compliance, negating the need in most cases for additional testing.
 
The transfer of management allows Australia to continue to participate in the IECEx Scheme and contribute to the global trade in equipment and services for use in explosive atmospheres, while maintaining the required level of safety. JAS-ANZ will be recognised as the endorsed manager of Australia’s membership of the IECEx until 2023.

In Conversation with Stephanie Thornton

Stephanie is the Cluster Manager for the national Australian Ocean Energy Group (AOEG), whose aim is to accelerate commercialisation of Australia’s ocean energy sector.  Stephanie launched her ocean energy career in 2007 as the Executive Director of the Oregon Wave Energy Trust, a public/private organisation established to advance wave energy development in the State of Oregon, US.  Subsequent to that role, she served as U.S. Program Director for WaveEnergy, AS, a Norwegian wave energy technology developer. 

Upon arriving in Australia, she worked over two years as Program Director for MAKO Tidal Turbines in Sydney before launching the ocean energy cluster. Stephanie is currently a member of the Standards Australia committee for Marine Energy, EL-066. Stephanie has an undergraduate degree in Marine Science, a Master’s in Business Administration and Professional Project Management certification from the international Project Management Institute. 

Standards Australia (SA): When did you first encounter standards in your professional career?
Stephanie Thornton (ST): My first exposure to ocean energy standards was when I worked as Program Director for MAKO Tidal Turbines, a Sydney-based tidal technology developer. MAKO’s combined office and turbine manufacturing facility provided me a direct opportunity to engage with the turbine engineers about the application of standards into the turbine build. 

SA: What is ocean energy and how can it be used in Australia?
ST: Ocean energy refers to the massive energy which can be harnessed from ocean waves, tides, currents, and ocean temperature differentials. The natural movement of water within oceans creates a vast resource from which energy can be extracted and transformed into electricity and other useful purposes, such as hydrogen production and desalinated water.

As the ocean energy sector matures, a wide range of unique Australian market opportunities will be established, leading to corresponding jobs and additional economic benefits to Australia. Key market opportunities include: 

• Remote communities.  Through creation of integrated ocean energy micro-grid systems communities will enjoy numerous complementary and ancillary benefits.  Ocean Energy microgrids support multiple sources of renewable energy which, when combined, can meet the load demand of various modular technologies, such as hydrolyzers, desalination units, wastewater treatment units, etc.
• Aquaculture – ocean energy to provide electricity production in ocean waters for sustainable food production.
• Marine security (national defence).
• Remote operations (oil & gas, etc.).
• Ocean based scientific equipment for coastal monitoring, safety and navigation.
• Protection of the coastline.

SA: Why is the work of the committee EL-066 Marine Energy important for the sector?
ST: Internationally developed marine energy standards underpin each stage of development of marine energy devices. It is critical for technologies to incorporate these standards in their engineering designs because they provide high-quality, reproducible operational results that lead to cost reductions and improve the quality of devices. They will also reduce risks and instil confidence for all industry stakeholders.

It Is also important because our sector needs to be a part of the global marine energy community. It is vital that we have a seat at the international table, have our voice heard and contribute towards standards development that will have impact worldwide.

Three years ago, the Australian government supported renewal of its membership into the Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (OES) established by the International Energy Agency, for the development of ocean wave and tidal current energy.  OES consists of 24 member countries.

Membership and active engagement in TC 114 (the International Electrotechnical Commission committee for marine energy - wave, tidal and other water current converters) enables Australia to strengthen the synergistic role we play in OES.  The OES works on the technical side of ocean energy development, but they have a broader perspective than just devices and guidelines, they are looking industry wide. This is complementary enabling Australia to work on the technical side of standards which fits very well into the broader industry development.

SA: What do you think is the future of standardisation?
ST: In the future, standards will become critically important as AOEG transitions from a technology centric focus to market centric (eg, systems approach). What we want to do is demonstrate how ocean energy devices integrate to energy systems and solve an energy problem for an end-user or ‘customer’. Standards will be vital to provide consistency among how devices are installed and connected and how we deliver electricity for the market.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from July (PDF)

• Members discuss reflecting impact of COVID-19 in WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative
• Australia’s Active Role in Psychological Health and Safety Standard

Digital transformation in manufacturing and standardization

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

SDO News

FRDC Adding to the sea of standards

There is a growing interest in aquatic plants, including seaweeds, as the basis for new aquaculture. With an increasingly diverse range of uses for these plants and their chemical constituents, it’s a timely move to provide a guide to the naming of species in the Australian markets.

A draft Australian Standard for Aquatic Plant Names has been developed and is open for public comment until 15 August 2020. For more information visit Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and to share your feedback on the standard visit intuitive food solutions.

Standards Australia has today welcomed the announcement by Minister for Trade, the Hon. Simon Birmingham, on the commencement of formal negotiations between Australia and the United Kingdom on a future Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“The prospect of a Free Trade Agreement with the UK has been highly anticipated by many Australian industry sectors, and today we can see the road ahead,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Adrian O’Connell.
 
“Greater trade and integration of our two economies would potentially realise tremendous value for both countries, rebuilding a new dimension to our unique historical relationship. A collective push towards greater economic opportunity for industry in both nations will be strongly embraced,” added Mr O’Connell.
 
FTAs are underpinned and supported by harmonised standards that enable industries to compete in both markets. Typically this involves Australia and the UK adopting the same international standard, giving products and services a common set of technical specifications.
 
“Standards Australia has contributed to several FTAs previously, and we look forward to supporting this opportunity Australia has to be one of the first countries to enter into an FTA with the UK,” said Mr O’Connell.    

Media Contact: Scott McGrath
02 9237 6044 | 0429 809 337
scott.mcgrath@standards.org.au

Standards Australia welcomes the nation’s new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with India

The growing relationship Australia has with India has been bolstered overnight following the agreement between the two nations on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
 
“An agreement of this nature underpins so much potential in a relationship between nations such as Australia and India, and congratulations is due to both Prime Minister Morrison and Prime Minister Modi,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Adrian O’Connell. “While there were some priority areas of engagement identified by the leaders of both nations, the commitment shown to making this type of agreement has no limit on its potential benefits.”
 
Areas covered by this partnership agreement cover research, cyber security, infrastructure, trade, education, logistics, defence science, and Indo-Pacific maritime issues.
 
“Standards Australia has been involved in the similar Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement recently signed with Indonesia, (IA-CEPA) and has contributed to opening up trade between the two nations,” said Mr O’Connell. “In our early work on the IA-CEPA, we worked with our Indonesian counterparts to identify harmonised standards between our two economies as a means of enabling avenues of trade.”
 
“We are excited by the prospect of repeating the success found between Australia and Indonesia with a country of growing trade opportunities like India. Australia has a proud history as a trading nation, and with partnerships like this being delivered by the Prime Minister we have a strong future also,” concluded Mr O’Connell.   

Media Contact: Scott McGrath
02 9237 6044 | 0429 809 337

scott.mcgrath@standards.org.au

CEO report

With this week being National Volunteer Week, I took some time to reflect on the significant contribution that volunteers make to Australian life.
 
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a few years ago that approximately 6 million Australians are volunteers. This is an incredible number of individuals giving their time, resources and expertise to a vast range of causes.
 
At Standards Australia, we are very fortunate to work with over 5,000 committee members who contribute their time and expertise to develop and adopt standards that help inform consumers, support industry and protect individuals across the country. Without this contribution to the development of high quality and trusted solutions the world would be very different.
 
The way that our community has adapted to the remote working arrangements that are now in place has been remarkable and reflects the agility and commitment of all participants and what is possible in terms of innovation. To all of you who work with us, including our 2019/2020 NEXTgen class who graduated this month, thank you. 
 
I also commend to you our In conversation piece below with Beer Opatsuwan. Beer started his standards work with us as a young leader and exemplifies everything we want this program to deliver.

—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Cool change will see Australian homes pump up the heat

Winter has well and truly settled in for 2020, and with temperatures dropping the heaters are coming out of the garage, sweaters are being dusted off and the energy bill is likely going up as we choose to spend even more time in the comfort of our homes.
 
