Why Australian Businesses Need to Review Their Standards Regularly

Australian businesses operate in an environment shaped by legislation, regulations, industry codes, Australian Standards, workplace requirements and customer expectations. While not every standard is legally mandatory, standards can play an important role in helping businesses operate safely, consistently and professionally.

The challenge is that standards do not remain static. They can be revised, replaced or referenced by legislation and regulations. A standard that was appropriate when a business procedure was written several years ago may no longer reflect current requirements.

For this reason, businesses should regularly review the standards referenced in their policies, procedures, work instructions and other controlled documents.

What Are Australian Standards?

Australian Standards are documents that provide specifications, procedures, guidelines or other information intended to promote safety, consistency, reliability and quality.

Standards Australia explains that standards can cover a wide range of areas, including construction, consumer products and services, energy, water, environment and other sectors. Standards may be Australian Standards (AS), Australian/New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS), or adopted international standards.

An important point for businesses is that an Australian Standard is not automatically law.

Standards are generally voluntary. However, Australian, state and territory governments can reference standards in legislation and regulations. When a standard is incorporated into legislation, regulatory requirements or other legally enforceable arrangements, compliance may become mandatory.

Businesses may also encounter mandatory industry codes, codes of practice, product safety requirements and other regulatory obligations that operate alongside standards.

Common Types Of Standards Businesses May Encounter

The standards relevant to a business depend heavily on its industry and activities.

For example, a business may need to consider standards relating to:

• Workplace health and safety
• Electrical work and equipment
• Building and construction
• Fire protection and emergency systems
• Machinery and equipment
• Personal protective equipment
• Quality management
• Environmental management
• Information security
• Food safety
• Accessibility
• Product design and safety
• Testing and inspection
• Installation and maintenance
• Risk management
• Competency and training
• Documentation and record keeping

A business may also have contractual obligations to follow particular standards. A customer, principal contractor, insurer, certification body or tender specification may require work to be performed in accordance with a particular standard.

This means a business should look beyond legislation alone when identifying the requirements that apply to its operations.

Why Should Businesses Review Their Documented Standards?

One of the most common problems in business documentation is the “set and forget” standard.

A procedure may state:

“All inspections must be completed in accordance with AS XXXX:2018.”

But what happens if that standard has since been revised or superseded?

The procedure may continue to circulate internally, staff may continue following it, and the business may believe it is working to the appropriate requirement, when in fact its documented process is based on an outdated publication.

Regular review helps prevent this situation.

1. Standards can change

Standards Australia regularly reviews standards to ensure they remain relevant as technology, industry practices and community expectations change.

A revised standard may introduce:

• New safety requirements
• Different testing methods
• Updated terminology
• New equipment requirements
• Changed inspection intervals
• Additional documentation requirements
• Revised technical specifications
• New responsibilities for workers or businesses

If an internal procedure continues to reference an old edition, there is a risk that the business’s documented process no longer reflects current industry requirements.

2. Regulations can change

A standard may also become more significant because legislation or regulation changes.

Government agencies can reference standards in legislation. In those circumstances, a standard that was previously voluntary may become relevant to a legal compliance obligation.

Businesses should therefore consider standards as part of their broader compliance monitoring process rather than treating them as static technical documents.

3. Your business may have changed

Even when a standard has not changed, the business may have.

Consider whether your organisation has:

• Introduced new equipment
• Changed suppliers
• Expanded into another state or territory
• Started offering new services
• Changed its workplace or premises
• Introduced new technology
• Taken on new types of customers
• Changed its processes
• Outsourced activities
• Started working on larger projects

These changes can introduce new standards and compliance requirements.

A standards review should therefore ask two questions:

“Has the standard changed?”

and

“Has our business changed?”

Both are important.

Standards Should Be Controlled Within Your Business

If your organisation maintains policies, procedures, work instructions, forms or manuals, standards referenced by those documents should be treated as controlled information.

A simple standards register can be extremely useful.

