Throughout Australia, tradesmen and tradeswoman are expected to pay for the Standards and guidelines they are required to abide by, whilst carrying out their trade work.

Sacrifice of time and money has been spent for all tradespeople to become qualified in their professions. Rightfully, tradespeople are required to follow these strict guidelines and rules, known to all of us as Standards, which provide the minimum requirements for all of us to carry out our work safely, and not risk the health and safety of others.

As an example, an electrician is required to pay for their electrical licence annually or five yearly, which can cost upwards of $500. Most electricians don't have a problem with this ongoing cost.

The problem most, if not all, electricians have, is the continued requirement to pay for the Electrical Standards they are required to abide by. These Standards are regularly amended, so keeping up to date, can become very costly.

Aren't you sick of trying to find a standard online and being redirected to a website where they require you to make a payment before you can read it and abide by it. Often finding an old version that has been superseded, which I'm sure forces some to use that old incorrect information. I know I am tired of it, I pay enough fees to keep my licence, let alone 2 or 3 hundred dollars here or there to find out if I'm doing a job correctly. 

There are a few companies which are capitalising on this, and they are charging close to $300 for a new book or PDF copy of the Electrical Standards.  

I believe that all licenced tradespeople have a right to Free Standards, the Standards they are required to abide by, the Standards they are expected to follow by government.

There are many tradespeople across Australia who are struggling in the current economic climate but are still required to pay these high prices for the information guiding them to carry out their work safely and professionally. 

Let's keep our trade work to a high standard, by allowing licenced tradespeople free access to their Standards across Australia.