Australian Standards set out requirements for the safe design, use and energy consumption of heaters and similar electrical appliances heavily used in winter.
 
Read more in our media release.

Committing Australia as an ally in the Pacific

Standards Australia has called for Australia to deepen its engagement and work closer with our nearest neighbours. The call was made in a recent submission to a parliamentary inquiry into strengthening Australia’s relationships with Pacific countries.

Countries across the globe are grappling with the challenges of COVID-19, but some countries in the Pacific are dealing with these while recovering from the destruction of Cyclone Harold which hit the region in April 2020.

Read more in our media release.

What do you think? SMB Survey

After our IEC Standardization Management Board Consultation (Zoom) event in early May on Australia's involvement in the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), we want to know the thoughts of any and all stakeholders on the opportunities for Standards Australia at an international level.

If you’d like to share your feedback or thoughts on the priorities and pain points of Australia’s international standards involvement, please complete our survey.

Communicating our progress

In an effort to keep you up to date on our Technical Governance Review (TGR) journey, we have recently produced some blog-style updates on initiatives related to our TGR.

The importance of digital transformation, written by our General Manager Operations Kareen Riley-Takos, outlines and discusses the technological innovations Standards Australia has introduced.

Dispute Resolution Evolution, by Project Manager Kate Orr recounts her experience with Standards Australia’s new dispute resolution governance document.

Applications: NEXTgen and IEC YP program

The IEC Young Professional program is now open for applications and the Standards Australia 2020/2021 NEXTgen program will be accepting applications from 29 May. These programs are a fantastic opportunity to be mentored by an expert and learn all about the world of standards, with the potential of one day sitting on a committee and contributing to integral standards development.

If you’re interested, you can apply for NEXTgen and the IEC Young Professional program on the Standards Australia website.

Learn more with Academy workshops

Standards Australia is committed to supporting our committee members through the provision of training and we are pleased to say the following courses will be held on a fortnightly basis:

• Facilitating standards development – designed for Committee Chairs or aspiring Chairs
• How to write an Australia Standard – designed for committee members this course covers the principles of writing clear, performance-based Standards

 For a full range of dates please login to your Academy account select the course and date you wish to attend and then register. Please contact academy@standards.org.au if you have any questions.

In conversation with Beer Opatsuwan

Beer Opatsuwan is a chartered electrical engineer and a chartered manager currently working for Energy Queensland, which operates Australia’s largest electricity distribution network. Beer graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, holds a Post-graduate Certificate from Queensland University of Technology and pursuing an MBA. Beer’s portfolio of experience covers a broad range of engineering management projects within the energy industry in Australia and the UK. In 2015, Beer was recognised as Queensland young professional engineer of the year. As the Manager Intelligent Grid Program, Beer is responsible for the development and maintenance of intelligent grid solutions project governance and coordination for Energy Queensland.

In addition to his contribution to standards development at a national and international level, Beer is also currently supporting Standards Australia’s General Mananger Operations Kareen Riley-Takos as alternate on the IEC Standardization Management Board.
 
Standards Australia (SA): Why do you think standards are important?
Beer Opatsuwan (BO): There are three reasons that come to mind:

• Standards are a powerful channel to influence our society for the better. Amongst many positive forces is the potential for standards to level the playing field for stakeholders across various sectors thus fostering competitive markets.
• They’re a robust facilitating platform to foster Australia's economies leveraging the diversity of thought.
• An enabler to market monopoly disintegration and a catalyst for new technology acceleration.

SA: You’re the IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB) alternate for Kareen Riley-Takos, what has that experience been like so far and what is to come?

BO: It has been a steep learning curve as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a complex organisation. I have been able to gain insights into the IEC's management framework, its strengths, weaknesses and have been rapidly formulating ideas into how to make a positive impact.

The 1st SMB meeting in New Delhi was a huge eye-opener for me. I was able to interact with many experienced SMB members from across the globe, each providing me with their perspectives to help solve pressing matters to the IEC.

My vision for the IEC is to advocate for agile operations as a critical pillar for IEC/SA to keep up with a rapidly changing world. As a former Young Professional, I strive to be the glue between the IEC Young Professionals Programme (emerging leaders) and established leaders to attract/retain the world’s best leaders/experts in the field to support the work of standardisation.

With Kareen's depth of standardisation experience and support, I want to work with her to inspire trust and foster strong linkages and relationships between IEC, Standards Australia, the Australian electrotechnical sector and other National Committee members.

SA: How can we get more young people involved and educated about standards?

BO: The conversations regarding standardisation need to start at the grass-root level. I see an opportunity for standardisation bodies to work with universities and generate an awareness of national and international standardisation.

Young professionals should be aware that they can make an impact on the Standardisation forum. The old-age mentality of standardisation is reserved for experienced professionals nearing retirement needs to be eliminated.
I see an opportunity for Standards Australia to work closely with Engineers Australia and other industry technical forums (e.g. CIGRE and IEEE etc.) to promote the work of standardisation to young and experienced engineers.

SA: What do you think is the future of standardisation?

BO: The standards platform becoming more agile in its operations whilst maintaining consensus rigour. Standards will be borderless, inclusive, exciting, balanced, digital-centric and readily accessible.

Increased use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to coordinate and harmonise intellects from the industry. The standards development systems are becoming more autonomous with a huge amount of operational insights feeding in. This in turn creates more powerful and balanced standards – just look at what Google and Facebook are doing.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from May (PDF)

• WTO report looks at role of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Proposal for a New Field of Technical Activity on Social Responsibility

Standards help some at risk groups during COVID 19

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

SDO News

‘Essential’ AS/NZS 4708 standards project zooms ahead

‘Business as usual’ as the AS/NZS 4708 Standards Reference Committee work towards Trans-Tasman Sustainable Forest Management Standard.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, video conferencing has emerged as an important platform for businesses and communities to connect.

Indeed, Australian and New Zealand representatives are ‘zooming in’ to continue essential standard development work. Meeting on a weekly basis, and with representatives from 26 nominating stakeholder bodies, the new format presents significant opportunities and challenges as the committee works towards a public comment release of the first joint Trans-Tasman Sustainable Forest Management Standard in the second half of 2020.

Reflecting on the work to date, Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries, is buoyed by the committee’s willingness to adapt to changing conditions and support each other. 

“With so many different stakeholders ‘dialled into’ the conference, from far and wide, the risk of multiple conversations talking over each other is a potential challenge.

“And yet, the committee is practicing remarkable constraint and patience, discussion is robust, as members work towards meeting our ambitious deadlines,” Mr Dorries said.

The new standard will be developed as a fully recognised joint Australia and New Zealand standard, will be audited for acceptance by PEFC International and will meet the rigorous system requirements of a fully-fledged JAS-ANZ accredited Sustainable Forest Management system.

“As an endorsed Australian and New Zealand Standard, it can be used for PEFC and/or Responsible Wood claims and to meet timber legality requirements for import and export,” Mr Dorries said.

For more information about Sustainable Forest Management or the standard development process please contact Responsible Wood.

• While COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, the arrival of winter means individuals are still keen to stay indoors and keep warm with the help of their heaters.
• Australian Standards set out requirements for the safe design, use and energy consumption of heaters and similar electrical appliances heavily used in winter.
• By making use of energy efficient products and decreasing temperatures by one degree, households can save on their electricity bill that tends to rise in the colder months.

Winter has well and truly settled in for 2020, and with temperatures dropping the heaters are coming out of the garage, sweaters are being dusted off and the energy bill is likely going up as we choose to spend even more time in the comfort of our homes.
 
“COVID-19 for majority of Australians meant remaining indoors, and now that the winter months are here that will likely not change as people choose to stay indoors and enjoy the warmth and comfort of their home. It’s important Australian households making use of heaters to stay cosy can feel confident in the safety of their appliances,” said Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Daniel Chidgey. 
 
“The cooler months see a 10% increase in the number of house fires, with many of these caused by heaters and electric blankets [1], standards aim to build confidence and assist in the safety and integrity of heating systems.”
 
Alongside safety considerations, with an increase in use of heating and heating appliances consumers also often see a rise in their household energy bill. The minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) help consumers make choices about the type of product they want to purchase by the amount of energy it consumes.
 
