The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry approves commercial, private and government sites for the purpose of holding goods subject to biosecurity control. To gain this approval, microbiological, animal, aquatic, plant, and invertebrate facilities must meet certain structural and procedural requirements.
The department requires that particular classes of approved arrangement sites comply with the relevant design and construction aspects of the Australian/New Zealand Standards. The table below identifies which standards are relevant to the applicable containment classes.
Table 1: Australian/New Zealand Standards applicable to approved arrangement containment classes
| Class | Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) |
|---|---|
| BC2 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 5.2.4, 5.2.5 |
2982:2010 (Laboratory design and construction) 2243.3:2022 (Safety in laboratories – Microbiological safety and containment) |
| BC3, BC4 5,3, 7.3, 5.4, 7.4 |
2982.1:1997 (Laboratory design and construction) 2243.3:2002 (Safety in laboratories – Microbiological aspects and containment). |
To confirm that a site for one of the above listed classes meets the relevant Standards, you must engage a third party assessor approved by us to undertake an inspection and assessment of that site.
Department approved third party assessors
Table 2 – Department approved third party assessors current as of 6 July 2023
| Applicant | Company | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Richard W Sale | Sale Laboratory Architecture Consultancy Pty Ltd | Milton, QLD | 0419 759 438 |
| Mr Brad George | Wood Australia Pty Ltd | Brisbane, QLD | 0417 602 281 |
| Mr Neil Walls | Neil Walls Consulting Pty Ltd | Ocean Grove, VIC | 0437 557 515 |
| Mr Stephen Coulter | Coulter Advisory Pty Ltd | Melbourne, VIC | 0402 677 644 |
| Mr Cameron Milne | Wood Australia Pty Ltd | Melbourne, VIC | 0416 031 689 |
| Mr Clive Jones | Kuttner Collins Pty Ltd | Sydney, NSW | 02 9929 7411 |
| Mr Robert Ahyee | Kuttner Collins Pty Ltd | Sydney, NSW | 0402 211 732 |
| Mr Mike Cover | COMTEQ Services Pty Ltd | Perth, WA | 0400 378 101 |
The list will be updated as more approved third party assessors become available.
Disclaimer: The department is satisfied that the persons listed in Table 2 are suitably qualified to certify that the construction of infrastructure, equipment and other facilities at AA sites comply with the standards as listed in Table 1.
The department and the Commonwealth of Australia shall not be liable for any negligent act or omission or wilful misconduct of any of the persons listed should you choose to enter into an agreement with them to undertake an assessment of your site.
How to apply to become a third party assessor
Applications for potential listing as an assessor must include the following details:
- Applicant’s name and contact details.
- Applicant’s professional qualifications and CV.
- A brief statement of professional experience in building and services design and assessment. This must demonstrate the applicant’s competence to assess biosecurity sites.
- Details of the applicant’s experience with physical containment or other facilities using similar technology.
- Names and contact details of at least two referees who can confirm the applicant’s capabilities.
- A proposal of how the applicant would assess biosecurity sites against the relevant Standards.
- A declaration stating that the applicant gives the department permission to provide their name and contact details to relevant approved arrangement sites, and to publish them on the departments website.
Application submissions, or queries for further information about the application and assessment process, should be directed to AA.Canberra@aff.gov.au.