Developing Industry Standards
The Australasian Thermographers Association have engaged The Haystack Group to commission a scoping study into the thermal imaging industry and the urgent need for national standards and qualifications.
As the first review of its kind into the thermal imaging industry in Australia, the scoping study will provide an in-depth insight into the current use of thermal imaging in Australia; covering all industries, users and the diverse range of non-accredited qualifications and certifications.
Geographic Scope:
- Identify all thermal imaging operators
- Identify all industry sectors utalizing thermal imaging
- Review the size and magnitude of the thermal imaging industry across Australia; number of operators / number of industries / current revenue / projected industry growth
Demographic Scope:
- Identify preliminary framework of current skill sets across all thermographers
- Identify all current RTO’s (Registered Training Organisations) delivering non-accredited training courses
- Identify all hazards, risks and non-compliant regulatory issues present as a result of a non-regulated industry
- Engage with all relevant industry bodies, government departments, regulatory bodies relevant to the thermal imaging industry; understand their current level of involvement and potential appetite to develop industry standards
Impact Scope:
- Understand the nature and type of hazards present in the current thermal imaging industry
- Investigate and evidence the impact of thermal imaging being undertaken in an unregulated environment; case studies & impact statements
- Identify all “third party” industries with (current or) potential to be negatively impacted by the unregulated thermal imaging industry
Why is the introductory of regulated standards for Australia so important across the thermal imaging industry?
Now considered as a rapidly “emerging” industry within Australia, thermal imaging remains the only unregulated “trade” industry in Australia. The crossover of thermal imaging into multiple other regulated trade industries has created an extremely hazardous environment that needs to be brought under control. Left unregulated, the manifest of a catastrophic event is inevitable.
The two most important aspects of thermal imaging are:
- Correctly and accurately anylizing, interpreting and understand thermal images; A persons inability to correctly undertake this vital aspect of thermal imaging can and has resulted in
- Undertake thermal imaging in a safe working environment, compliant with all WHS & OHS Australian standards; thermal imaging undertaken in an non-compliant environment can result in personal injury and legal issues such as fines and/or convictions and physical trauma
Why is the implementation of standards important to you?
To create a fair and safe industry for you to operate in!
Why is the ATA the only association you should be part of?
Many thermal imaging companies and individual thermographers currently believe that they operate to a compliant standard, and why wouldn’t you. There are currently a number of “so called” thermal imaging associations that promote (wildly) conflicting offerings of industry information and (non-compliant) standards its hard to know which to take as gospel. Unfortunatley, the majority of these associations are heavily influenced by the suppliers of thermal cameras and in some cases, it is the actual camera suppliers that are the leaders of these associations.
So why does that matter? It matters because an association should be independent. Being independent allows you to give independent and un-biast advice to your members; Advice relating to (but not limited to) training & certifications, equipment, WHS & OHS compliance, industry matters.
The ATA was set up to provide the thermal imaging industry with an independent association. The ATA is run by thermographers, for thermographers. With independent experts across all facets and industries of thermal imaging, you are safe in the knowledge that you are represented by the best and have access to the knowledge and advice you need.