“Energy consumption and efficiency is front of mind for plenty of individuals and statistics show households can save 10% for each degree they decrease their air conditioners [2]. Minimum energy performance standards are an important tool in assisting consumers make choices about the product they want to install or use in their home,” said Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), Tony Gleeson.
 
“Temperatures may be cooling, but the work we do in developing guidance to support consumer energy needs certainly is not. We are continuing to work alongside industry, regulators and government to develop standards to support the effective management of energy and producing guidance with an aim of protecting Australian consumers,” concluded Mr Chidgey.
 
[1] https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=9201
[2] https://www.energy.gov.au/households/heating-and-cooling

Meg Cole-Adams

Public Affairs Officer 02 9237 6071

29 April 2020

Information for Australian manufacturers in the fight against COVID-19

Read more

23 April 2020

Plumbing industry faces flow on effect of COVID-19

Read more

In this Edition:

CEO report
A clear path for Australian manufacturers in the fight against COVID-19
Easing pressure on our health system
Getting access to AS 3959:2018
Plumbing industry faces flow on effect of COVID-19
Facilitating faster project completions through TGR
Smart standards for smarter cities
In conversation with Greg Ryan
International update
Sector update
Drafts open for comment
PEFC chain of custody standard: trademark and certification usage

CEO report

Australia continues to respond to the challenges of COVID-19, with many industries and community sectors managing massive disruption. At Standards Australia we have worked quickly at facilitating standards development remotely and adapting our processes so we can continue our core business of supporting industry, government and the wider Australian community.
 
The resilience and cooperation exhibited by the Australian people at the beginning of 2020 while responding to the bushfire crisis is again on show as we face this next challenge. It is encouraging to see so many Australian businesses and public sector organisations respond quickly to address urgent requirements of the health care sector.
 
Factories once making high-end clothing are now developing face masks and companies once making gin are now shifting to manufacturing hand sanitiser. To support this effort, earlier this month we released directory material for Australian manufacturers; this document is intended to help manufacturers find information on relevant standards, such as respiratory protection, surgical masks and gloves, quickly and effectively.
 
This month we also supported the #flattenthecurvehack, an exciting event in which teams brainstormed and developed solutions to the COVID-19 crisis. Winners included a 3D-printed adjustable face-shield and a new platform called ‘Class Party’ which provides a virtual reality learning experience for school children learning from home.
 
Hopefully, many of the ideas and solutions that came out of the event will be able to assist Australia and the world deal with current challenges. The #flattenthecurvehack is another instance of individuals and organisations working together and thinking outside the square to achieve practicable outcomes during this crisis – we are proud to have been involved.
 
In conjunction with continued standards development and collaboration across our thirteen sectors, the directory material and hackathon are just two examples of the different solutions and initiatives Standards Australia has actioned in an effort to effectively support industry, government and individuals during the COVID-19 crisis.
 
While we adjust to this new reality as a nation, Standards Australia is committed to continued productivity and effectiveness. I look forward to working with many of you in the months to come as we search for innovative solutions to the challenges 2020 is presenting.
—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

A clear path for Australian manufacturers in the fight against COVID-19

Businesses looking to manufacture essential products have been given a helping hand with potential Australian-based testing and certification capabilities identified.
 
In addition to earlier guidance provided by Standards Australia identifying potentially relevant standards to manufacturers, this material prepared in consultation with the Australian Technical Infrastructure Alliance is a more detailed map of possible ways to get the gloves, masks, and surgical gowns from the warehouse to the frontline using Australian facilities.
 
Read more in our media release.

Easing pressure on our health system

At a time of great challenge for our national health system, amidst the crisis of COVID-19, the use of phone-based health services across Australia has been front and centre for a lot of people. 
To support consistency and confidence in the provision of health services over the phone, Standards Australia is encouraging those in the sector to look to AS 5205:2019, Australian Health Contact Centres, to assist our health system across Australia.

Read more in our media release.

Getting access to AS 3959:2018

AS 3959:2018, Construction in bushfire prone areas is now available at no cost through our distributors SAI Global and Techstreet. At Standards Australia we are proud to be able to offer this standard, alongside the Commonwealth Government, to assist the communities of Australia.

We encourage those rebuilding to download the document which will be available at no cost until June 2021. Please note to access the standard at no cost you must select the PDF option.

Plumbing industry faces flow on effect of COVID-19

An increase in the purchase of bidet products, which can help reduce toilet paper use, has seen the ACCC outline the dangers of individuals trying to install products themselves. Australia's independent consumer authority has reminded consumers these products should be certified through the WaterMark Certification Scheme and installed by a professional plumber.

Read more in our media release.

Facilitating faster project completions through TGR

In just one of many responses to our Technical Governance Review (TGR) we have introduced Technical Writers and Committee Facilitators as specialised resources for committees with large, complex or contentious work programs. This change means we can deliver the net benefit of projects more quickly by publishing in shorter timeframes.

In a recent example, Standards Australia Technical Writer, Louise Hodgins was assigned to the revision of a complex standard as alongside technical changes, the existing standard was to be split into three parts. This combination is normally difficult to deliver on schedule however, Professor David Eager, Chairperson of the relevant committee said, “The drafting of the three parts of AS 2316.1 has been improved immensely by having a dedicated Technical Writer involved from the get-go.”

There has been similar feedback from other committees working through difficult issues and complex documents who have utilised these resources.

At Standards Australia we are pleased to see the benefit of our TGR being realised and improving the effectiveness of our hard-working committees. A list of the projects currently underway is available on the Technical Governance Review Implementation Plan for FY 2020. You can also read about our progress in our latest quarterly report.

Smart standards for smarter cities

The adoption of three international smart cities standards is an exciting step forward for the future of Australian cities and regional towns.

The last few months, more than ever, have shown us cities and the larger Australian and International communities are facing varied challenges including, but not limited to, environmental changes, economic instability and population growth. These standards intend to provide clear criteria for cities to measure and compare their strengths and weaknesses in facing these challenges.

You can find out more about the adopted standards and the work of Standards Australia in this space in our recent blog update.

In conversation with Greg Ryan

Greg is the Director Business Excellence at the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA). He has been with the Association for just over 6 years with oversight of all programs related to enhancing the business delivery to customers including asset management, digital, people and capability. Prior to working at WSAA, Greg worked for South East Water in Melbourne for over 13 years, and has a background in operations, management and strategic planning.

A key aspect of the work at WSAA is industry collaboration to develop clear guidance documents and codes, along with being a nominating organisation for development of standards relevant to the water sector. We use these documents to drive consistency and innovation in the industry and ensure the longevity and safety of installed products.
 
Standards Australia (SA): How long have you been involved in standards development?

Greg Ryan (GR): I have only been directly involved in standards development since starting at WSAA, so just over six years now.

SA: Is there a particular project or standard that sticks out to you?

GR: The key project that sticks out for me is the development of a national standard on products suitable for toilet flushing. It doesn’t sound very glamorous, however, the project has been very rewarding because it has involved developing a clear consensus among a diverse group of manufacturers, water utilities, consumer and manufacturer advocates and peak bodies. Through the process we have been able to achieve resolution on aspects which have been difficult to resolve overseas. I am quite pleased with how the Committee is able to work together to achieve an outcome that will provide greater benefit for the community.

SA: What is the role of standards in your sector?

GR: Standards apply to all aspects of a water utility’s operation including risk management, financial management and worker health and safety. They are particularly important for our infrastructure. The majority of our assets are buried within easements adjacent to customer properties. When they fail they can cause significant damage to property, inconvenience to customers and impact on the environment. Standards provide a level of confidence that installed products such as pipes, valves and meters are going to last and deliver the service required over their lifetime.
 
SA: With coronavirus affecting many industries across the country, what are some of the challenges facing the water and waste services sector?

GR: The initial challenge was ensuring the majority of staff were able to work effectively remotely, and that in doing so the workforce was not only safe but that their mental health was being looked after. Other challenges have been around social distancing and the need to undertake certain types of work such as lifting heavy objects or entering confined spaces, where the nature of the work means that social distancing can be impossible. This is combined with the current shortages of PPE such as face masks and hand sanitiser.
 
