Pre-Acquisition Tool (PAT)

On 1 December 2024 the Health & Safety team updated the paper-based pre-purchase checklists with a custom on-line tool called the Pre-Acquisition Tool (PAT).

Curtin values the health and safety of everyone on our premises. A robust pre-acquisition process allows us to know what risk mitigation activities will be needed to allow an item to be safely stored and used at Curtin.

Changes to the WHS Act (2020) emphasised the requirement for a robust risk assessment process that identifies novel or elevated WHS risks and demonstrates capacity to meet the WHS requirements that would manage the risk. This change allows us opportunity to plan acquisitions so that we can provide a safe workplace, as far as practicable, for those who are on campus.

The PAT does not approve your acquisition or replace your usual acquisition approval process but informs it. When you submit the PAT you will receive an email summarising your submission. You can attach the PAT email to your usual acquisition or purchase request to demonstrate you have all the necessary permits/permissions to allow the approval process to continue.

If your PAT fails, don’t acquire the product, review the feedback email and correct the missing items before you proceed. If you can’t meet the requirements, you must reconsider the acquisition and seek guidance from your manager or the H&S Team.

For routine purchases, your local area managers will set the limits for how long a PAT will remain valid.

The PAT is for anything acquired – be that purchased, donated, collected or built.

Some acquisitions fit more than 1 category – for instance, radioactive chemicals – so you may need to complete more than 1 PAT. The questions are tailored, so you will not be repeating questions.    

You must complete the PAT if you are:

• building a piece of equipment (i.e. research laser) from parts, complete the PAT as if for the finished product – this will give you a better understanding of what the requirements will be. To put it another way – you can buy all the parts for a car, but once made, you’d still have to get it registered to drive on the roads – the same principle applies.

• acquiring a second-hand item – fill out the same way as if you are acquiring a new one. New or used, the PAT needs to be completed.

• collecting a sample in the field.

• accepting a donated item.

• Anyone who wants to acquire anything (e.g. chemicals, equipment, kits, consumables, environmental and geological samples, living organisms, sources of radiation).

• All acquisition methods (purchased, collected in the field, donated or shared research materials).

• Use it during the planning process, before committing to an acquisition.  

The Chemical section of the PAT looks different from the other sections to account for the unique variety chemicals present. At the start of the chemical PAT, you’ll be asked to identify what the substance/mixture is – then the questions will ask you about the way that it needs to be managed.