All products must be safe for their intended purpose. Some high-risk products cannot be sold unless they meet certain standards.
It is illegal to sell any product that doesn't meet a safety standard.
Safety standards are about:
- how the product is made or processed
- what it contains
- how it works
- what warnings or instructions must come with it.
The standards make sure products:
- are safe for their intended use
- help prevent injuries from unsafe goods.
Information safety standards
Consumers need clear and visible information to make an informed choice about what they buy. This information is usually via a label or warning.
Information standards regulate the type and amount of information provided to consumers about goods and services.
An information standard for goods and services can:
- require particular information to be provided, or not
- set the form or manner of this information
- give a meaning to certain information.
Business responsibilities
Suppliers, manufacturers, importers, distributors, hirers and retailers selling goods and services within Australia must:
- ensure goods and services they supply comply with relevant safety and information standards
- be familiar with the standards relevant to those goods and services.
For a full list of existing safety and information standards visit Product Safety Australia
Mandatory standards
Four mandatory standards have been introduced to reduce the risk of death and injury associated with the use of button and coin batteries. The requirements of the mandatory standards are applicable to both button cell and coin cell batteries. For more on the mandatory standards Button & coin batteries | Product Safety Australia
The new standards require that products that contain button batteries must have secure battery compartments to prevent children from gaining access to the batteries. Manufacturers must also undertake compliance testing to demonstrate batteries are secure, supply higher risk batteries in child-resistant packaging, and place additional warnings and emergency advice on packaging and instructions.
The new standards include an 18-month transition period to allow suppliers time to implement any manufacturing and design changes to products and packaging to comply with the new requirements. The standards become mandatory in June 2022.
This page has been produced and published by the Consumer Building and Occupational Services Division of the Department of Justice. Although every care has been taken in production, no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy, completeness, or relevance to the user's purpose of the information. Those using it for whatever purpose are advised to verify it with the relevant government department, local government body or other source and to obtain any appropriate professional advice. The Crown, its officers, employees and agents do not accept liability however arising, including liability for negligence, for any loss resulting from the use of or reliance upon the information and/or reliance on its availability at any time.