SA: What do you think is the future of standardisation?

GR: Standardisation provides a reliable means to confirm the durability and suitability of products for a given purpose. It is becoming more important for the water industry as we continue to lose local production capacity in areas such as steel manufacturing. This increases the amount of material sourced from overseas, placing more reliance on international standards. Hence a greater need for involvement in international mirror committees to support international standards development.
 
Separately, I see that there is an evolution coming in the way standards are developed, designed and presented. COVID-19 is expanding our view of what is possible through online collaboration, which hopefully will result in greater participation in standards development if there is less travel involved in meetings. But in the longer term the challenge is to make standards more relevant and easy to use for all. Some of the digital approaches are integrating images of a product or application with the relevant sections of particular standards. So that rather than reading the entirety of each standard it is possible to read only the relevant parts. This comes with challenges around creating context. However, it should hopefully increase engagement and the uptake of standards.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from April (PDF)

• Establishment of two technical committees: ISO/TC 327 Natural stones and ISO/TC 328 Engineered stones
• A safer way to approach water rescue with new ISO guidelines
• Proposal for a new field of technical activity on child care articles

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

SDO News

PEFC chain of custody standard: trademark and certification usage

The 2020 revisions to PEFC documents below are now available:

• Chain of Custody Standard (ST 2002);
• Trademark use rules (ST 2001);
• Certification body requirements for Chain of Custody (ST 2003).

PEFC has provided a detailed guidance document on the new standards and logo usage rules.
In summary, the following will apply:

• The 2013 version of the PEFC chain of custody standard ST 2002 remains in force until August 14. For PEFC C-o-C holders, they will have until this date to comply with the 2020 version. An audit to the new standard is required before certification to the 2020 version of the PEFC C-o-C standard will be granted.
• Certification bodies must be accredited to the 2020 version prior to audits being performed.
• Certification bodies need to add the 2020 version of the PEFC International Chain of Custody Standard to their scope of accreditation. This requirement requires more specific mandatory training that Responsible Wood can provide.

News Alert - Information for Australian manufacturers in the fight against COVID-19

• Businesses looking to manufacture essential products have been given a helping hand with potential Australian-based testing and certification capabilities identified.
• Finding relevant standards, testing and certification capabilities might be a challenge for businesses but it is the focus of new information released today.
• COVID-19 is changing industries and Standards Australia is supporting the change wherever possible.

 
In addition to earlier guidance provided by Standards Australia identifying potentially relevant standards to manufacturers, today’s material prepared in consultation with the Australian Technical Infrastructure Alliance is a more detailed map of possible ways to get the gloves, masks, and surgical gowns from the warehouse to the frontline using Australian facilities.
 
“Today’s announcement is a step further in not only helping manufacturers identify relevant standards but to get a potential pathway to market including avenues for testing and certification,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Adrian O’Connell. “The release of this latest guidance demonstrates how quickly we can move as an organisation when we are needed by industry, by governments and by the Australian public.”
 
“We have had tremendous support from Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand, National Association of Testing Authorities, and National Measurement Institute as well as, government and industry to identify barriers delaying essential PPE from hitting the frontlines where it is so desperately needed,” said Mr O’Connell. “Today’s publication is a huge achievement by all involved, but again it is not the end of this journey. There is still plenty expected of our manufacturing sector and we don’t want businesses out there going it alone – we are here to help as best we can.”
 
Providing avenues for potential conformance pathways for certain products is one way in which we can assist to join the pieces of the standards and conformance framework to make it easier for industry and domestic manufacturers to move forward and get to market.
 
“Seeing an entire industry jump and answer the call to arms from the Federal Government, as well as State Premiers is a great achievement that the entire Australian manufacturing sector should be proud of,” said Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Daniel Chidgey. “We have set out to do our part to support Australia’s COVID-19 response, by providing information on potentially relevant Australian Standards® and corresponding test methods, as well as information on Australian laboratories and certifiers, which we aim to maintain with the Australian Technical Infrastructure Alliance involvement.”
 
“Standards Australia has a unique ability to understand market challenges, bring together relevant stakeholders and deliver solutions for industry and government,” said Mr Chidgey.
 
“But there is more to do against COVID-19, and we will continue to work closely with the governments’ COVID-19 taskforces and other stakeholders to assist as required.  We look forward to continuing to play a leading role in supporting the manufacturing sector here in Australia,” concluded Mr Chidgey. 

Our directory material can be found here.                   

Scott McGrath

Government Relation Manager

+ 612 9237 6044

• Manufacturers across Australia are shifting from their traditional work to help meet domestic shortfalls of essential products.
• These new product lines may benefit from guidance available in the standards that have been developed by industry and governments, to support a quick shift into new areas.
• The entire country is now deeply entrenched in the fight against COVID-19, with domestic manufacturing on a new frontline meeting shortfalls of essential products. The manufacturing of such products is often underpinned by standards, a summary list of which we have collated into an easy to read directory.
   
  “Our organisation has been shaping the landscape of Australian industry for nearly 100 years, and through every challenge we have faced as a nation we have risen in response,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Adrian O’Connell.
   
  “After the Second World War, standards were essential to the domestic market and have been enabling economic growth ever since. While the challenge we face today is different, the need for our domestic manufacturing is much the same and we are established to support Australian businesses as they strive to build essential domestic manufacturing capacity.”
   
  “Industry solutions to fulfil market and community needs have been the focus of our efforts for many years and in this case, we have been working to deliver support to the national response to COVID-19,” said Mr O’Connell.  
   
  The directory and industry reference material being released outlines information on standards that may be relevant to key areas of current domestic product shortfall, such as respiratory protection, surgical masks, gloves, and other protective clothing.
   
  “Standards Australia works with industry and government to manage over 7,000 standards and in this time of national crisis we don’t want people to be wasting their time trying to find certain information depending on their situation,” said Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Daniel Chidgey.
   
  “Being able to switch from producing gin to hand sanitiser, or t-shirts to surgical gowns are priority for manufacturers and where their efforts should be focused, not trawling through our database for relevant standards.”
   
  “This is a first practical step among others Standards Australia is exploring, and we are excited by what it has the potential to achieve,” continued Mr Chidgey. “We are working with multiple levels of government, in different areas of work to respond to this situation to the extent that we can. We remain committed to taking practical steps to help our nation respond to this global pandemic.”
   
  Our directory material can be found here

Contact

Meg Cole-Adams

Public Affairs Officer

02 9237 6071

Sizzling Summer Standards

16 December 2019

Read more

An innovative future for Standards Australia

22 November 2019

Read more

IN THIS EDITION:

CEO report
There’s never been a more important time for Australian Standards
Standards Australia sets priorities for Artificial Intelligence
Each for Equal: IWD2020
Conversation with contributors
Standards Awards – Last chance to nominate
Rules for dispute avoidance and conflict resolution
Remote workshops
In conversation with Teresa Corbin
International update
Sector update
Draft open for comment
Responsible Wood update

CEO REPORT

The past month has been difficult and unprecedented for all Australians. The COVID-19 virus is affecting individuals, businesses and countries across the world. Our standards community has been impacted like many others and as a result we have now moved the organization online, with our staff working from home and our committee meetings being held remotely.

Standards Australia has been supporting the Australian people for nearly 100 years and this will not change. As a public purpose organization, we will stay both positive and productive. 

As part of our long-term digital transformation we have many of the systems in place that support remote work. These systems will help ensure effective communication and collaboration with colleagues nationally and internationally.

In these critical times the information provided in standards is an important tool in promoting safety, confidence and coordination. From business continuity and medical equipment to new innovative technologies like 5G, there are standards being developed and already available that will be particularly relevant to Australian industry and businesses over the coming months and years.

We are committed to maintaining momentum in the development of standards, staying connected and involved with our national and international community and engaging with the urgent needs that Australia has now.

This year is going to be radically different to anything we had imagined or planned for, with our nation facing serious health and economic challenges. Standards Australia will, as it has throughout its 98 year history, continue to work on behalf of industry and the Australian community to deliver the trusted solutions needed today and tomorrow.
—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

There’s never been a more important time for Australian Standards

Standards Australia remains committed to working alongside business, government and the broader community in responding to COVID-19.
 
