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Information for Australian manufacturers in the fight against COVID-19

share:    Updated:2020-04-29 00:00:00

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.

ID-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.