Standards Australia

Standards Australia Limited
Industry Standards organization
Founded 1922
Headquarters Sydney, Australia
Website http://www.standards.org.au/

Standards Australia is a standards organisation established in 1922 and is recognised through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian government as the peak non-government standards development body in Australia. It is a company limited by guarantee, with 73 members representing groups interested in the development and application of technical standards and related products and services. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth and Standards Australia recognises Standards Australia as Australia’s representative on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC).[1]

Standards Australia develops internationally aligned Australian standards (AS) and participates in standards-related activities that deliver benefit to the nation. Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand work together to develop joint standards (AS/NZS). Standards Australia is also the Principal Sponsor of the Australian International Design Awards.[2]

In 2003 Standards Australia sold its commercial businesses to SAI Global Limited and SAI Global Ltd was floated on the Australian Stock Exchange. Initially it retained a 40% interest in SAI Global, but progressively sold this shareholding down to zero, enabling it to focus exclusively on its core business of developing and managing its collection of approximately 7000 Australian standards and representing Australia's interests in international standardisation. In 2016 SAI Global was aquired by Baring Private Equity Asia and delisted from the ASX. [3]

Standards documents

Standards are published documents setting out specifications and procedures designed to ensure products, services and systems are safe, reliable and consistently perform the way they were intended to. They establish a common language which defines quality and safety criteria.

These documents are practical and don’t set impossible goals. They are based on sound industrial, scientific and consumer experience and are regularly reviewed to ensure they keep pace with new technologies.

They cover a range of sectors from consumer products and services, construction, engineering, business, information technology, human services to energy and water utilities, the environment and much more.

Each standard is developed by a balanced committee made up of technical, business, academia, government and community experts who come together to debate how a product or system should perform and how it should be made. Before finalisation, every standard is subject to public comment to ensure everyone with an interest in the subject has the opportunity to have an input.

Notable standards

References

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