Standards Definition
Some assistive technology needs to meet Australian or other standards. Standards may relate to materials, manufacturing and installation. Products that meet Australian or international standards will have written certification. To find out if a product meets Australian Standards ask the supplier to show you the certificate.Standards Australia[1] defines standards as “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.”
Standards can be guidance documents including:
- Australian Standards®;
- International Standards and Joint Standards;
- Codes;
- Specifications;
- Handbooks; and
- Guidelines.[2]
Product Certification
Products that meet Australian or international standards will have written certification. Purchasers are advised to check with the supplier, manufacturer or on the testing authority website to determine if an item is compliant with the relevant Standard(s).There are testing authorities who publish test results on their websites including;
- Novitatech
- Furntech-AFRDI
More information about standards can be found on the Standards Australia website: www.standards.com.au.
All Australian, ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) Standards can be purchased from www.saiglobal.com or phone 131 242 in Australia.
