Standards Australia has launched a mobile app facilitating access to Australian Standards for individual users, such as tradespeople, technicians, and workers, on their mobile phone.

The app is designed to be an intuitive and cost-effective tool for referencing standards conveniently, even when offline*.

The app is part of Standards Australia’s program to improve access for users on job sites and in the field. It is intended to overcome the limitations of protected PDF formats and aims to promote convenience for users. In addition, the mobile app offers significant cost savings to tradespeople. Single users can subscribe to curated sets of commonly used standards, available at store.standards.org.au/curated-subscription, benefiting from reduced rates for mobile-only access.

‘PLUMBERS SET’

Among the available standards sets in the app is the Plumbers Set, which encompasses standards relevant to various plumbing tasks. It provides access to all five parts of the AS/NZS 3500 series, which are referenced in the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA). Those parts include glossaries, water services, sanitary plumbing and drainage, stormwater drainage, and heated water services, setting the design and installation requirements for plumbing and drainage systems both in New Zealand and in Australia.

Given the regular updates to the 3500 series, the Plumbers Set allows tradespeople to stay current with the latest standards.

Standards Australia recently hosted a webinar¹ to discuss proposed changes to the AS/NZS 3500:2024 series of standards. The key modifications include minor modifications to backflow prevention and atmospheric vacuum breakers, new design and installation requirements for waterless urinals to prevent struvite build-up, and provisions for water-using appliances and miscellaneous appliances not currently covered by the standard. The changes also address multi-building developments connected to a sanitary joiner system, and adjustments to industry practices around rainwater tank installation, such as charged storm water systems. Guidance on dealing with polyethylene pipes usage in Northern Australia were also outlined, as well as requirements for certain flexible hoses, overflow from eaves gutters, and vacuum drainage. Consultation on these changes were finalised in November 2023.

The Plumbers Set caters to professionals providing plumbing or drainage services. It is also appropriate for professionals who install, repair, and maintain fixtures and fittings for liquids, gases, and waste products.

Access to the Plumbers Set simplifies the process of finding the right standard quickly and affordably, promoting compliance, enhancing industry knowledge, improving efficiency, and ensuring consistency across projects.

For more information on the Plumbers Set, other sets, and the mobile app subscription, visit standards.com.au/app

Footnotes

¹ Changes to AS/NZS 3500 Series for NCC 2022, Standards Australia YouTube channel

*Via cached access for up to 30 days from the time the content is accessed online.