The speed and scope of our work must adapt to these challenging times, and so far we have proven we can measure up to the task ahead.
 
Read more about our COVID-19 response and plan in our latest statement.

STANDARDS AUSTALIA SETS PRIORITIES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Standards Australia has released Artificial Intelligence Standards Roadmap: Making Australia’s Voice Heard. The comprehensive report, commissioned by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources, provides recommendations to help Australia effectively support Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its future across the globe.

Read more in our media release

EACH FOR EQUAL: IWD2020

Here at Standards Australia we firmly believe an equal world is an enabled world. This International Women’s Day we were proud to celebrate by striking the #EachforEqual pose which we captured it in a short video.

We are committed to ensuring representation and balance across all levels of our business. To find out more about our commitment to promoting balance, read our Each for Equal blog.

CONVERSATION WITH CONTRIBUTORS

Standards Australia has a strong history of collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Last year, our very own General Manager of Operations, Kareen Riley-Takos was elected to the IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB), which acts as the technical governing body of the IEC.

On 5 May, Standards Australia invites you to participate in an information and consultation session, to be held remotely, on Australia’s participation at the International Electrotechnical Commission. Register on our website.

STANDARDS AWARDS-LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE

There is still time to get in your nominations for the Standards Awards which close on Thursday 2 April 2020.
 
Standards Awards recognise and reward excellence in standardisation. Awards are presented to individuals, accredited SDOs and committees who have made a positive impact on standardisation.
 
Make your nomination today on the Standards Australia website.

RULES FOR DISPUTE AVOIDANCE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION

In consultation with stakeholders and committees, Standards Australia has developed the Committee Dispute Avoidance and Resolution Standardisation Guide (SG-008).

This new guide provides strategies for minimising, and where possible avoiding, disputes that prevent consensus from being achieved between committee members. The guide also lays out the framework for proactively and effectively resolving disputes that could not be avoided.

The guide’s development is a significant part of our Technical Governance Review recommendations. It aims to address the need for improved processes and protocols for technical disagreements, escalation of problems and complaints, and mediation or resolution of problems. Stay tuned for further workshops and training for Committee Chairs, which will incorporate practical advice on how to apply the new guide.

You can find the guide under the Standardisation Guides on our website.

REMOTE WORKSHOPS

Please note that any workshops scheduled between now and 30 June 2020 will be delivered virtually.
 
If you are already registered for a scheduled workshop we will communicate full course details in the coming weeks, including the delivery method and date options along with supporting information on how to access the training to maximise your learning experience.
 
For any questions regarding this information, please contact your Project Manager, Stakeholder Engagement Manager or the Learning & Development team directly.

IN CONVERSATION WITH TERESA CORBIN

Teresa Corbin is a co-founder and now CEO of ACCAN, Australia’s peak body for communications consumers. She has many years of experience working in telecommunications policy both in Australia and internationally. Teresa is a director on the Board of the International Telecommunications Users Group (INTUG). In Australia she currently sits on several bodies including the ACMA Consumer Consultative Forum and she chairs Standards Australia’s Consumer Policy Committee. In 2015, she was awarded the Charles Todd Medal by the Telecommunications Society for having made an outstanding contribution in recent years. Teresa holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Linguistics from La Trobe University and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
 
Standards Australia (SA): How did you become interested in standards development?

Teresa Corbin (TC): I was involved in the early days of organic food sales and the need to define and promote these products using standards. Now I am interested in the adoption of new technologies and the vital role that standards play.

SA: Why are consumer standards important?

TC: Consumer standards play an important role in helping the general public to trust that the products and services that they use day-to-day are fit for purpose. If people don’t trust an organisation and the safety of a product or service, they’re simply not going to use it.

SA: Do you think the broader community understand the role of standards?

TC: Generally, members of the public don’t have a comprehensive understanding of the role of standards. On the contrary, for the average consumer, the main concern is that the product or service works as promised and that it’s safe, but that doesn’t mean that they think that standards are important.

It’s commonly assumed that if a product or service is available for sale within Australia, then it meets the necessary standards and won’t cause harm. This speaks to the level of implicit trust that consumers have within our standards, even if they don’t know the details and specifications that a product or service had to meet to be fit for sale.

Consumer involvement in the standards-making process helps to increase awareness amongst the general community.

Some consumers are aware of standards and the role they play. We’re pleased that Standards Australia have committed to funding and providing free access to standards for personal, domestic or household use at no cost to end users in the future.

SA: What is the future of standardisation?

TC: As a consumer organisation, we see standards becoming more open for non-commercial users. This means more engagement with consumers throughout the standard development process so that the people who will ultimately be impacted by the product or service have the chance to have their voice heard in the establishment of appropriate standards.

With technology continuing to lead to convergence across industries, particularly in the telecommunications space, we’re likely to see greater collaboration between industries whose products and services become interconnected.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATE

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from March (PDF) 

• WTO Trade Policy Review for Australia 
• Proposal at ISO for new field of Technical Activity on Lithium one
• IEC’s new standardisation approach for Circular Economies

SECTOR UPDATE

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

DRAFT OPEN FOR COMMENT

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

RESPONSIBLE WOOD UPDATE

PEFC approves revised standards

Three standards that further strengthen PEFC’s sustainability benchmarks and assist in safeguarding forests globally came into force in February.

Most notable are changes to the chain of custody standard, specifically the expansion of the definition of controversial sources.

Chain of custody establishes the link from the forest to the market, tracking forest-based material from sustainable sources to the final product.

The standard lays out the requirements that a company must meet to achieve PEFC chain of custody certification. This includes requirements to avoid “controversial sources” - material not to be used in certified products.

Independent audit for Responsible Wood

The Standards Development and Accreditation Committee (SDAC) has appointed an independent auditor to oversee Responsible Wood’s ‘check compliance’ to Standard Development Organisation (SDO) requirements.

According to Alan Snow, certification coordinator, the surveillance audit provides Responsible Wood with an opportunity to demonstrate to Standards Australia an ongoing commitment to standards development.

“With the endorsement of Standards Australia, consumers could take heart that products that carry the Responsible Wood logo were not only better for the forests but also better for all consumers,” CEO Simon Dorries said.

Standards Australia is the owner of the standards and trademarks and is one of five accredited SDOs licensed to develop Australian standards for forest certification through ongoing SDAC accreditation.

Revision of standard for forest management 

Responsible Wood has announced the revision of the Australian standard for sustainable forest management AS 4708.

Responsible Wood is an accredited Standard Development Organisation.

AS 4708 specifies the environmental, economic, social and cultural requirements that must be met to demonstrate good practice and continued improvement towards sustainable forest management.

Responsible Wood reviews the standard every five years and undertaken in conjunction with Standards New Zealand to develop a joint Australian-NZ standard for forest management in both countries.

In this Edition:

CEO report
Key bushfire standard open for all Australians to access
Farming communities helping shape safety standard
Lifting the crane industry to new heights
AI Roundtable
Graduate intake
National Blockchain Roadmap release
Standards Awards 2020 – nominate now
In conversation with Geoff Boughton
International update
Sector update
Drafts open for comment

CEO REPORT

Australia is beginning the recovery process and focussing on the year ahead. Earlier this month, Standards Australia announced, in partnership with the Commonwealth government, an initiative to fund access to AS 3959 for all Australians. This standard will help our communities build back better and more resilient housing.
 
This initiative was made possible because of the important changes to the Distribution and Licensing Framework and highlights the opportunity Standards Australia has to support important national initiatives in Australia.
 
On behalf of Board and staff of Standards Australia, I would like to congratulate two of our committee members for receiving the honour of Officer and Member of the Order of Australia. Dr Geoff Boughton and Catherine Inglis were both recognised for their respective contributions to their fields. This is a great celebration of their work and service and speaks to the quality of expertise involved in standards development.
 
Standards are vital to the growth and sustainability of our country and will impact many facets of Australian lives. To help continue to develop valuable and effective standards, the innovation Incubator is filled with some smart projects, helping us take standards development to the next level.
 
