Standards Australia has launched a new product on their online store specifically designed for small businesses to quickly access a bundle of Australian standards on their phones, tablets or computing devices at an affordable cost.

Available on Standards Store, an online platform launched by Standards Australia last year to offer Australian Standards, international standards and technical specifications for purchase, Small Business Sets (SBS) have been designed to suit the user requirements of small businesses with 1-19 employees.

Standards Australia’s National Construction Code focused SBS, called NCC Primary References Set, is proving to be a popular and helpful industry tool. The Set combines standards and technical specifications listed in Schedule 4 of the NCC, alongside additional Standards Australia publications commonly referenced by the building and construction industry, helping users stay up-to-date with Code requirements and amends.

"The construction industry, which employs well over one million people, was hit hard by the pandemic. At the same time, there’s a renewed focus on the quality of construction. We are committed to doing our bit to help the industry during recovery and potentially improve the quality of construction,” said Adrian O'Connell, chief executive officer at Standards Australia.

Small Business Sets, especially the NCC Primary References Set, are an innovative example of how we are fulfilling our commitment to support small businesses achieve their goals through easy and affordable access to standards,” he added.

The National Construction Code

The National Construction Code (NCC) is a performance-based code containing minimum requirements for the construction and performance of buildings, plumbing and drainage systems.

The NCC Primary References Set complies with the Code and is ideal for construction managers, architects, engineers, builders, plumbers and project managers.

Access to the Set for two users costs $2,673 for a three-year subscription, or, approx. $2.50 a day, less than the price of a morning coffee. This is a considerable discount in comparison to purchasing the publications individually.

“Providing access to the 122 NCC referenced Australian Standards, technical specifications and additional publications, allows us to support small businesses to meet compliance through easier access and usability,” said Stefan Savva, general manager of commercial and products at Standards Australia.

Features

SBSs are available digitally through a Web Reader format that also allows users to search keywords, highlight text and make notes.

Accessing SBS has been made simple and cost-effective through flexible subscription options. Once purchased, users can access the standards via their Store accounts – both offline and online. The Sets can be accessed on any device, including tablets and smartphones, as long as they can meet the minimum browser and personal computer requirements.

"Having relevant standards bundled together digitally saves small businesses time and money and, most importantly, allows them to focus on the job at hand. We’re committed to supporting these businesses and hope they find the Sets both useful and affordable," concluded Savva.