The register does not need to be complicated. Its purpose is to give the business visibility over the standards and requirements that underpin its operations.

What Should A Standards Review Include?

A practical review can include the following steps.

Step 1: Identify every standard you currently reference

Search your policies, procedures, manuals, forms, contracts, specifications and work instructions.

Look for references such as:

• AS XXXX
• AS/NZS XXXX
• ISO XXXX
• IEC XXXX
• “current Australian Standard”
• “relevant standard”
• “applicable code”
• “industry standard”

Create a central register of everything you find.

Step 2: Confirm the standard is still current

Check the official source to determine whether the publication is:

• Current
• Superseded
• Withdrawn
• Amended
• Under revision
• Replaced by another standard

Do not assume that the year shown in an internal procedure is still the current edition.

Step 3: Check whether the standard is legally relevant

Determine whether the standard is referenced by:

• Commonwealth legislation
• State or territory legislation
• Regulations
• Mandatory industry codes
• Product safety requirements
• Licencing conditions
• Contracts
• Project specifications
• Certification requirements

This distinction is important because the legal status of a standard depends on how it is referenced and applied.

Step 4: Compare the new requirements with your procedures

If a standard has changed, ask:

Does our current process still meet the requirements?

This may require reviewing equipment, training, forms, inspection methods, records, responsibilities and work practices.

Step 5: Update your documentation

Where necessary, update the relevant:

• Policies
• Procedures
• Work instructions
• Forms
• Checklists
• Training material
• Risk assessments
• Registers
• Contracts
• Technical specifications

Make sure obsolete versions are removed or clearly identified so employees do not accidentally use them.

Step 6: Communicate the changes

Updating a document is only part of the process.

Employees who rely on the procedure need to understand what has changed and what they are now expected to do.

Business.gov.au recommends documenting policies, processes and procedures, making them accessible to staff, providing relevant training and regularly reviewing processes and procedures.

Make Standards Review Part Of Your Management System

Standards review should not be an activity that happens only when an auditor arrives.

A better approach is to incorporate it into the business’s normal management system.

For example, a business could establish an annual review process that asks:

1. What standards do we rely on?
2. Are they still current?
3. Have any amendments or replacements been published?
4. Are any of these standards referenced by legislation or regulations?
5. Have our products, services or processes changed?
6. Do our procedures still reflect the requirements?
7. Do employees need additional training?
8. Do our forms and records need updating?
9. Are contracts or customer requirements affected?
10. Has responsibility for monitoring each requirement been assigned?

This approach turns standards management from a reactive task into a proactive business process.

The Benefits Go Beyond Compliance

Keeping standards and internal documentation current can provide benefits beyond simply meeting regulatory requirements.

It can help businesses:

• Reduce operational risk
• Improve workplace safety
• Improve consistency
• Reduce errors and rework
• Strengthen employee training
• Demonstrate due diligence
• Improve quality
• Support tender and contract requirements
• Prepare for audits
• Improve customer confidence
• Identify outdated business practices
• Maintain better organisational knowledge

Standards can provide businesses with a recognised framework for achieving consistent and reliable outcomes.

A Final Reminder For Australian Businesses

Your business’s procedures are only as useful as the information on which they are based.

If a procedure references an Australian Standard from five or ten years ago, don’t assume it is still current. Check it.

If your business has introduced new equipment, technology or services, don’t assume your existing standards register still covers everything. Review it.

And if you discover that a standard has changed, don’t simply update the reference number. Determine whether the change affects the way your business actually operates.

Standards management is ultimately about keeping the connection between external requirements and internal business practices alive.

Regularly reviewing standards, legislation, industry codes and the documents that reference them can help Australian businesses stay informed, reduce risk and maintain processes that are fit for purpose.

Important: This article provides general information and is not legal or compliance advice. Businesses should confirm the specific requirements applicable to their industry, state or territory, products, services and contractual obligations with the relevant regulator or suitably qualified adviser.

Get in touch with us and let us help you with your Standards Review.