Innovation is a key focus for Standards Australia and this month we hosted a roundtable to discuss the future of artificial intelligence technology in Australia and around the globe. This is a huge step for AI and will be instrumental in the implementation of this technology across many sectors. Standards Australia looks forward to the official road map launch in a few weeks' time.
 
Lastly, the Standards Awards are open, and we encourage you to nominate any individuals who have made an important contribution to standards development. These awards are a celebration of the value members add to Standards Australia and the importance of their commitment to the ongoing standards development process.
—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Key bushfire standard open for all Australians to access

Standards Australia alongside Karen Andrews MP, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology recently announced a joint funding agreement for access to AS 3959:2018, Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas. 

By funding access to this standard together with the Commonwealth Government, Standards Australia hopes that as communities rebuild after these most recent bushfires, they do so with the support of this standard.

Read more in our media release.

Lifting the crane industry to new heights

The number of cranes across city blocks and in suburban streets has skyrocketed in recent years, and with this increased use, the consultation on over 20 draft standards could not be better timed.
 
The Standards Australia technical committee responsible for these draft standards has progressed several projects to public comment. These draft standards seek to align Australian safety guidance to that of the international crane industry.
Read more in our media release.

AI Roundtable

Standards Australia was pleased to host the Standard Council of Canada, Tobias Feakin – Australia’s Cyber Affairs Ambassador and other stakeholders at an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Roundtable earlier this month.

The potential of this innovative technology is broad, and standards will be an integral part of its future responsible implementation in both Australia and across the rest of the world. Standards Australia looks forward to working alongside industry and other standards bodies in creating relevant, best-practice standards for this technology.

Graduate intake

February marks the first month of our Graduate Program at Standards Australia.

Four graduates joined us from different industry studies to learn more about standards development. In an exciting first, the graduates will spend time in four divisions across the business to understand and work on the ins and outs of Standards Australia.

Emma Lowes, Head of Human Resources at Standards Australia, said "the program marks the beginning of an incredible opportunity for Standards Australia to cultivate a profile amongst the next generation."

"We have the foundations in place to teach the graduates more about our industry and the value of standards to the Australian community, but we also have the chance to seek a different viewpoint on how we run as a company and changes we could make to be better."

Applications for our 2021 graduate program open in July 2020 for our February intake.

National Blockchain Roadmap release

Earlier this month the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources released the National Blockchain Roadmap. The roadmap highlights the opportunities that exist in Australia and includes the huge potential and importance of standardisation within the space.

We are proud to have worked alongside the Department in their development of this roadmap and look forward to further work in supporting this technology reach its full potential.

Standards Awards 2020 – nominate now

Each year, Standards Australia takes time out to recognise outstanding contributions to our work as Australia’s national standards body.

Individual and committee efforts are recognised as well as service in Australia and internationally.

Nominations for the Standards Awards can be made on the Standards Australia website.

Nominations close on Thursday 2 April 2020.

In conversation with Geoff Boughton       

Geoff is an experienced structural engineer who has been involved in standards development for nearly 40 years. He is dedicated to improving the built environment against the impact of extreme weather conditions, by participating in development and revision of building standards. He is a member of the Australasian Wind Engineering Society and a research fellow and adjunct associate professor at James Cook University’s Cyclone Testing Station.

Geoff was recently appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day 2020 Honours List for significant service to engineering and professional bodies.

Standards Australia: Why did you first get involved in standards development?

Geoffrey Boughton (GB): Getting involved in standards was a natural extension of my work with the Cyclone Testing Station, where we focused on understanding how buildings were able to resist the loads placed on them in extreme wind events.

SA: Do you think standards can play a role in protecting and building resilient communities across Australia?

GB: They certainly do. When we compare the levels of damage sustained by buildings constructed to the current suite of standards with those constructed to older standards, there is a significant difference in performance. In part, this is due to deterioration of older buildings, but it is also a function of the structural features required to comply with the contemporary standards. For example, in the past many buildings were constructed with nails securing battens to rafters, but current standards require significantly stronger connections, particularly in cyclone-prone areas. We still find houses that have significant roof damage in wind events were those that had battens nailed to rafters.

The above is a simple example, but it underlines the fact that standards are written to ensure that the minimum standard of construction required in the National Construction Code (NCC) give buildings a good chance of protecting life and safety of the occupants. Of course, they set a minimum standard, but if owners choose to build to a higher level, then it can significantly increase their building’s level of resilience.

SA: How have building standards changed in your 40 years of experience?

GB: Australian building standards have changed in a number of different ways over the years. Standards now recognise that most users have access to computers, so design calculations can be much more complex and give a result that more fairly presents the loads for particular design scenarios. The presentation of standards for viewing on phones and tablets makes them much more accessible on building sites.

The writing or revision of standards has however become much more complex, particularly if the standards are referenced in the NCC. Justification of even minor changes require significant cost-benefit analyses, which presents challenges in finding data on design events that have a very low probability of occurring. This is particularly difficult when considering the rapid changes that are happening within building practice, and the potential effects of climate change.

SA: What do you think is the future of standardisation?

GB: Developing resilience of building stock through safe and effective building standards is a powerful tool for fostering community resilience. Revisions of standards will need to be quickly developed and implemented to keep pace with rapid changes in materials, construction practices and climate change, so that new buildings can meet the expected loads over their lifetimes. There is also a continuing need for voices in standards committees that strongly represent the community interests and initiate and press for change when required.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from February (PDF)

• WTO Members discuss LDC technology transfer
• New Work Item Proposal for Consumer Incident Investigation Guideline ISO

Free IEC webinar on Circular Economy

Sector update     

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

E-News selected content applicable to power electronics

Sector Updates

Consumer Products, Services & Safety

[There were no new information applicable for Power Electronics covering projects and publications between 01 December 2019 to 31 January 2020. AA/SCDB/PSMA. following information

Sector Updates

Communications, Information Technology & e-Commerce Services

The following information covers projects and publications between 01 December 2019 to 31 January 2020. There were no new projects approved for development or drafts for public comment for this sector this month (February 2020).

Recent Publications

All publications may be purchased from our distributors, Standards Australia Webstore (powered by Techstreet), and SAI Global.

Software, systems and enterprise - Architecture processes
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC/IEEE 42020:2019
Abstract: The objective of this Standard is to establish a set of process descriptions for the governance and management of a collection of architectures and the architecting of entities. This document also establishes an enablement process description that provides support to these other architecture processes.
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC/IEEE 42020:2019.
 
Modelling and simulation - Framework of related standards
Product designation: SA HB 116:2019
Abstract: This Handbook provides guidance on concepts and Standards that may apply to Modelling and Simulation practitioners in their day-to-day lives.
History: ​Originated as SA HB 116:2014. Second edition 2019.

Withdrawals and Reconfirmations

For a list of aged Australian Standards® that are proposed for withdrawal or reconfirmation, please refer to our Aged Standards Review page.

Proposed Withdrawals

No publications are currently open for consultation for their proposed withdrawal in this Sector.

Withdrawals

Vehicles, boats and internal combustion engines - Radio disturbance characteristics - Limits and methods of measurement for the protection of on-board receivers
Product designation: AS/NZS CISPR 25-2010

Information technology - Security techniques - Key management - Mechanisms using symmetric techniques
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 11770.2-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Key management - Mechanisms using asymmetric techniques
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 11770.3-2008
 
Information technology-Security techniques - Key management - Mechanisms based on weak secrets
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 11770.4-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - IT network security - Network security management
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 18028.1-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - IT network security - Securing communications across networks using virtual private networks
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 18028.5-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Encryption algorithms - Asymmetric ciphers
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 18033.2-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Entity authentication - Mechanisms using symmetric encipherment algorithms
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 9798.2-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Entity authentication - Mechanisms using digital signature techniques
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 9798.3-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Entity authentication - Mechanisms using a cryptographic check function
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 9798.4-2008

Ref.: https://www.standards.org.au/engagement-events/sectors/communications-information-technology-e-commerce/sector-updates-communications,-information-techn

E-News selected content applicable to power electronics

Consumer Products, Services & Safety

[There were no new information applicable for Power Electronics covering projects and publications between 01 December 2019 to 31 January 2020. AA/SCDB/PSMA. following information

Sector Updates

Communications, Information Technology & e-Commerce Services

The following information covers projects and publications between 01 December 2019 to 31 January 2020. There were no new projects approved for development or drafts for public comment for this sector this month (February 2020).

