Australian standards set out specifications and design procedures. These ensure products and services perform safely, reliably, and the way they're intended to. There are 2 types of standards, mandatory and voluntary.
Mandatory standards
Mandatory standards are law. There are penalties for supplying products that don't follow them. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) develop mandatory standards in conjunction with public and industry consultation.
There are 2 types of mandatory product standards:
- Safety standards – requiring goods to comply with particular performance, composition, contents, methods of manufacture or processing, design, construction, finish or packaging rules.
- Information standards – requiring prescribed information such as labelling, clear instructions and warnings against possible misuse.
Voluntary standards
Voluntary standards generally represent best practice. They're not automatic legal requirements. Non-government bodies such as Standards Australia, and the international body ISO (International Organization for Standardization) develop the voluntary standards. You can search and purchase voluntary standards online.