Changes to Australian Standards - Update

As of 1st May 2017, to achieve compliance with the National Construction Code 2016 (NCC), the design and construction of subterranean ‘Termite Management Systems’ for new buildings and new building work must meet the requirements of the revised Australian Standard, AS 3660.1:2014, Termite Management, Part 1: New Building Work.

Note. The above Standard supersedes AS 3660.1-2000.  

With the end of the changeover period imminent, all termite managers involved in the pre-construction industry should have purchased, read and implemented AS 3660.1:2014.
Some of the main changes that termite managers need to consider are:

1. Clause 7.1.1 of AS 3660.1:2014 indicates that chemical termite management systems applied under concealed and inaccessible areas shall be replenishable via a reticulation system.
2. Only products including chemicals to be used in termite management systems must have been tested and certified to AS 3660.3-2014 or a current CodeMark certificate is available.
          Note. Check with your system supplier in respect of appropriate compliance documentation.
3. The ‘durable notice’ provision has been deleted from AS 3660.1:2014. However, a durable notice is still required in accordance with the NCC Vol 2, Clause 3.1.3.4.
4. There have been terminology additions/changes in AS 3660.1:2014. For example, the existing term ‘Termite Barrier’ has been replaced with “Termite Management System” and ‘Inspection Zone’, ‘Bridging’ and ‘Breaching’ have been revised.

In conclusion, from the 1st May 2017, all termite managers involved in pre-construction work must ensure that their termite management systems procedures and paperwork comply with relevant industry standards/codes including AS 3660.1:2014 and NCC Vol 2:2016.   
In 2015, Report Systems Australia pre-construction paperwork was subject to a legal compliance review. The review focused on updating the existing paperwork to take into consideration AS 3660.1:2014 and the Australian Consumer Law:2011.