Recent Publications

All publications may be purchased from our distributors, Standards Australia Webstore (powered by Techstreet), and SAI Global.

Software, systems and enterprise - Architecture processes
Product designation: AS ISO/IEC/IEEE 42020:2019
Abstract: The objective of this Standard is to establish a set of process descriptions for the governance and management of a collection of architectures and the architecting of entities. This document also establishes an enablement process description that provides support to these other architecture processes.
History: First published as AS ISO/IEC/IEEE 42020:2019.
 
Modelling and simulation - Framework of related standards
Product designation: SA HB 116:2019
Abstract: This Handbook provides guidance on concepts and Standards that may apply to Modelling and Simulation practitioners in their day-to-day lives.
History: ​Originated as SA HB 116:2014. Second edition 2019.

Withdrawals and Reconfirmations

For a list of aged Australian Standards® that are proposed for withdrawal or reconfirmation, please refer to our Aged Standards Review page.

Proposed Withdrawals

No publications are currently open for consultation for their proposed withdrawal in this Sector.

Withdrawals

Vehicles, boats and internal combustion engines - Radio disturbance characteristics - Limits and methods of measurement for the protection of on-board receivers
Product designation: AS/NZS CISPR 25-2010

Information technology - Security techniques - Key management - Mechanisms using symmetric techniques
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 11770.2-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Key management - Mechanisms using asymmetric techniques
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 11770.3-2008
 
Information technology-Security techniques - Key management - Mechanisms based on weak secrets
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 11770.4-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - IT network security - Network security management
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 18028.1-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - IT network security - Securing communications across networks using virtual private networks
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 18028.5-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Encryption algorithms - Asymmetric ciphers
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 18033.2-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Entity authentication - Mechanisms using symmetric encipherment algorithms
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 9798.2-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Entity authentication - Mechanisms using digital signature techniques
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 9798.3-2008
 
Information technology - Security techniques - Entity authentication - Mechanisms using a cryptographic check function
Product designation: AS/NZS ISO/IEC 9798.4-2008

Ref.: https://www.standards.org.au/engagement-events/sectors/communications-information-technology-e-commerce/sector-updates-communications,-information-techn

Wiring rules refined

AS/NZS 3000:2018, Electrical Installations, also known as the Wiring Rules, has been updated.

“The wiring rules contributes heavily to Australian life through its guidance in the design, construction and verification of electrical installations,” said General Manager of Strategy and Engagement, Adam Stingemore.

The amendment includes several changes to the 2018 publication, including:

• Clarification of sections Service Protective Device and Common Areas
• Updates to sections Luminaires, Appliances and Other Electrical Equipment and Special Electrical Installations
• References now include AS/NZS 5139, Electrical Installations – Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment

 “This is an important standard for many within the electrical sector, with the protection and safety of workers at its core.”

“With the support of relevant stakeholders and industry, Standards Australia remains committed to keeping this standard up-to-date as we help build a safer and more resilient Australia,” concluded Mr. Stingemore.
 
The Amendment is available through Standards Australia’s website and directly from SAI Global and Techstreet.

Contact

General Manager, Strategy and Public Affairs

+612 9237 6086

In a country affected by extreme weather conditions, it is important powerlines are suitably resistant to the exposure of extreme climate conditions and designed in a safe and consistent manner.
 
Standards Australia has recently released SA/SNZ HB 331:2020, Overhead line design handbook that guides the design, construction and maintenance of overhead power lines.
 
“This comprehensive handbook considers the many different locations and weather patterns of our country,” said Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Daniel Chidgey. “Having resilient and safe power lines is essential in powering communities across Australia, and this handbook is another tool to help achieve this goal.”
 
The handbook has been updated with some significant additions, including safety clear zones, vegetation management, high voltage live working considerations and the design and construction of powerlines in bushfire prone areas.
 
“Australia has been devastated by the ongoing bushfires in several states,” said Mr. Chidgey. “As an organisation, Standards Australia will continue to support industry and government through guidance, such as this handbook, that considers the specific needs of current and future infrastructure in these affected areas.”
 
From the materials used in the design to targeted inspection and maintenance, the bushfire prone areas section of the handbook sets out requirements aimed at reducing the risk of ignition from powerlines.
 
“Alongside industry, governments and others, Standards Australia is committed to providing standards and similar documents that protect the infrastructure of communities, in turn building a more resilient Australia,” concluded Mr. Chidgey.

Supporting a secure digital economy

22 January 2020

Read more

Button batteries to receive new guidance

06 November 2019

Read more

In a country affected by extreme weather conditions, it is important powerlines are suitably resistant to the exposure of extreme climate conditions and designed in a safe and consistent manner.
 
Standards Australia has recently released SA/SNZ HB 331:2020, Overhead line design handbook that guides the design, construction and maintenance of overhead power lines.
 
“This comprehensive handbook considers the many different locations and weather patterns of our country,” said Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Daniel Chidgey. “Having resilient and safe power lines is essential in powering communities across Australia, and this handbook is another tool to help achieve this goal.”
 
The handbook has been updated with some significant additions, including safety clear zones, vegetation management, high voltage live working considerations and the design and construction of powerlines in bushfire prone areas.
 
“Australia has been devastated by the ongoing bushfires in several states,” said Mr. Chidgey. “As an organisation, Standards Australia will continue to support industry and government through guidance, such as this handbook, that considers the specific needs of current and future infrastructure in these affected areas.”
 
From the materials used in the design to targeted inspection and maintenance, the bushfire prone areas section of the handbook sets out requirements aimed at reducing the risk of ignition from powerlines.
 
“Alongside industry, governments and others, Standards Australia is committed to providing standards and similar documents that protect the infrastructure of communities, in turn building a more resilient Australia,” concluded Mr. Chidgey.

Supporting a secure digital economy

22 January 2020

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Button batteries to receive new guidance

06 November 2019

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Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.
Highlights from December (PDF)

Building resilient cities with new international standards

Report shows trade restrictions by WTO members at historically high levels

Sizzling Summer Standards

• Aussies love a trip to the beach, a summer evening barbeque or an afternoon swim but many of us don’t realize the number of standards we rely on to keep us safe.
• Standards Australia creates standards to help products work the way they’re expected to.
  The Australian Summer is an iconic part of the Aussie lifestyle but did you know that some of our favourite summer pastimes include a range of standards designed to keep us safe? They affect everything from the fans keeping you cool to your coolest pair of sunnies. 
  Standards Australia has been developing standards that contribute to the Australian summer lifestyle for almost 100 years. It’s more Australian than a Sunday barbeque or a game of beach cricket. Here are some of the most iconic Australian standards that are necessary to ensure we all enjoy a great summer – standards are everywhere. 
  You can’t Slip, Slop, Slap without sunscreen, and AS/NZS 2604:2012 Sunscreen products - Evaluation and classification sets out procedures for determining the performance of sunscreen products in terms of their mean protection factors.
  This standard has been essential for determining SPF standards in Australia, and forms an invaluable understanding for consumers about what they’re paying for.
  If you’re swimming at Bondi or Cottesloe Beach you will have seen safety flags designed to give swimmers information about hazards in the water and how they should act. There’s a high chance these signs are governed by ISO 20712-3:2014 – water safety signs and beach safety flags.
  But if you spend your summer indoors with a good book or re-watching Game of Thrones to remind you that winter is coming, you’ll find comfort in AS/NZS 3823.2-2013 – Performance of electrical appliances – air conditioners and heat pumps as well as AS/NZS 4020:2018, Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water to help you stay cool. 
  Last but not least, if you’re a weekend warrior looking to grill some snags, AS/NZS 5263.1.7:2016 Gas appliances - Domestic outdoor gas barbecues is your best friend. This standard aims to keep your barbeque safe to use on a hot summer’s day.
  These are just a few of the standards that feed into the Australian summer. Standards have been helping products and services work how they’re supposed to for nearly 100 years thanks to Standards Australia, and the work they do means you can spend more time enjoying the summer sun.
•  
• Contact
• Meg Cole-Adams
• Public Affairs Office
• 02 9237 6071

Related News

An innovative future for Standards Australia

22 November 2019

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In this Edition:

CEO report
An innovative future for Standards Australia
Board of Directors for 2020
Button Batteries to receive new guidance
Standards for ageing societies
Nominating Organisation Forums 2019
Zooming ahead
In conversation with Barbara Geens
Drafts open for comment
International update
Sector update

CEO report

I’m pleased to announce that on 22 November, in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting, Standards Australia launched its Distribution and Licensing Policy Framework (PDF). This document has been a year in the making and is an important step forward for Standards Australia and the distribution of our content.

