Standards and specifications are documents that set out the quality requirements, construction details and workmanship of a product or on-site installation.

When all aspects of an installation meet the standards that apply to the project, it can be considered a 'good quality' job.

Let's look at the main standards and specifications you're likely to come across in your installation work.

Australian Standards

There are literally thousands of Australian Standards, covering everything from consumer products to building construction to environmental care.

They are developed by a non-government organisation called Standards Australia.

The Standards in themselves are not laws. However, when they are referred to in contracts or building regulations for work to be performed, they become legally binding.

This means that if a contract with your client or a local council regulation says you must comply with AS 1884-2012: Floor coverings - Resilient sheet and tiles, then you are required by law to meet the specifications contained in that standard.

The code at the front of the standard is read in the following way:

AS	abbreviation for Australian Standard (note that AS/NZS means Australian / New Zealand Standard)
1884	identifying number
2012	year of issue

Below are the main Australian Standards that relate specifically to flooring covering installation.

ISO Standards

ISO Standards are developed by the International Organization for Standardization, based in Switzerland.

ISO is best known in Australia for its Standards on quality management (the ISO 9000 series) and environmental management (the ISO 14000 series).

But you may come across other Standards in your work as a floor layer, including fire testing of textile floor coverings and sustainability in building construction.

Building Code of Australia

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) forms part of the National Construction Code, developed by the Australian Building Codes Board.

It sets out the technical requirements for all areas of building, from design through to construction, and has been given the status of building regulation in all states and territories.

There are many references in the BCA to Australian Standards.

Because the BCA is used as the basis of local council building regulations, these Australian Standards become part of the regulation wherever they are referenced.

Building specifications

On building projects that require council approval, there will be a specification document that accompanies the plans.

This will set out the details for all technical aspects of the work to be undertaken, including materials and installation to be used.

It will also reference the relevant Australian Standards, BCA clauses and other regulations that apply to the work.

Other standards and codes

There are various other standards and codes of practice that on-site workers might need to comply with when they're carrying out installations. These include:

• enterprise standards - used by companies to refer to their own internal set of standards they have developed for particular products or installation techniques
  
  
• manufacturer's instructions - issued by product manufacturers to advise installers and end-users on how to install and care for the products
  
  
• codes of practice - developed by WorkCover, industry bodies and other organisations as 'approved' ways of going about particular types of work.