Timely launch for Procurement of Construction Products compliance guide

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Given Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recent recall of electrical cabling that failed electrical safety standards which could possibly hit as many as 40,000 homes and businesses, the launch of a new construction products compliance guideline would be hard pushed for better timing.

The Australasian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC) have produced ‘Procurement of Construction Products, A guide to achieving compliance’, with support from more than 30 industry and government organisations.

Speaking at the launch of the new guide, Australian Industry Group chief executive, Innes Willox, described the initiative as a great example of how government and industry can work together to reduce the risks presented by dangerous proliferation of non-conforming building products.

“The guide will assist procurers identify conforming construction products and help prevent products being sold on an unsuspecting market,” he said.

The guide is intended to assist businesses in construction industry supply chains to understand Australian regulatory and product requirements when placing construction products on the market and when specifying and installing these products.

Mr Willox said with hundreds of thousands of construction products competing within the Australian marketplace and together with high rates of non-conformance reported in this sector, it was important to ascertain if products conformed to the National Construction Code and standard requirements.

The Ai Group recently published a report – The quest for a level playing field: The non-conforming building products dilemma – that revealed widespread use of non-conforming products across the building and construction sectors. It highlighted concerns that these products could jeopardise consumer and employee safety, detract from long-term asses values and impact negatively on Australian businesses.

“Active steps such as this guide are needed to rectify the problems,” Mr Willox said.

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