To ensure a wide range of viewpoints were considered, earlier this year, we visited every capital city to consult and discuss the shape this document should take – it’s great to now be able to share the policy with all of you.

The document outlines the commitment of the organisation to partner with additional distributors to improve access to standards. With innovation front of mind, this framework will help future partners deliver standards in new and different ways. It is time for us to move beyond PDFs and consider the different platforms and formats in which standards can be utilised.

Another notable part of this policy is Standard Australia’s wish to fund access to content for personal, domestic and household use. This is an important step we are committed to working toward by no later than December 2023.

The launch of this pivotal policy comes at no better time, with the new year ahead and partnerships in the pipeline, 2020 is going to be a year of great change and development for the organisation.

Launching this document at the Annual General Meeting gave Standards Australia the chance to share and discuss next steps with our Councillors and Members. I would like to thank all of them for their continued support and contribution to this policy.

As we move on as a company, we look forward to this new era at Standards Australia. We are excited to take next steps in encouraging innovation, engaging with distributors and importantly, opening access to standards for Australian communities.
—Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive Officer

An innovative future for Standards Australia

A little over a year ago, Standards Australia set out to put in place a framework that would allow for its content to be used more broadly and in innovative ways across the economy. Standards Australia has now launched its distribution and licensing framework (PDF) to encourage partnerships in the use of its content.

“We have been on this journey for over 5 years and it’s great to be staking the ground and actively encouraging the use of our content in new and different ways,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Adrian O’Connell. “The policy framework has innovation at its core. We are excited about the opportunities to deliver even more value to end users.”

Read more in our media release.

Board of Directors for 2020

Earlier this month it was announced that three members were elected into the Standards Australia Board of Directors. Directors act for a term of three years and are elected by the Standards Australia Council which comprises of government bodies, industry representatives and consumer organisations.
 
We are pleased to announce the re-appointment of Ms Michelle Fitzgerald, and welcome to the Board Dr Marlene Kanga AM and Dr Ian Opperman.
 
This will be Michelle Fitzgerald’s second term sitting on the board for Standards Australia. We are excited to welcome Dr Kanga and Dr Opperman into this position who both offer incredible professional experience.

Standards Australia would like to congratulate our three elected members and to thank our outgoing members David Singleton AM and James Tinslay for their continued commitment and work over the last few years.

Button Batteries to receive new guidance

Leaders from the consumer, services and product industries came together with Standards Australia recently to agree on the development of a button battery standard.

This decision follows an increase of concerned communities as the use of button batteries continues to rise in Australia. Known for being in children’s toys, button batteries can now be found in a much wider range of consumer products and are also sold as a standalone product.

Read more in our media release

Standards for ageing societies

By 2050, 1 in 6 people will be over the age of 65 globally; this statistic highlights the importance of having standards in place to support ageing societies at a national and international level.

The Australian Government, through its Economic Diplomacy Fund, in association with Standards Australia supported a workshop at the Australian Association of Gerontology Conference, to raise the profile of standardisation matters related to the APEC region’s growing silver economy. The workshop Standardisation in Ageing Societies: National and International Standards Development focused on boosting ageing societies and driving innovation to improve quality of life.

This conference also coincided with the 4th plenary meeting of the ISO Technical Committee for Ageing Societies (ISO/TC 314) since its establishment in late 2017. The committee is busy developing a range of international standards, including ISO 23633 Ageing societies – Guidelines for an age inclusive workforce and ISO 23617 Ageing societies – Framework for Dementia-inclusive communities.
 
2020 will include continued work on these standards and potential new work items for the committee. Standards Australia looks forward to working with Australian experts, our mirror committee and ISO/TC 317 to continue supporting ageing societies at home and abroad.

Nominating Organisation Forums 2019

Our Nominating Organisation forums are an important platform for stakeholders to come together to give Standards Australia feedback, share learnings and help our organisation work more effectively.
 
Aside from an update on what is happening at Standards Australia, the main focus of the forums was providing training on our updated Nominating Organisation Guide, which can be found on our website (PDF). 
 
The Outcomes Report from the forums is also available (PDF) and highlights the active engagement and productive discussions had across Melbourne and Sydney.
 
Nominating Organisations are an essential part of our processes; thanks for a fantastic year and Standards Australia looks forward to continued work in 2020.

Contributor corner

Zooming ahead

Following a successful internal launch and testing with various committees, Standards Australia is currently transitioning from Skype for Business to Zoom. This change aims to improve presentation and screen sharing and is a new and improved communication channel for remote participants.

It is important that committee members load the Zoom Web App (using the link provided by your Project Manager), escalate any connectivity issues and test your Zoom access before your next meeting.

We appreciate your assistance and understanding during this transition. FAQ’s and information on joining a meeting can be found on the Zoom website. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact your Project Manager.

In conversation with Barbara Geens

Barbara is a Quality and Product Safety Manger at a major retailer and has extensive experience in standards development. She is a participating member on a range of Standards Australia committees that mainly centre around consumer interests. This includes being Chair of the Industry Working Group on Button Battery Safety and sitting on the ISO COPOLCO mirror committee which focuses on the most effective areas for consumer participation in standards.

Standards Australia (SA): Why did you get involved in standards development?
Barbara Geens (BG): I have long been interested in Product Safety Policy Advocacy and use a range of standards in my work. My motivation to get involved started from wanting to better understand the standards development process. I was inspired to become a “voice” for industry to develop practical solutions to enable better safety outcomes from consumer products.
 
SA: Why are product safety standards important?
BG: Product safety standards provide industry and regulators with a clear and aligned view on identified hazards and aid preventative approaches, these standards are an important benchmark for minimum safety requirements. Well-developed standards are a great tool for a wide range of industry stakeholders to refer to and work with.
 
SA: You recently presented at a forum on button batteries, what were the outcomes of this event? 
BG: I presented in my role of Chair of the Button Battery Safety Industry Working Group. The forum demonstrated that a wide range of industry, medical and consumer advocacy stakeholders recognise the importance of improving the safety of consumer products that use button batteries and replacement battery safety. The forum marked the start of the development process for a horizontal product safety standard – we hope this standard can be developed quickly and effectively.
 
SA: What is the future of standardisation?
BG: Standards are developed by diverse stakeholder committees and provide a documented, agreed way of seeing a topic and a path of addressing that topic. Going forward this will be especially important internationally, no one nation has all the expertise and answers for increasingly complex problems.
 
My participation on the COPOLCO Mirror Committee (CMC) has shown me the value of standardisation and international engagement across numerous topics, such as artificial intelligence, data security, product safety, climate change and sustainability. I think the future of standardisation will involve more collaboration at an international level.
 
SA: Do you think consumers understand the work involved in developing a standard?
BG: Unfortunately, many consumers do not understand how much work is involved in the development of standards. I believe many are also unaware the vast majority of contributors are industry volunteers. Many volunteers, including myself, are lucky to be supported by their employers and nominating organisations.

Drafts open for comment

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. View draft standards currently open for comment.

International update

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Highlights from November (PDF)

• WTO members discuss product quality, safety and standards, debate new trade concerns
• Establishment of Technical Committee ISO/TC 326 – Machinery intended for use with foodstuffs
• JTC1 Plenary begins in New Delhi

Sector update

Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

22 November 2019