Privacy Policy

About this policy

SafeTrace Biohazard Pty Ltd (ABN 00 000 000 000) takes the privacy of our clients, prospective clients, and website visitors seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose personal information, and your rights under the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

By using our website, contacting us, or engaging our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

Information we collect

We collect personal information directly from you when you:

• Submit an enquiry through our website contact form
• Call us on 0400 407 896
• Engage our services for inspection, testing, decontamination, remediation, or certification
• Communicate with us by any other means in connection with our services

The personal information we collect typically includes:

• Your full name
• Your email address
• The address of the property or vehicle for which services are sought
• Details of your situation or enquiry
• Any other information you voluntarily provide

We do not collect sensitive information (as defined under the Privacy Act) unless you provide it voluntarily and it is directly relevant to the services we provide.

How we use your information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiry and provide quotes or service information
• To deliver the services you engage us to perform
• To produce, deliver, and where required, retain copies of inspection reports, laboratory results, and certification documents
• To communicate with you about your engagement, including follow-up after a service is completed
• To comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations
• To improve our services and website
• To send you occasional updates about our services, where you have consented to receive them

We do not sell your personal information to third parties under any circumstances.

How we share your information

We may share personal information with the following third parties, only as necessary to provide our services:

• NATA-accredited laboratory partners who analyse samples collected during inspections (in which case the property or vehicle address may be shared but other personal details are not)
• Professional service providers including our accountant, lawyer, insurer, or IT support, who are bound by confidentiality obligations
• Government, regulatory, or law enforcement authorities where required by law, court order, or legal process
• Your authorised representatives, including your conveyancer, lawyer, or property manager, where you have instructed us to share information with them

We do not transfer personal information outside Australia.

How we protect your information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure. These steps include:

• Secure storage of digital records with reputable Australian-hosted service providers
• Access controls limiting who within SafeTrace Biohazard can view client records
• Encrypted transmission of sensitive documents
• Secure disposal of records no longer required, in accordance with the retention periods below

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

How long we keep your information

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide the services for which it was collected, to comply with our legal and professional obligations, and to defend any legal claims that may arise from the services we provided.

For inspection and testing services, this typically means retention of report records and laboratory data for a minimum of seven years from the date of service, in line with Victorian record-keeping standards for documented professional services.

For enquiries that do not result in engagement, we retain the enquiry record for twelve months and then delete it.

Cookies and website analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to understand how visitors use the site, to remember preferences, and to improve the user experience. Cookies do not personally identify you. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, although this may affect website functionality.

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymised data about website usage, including pages visited, time spent on the site, and approximate location. This data is aggregated and does not identify individual visitors.

Your rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of personal information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading
• Request that we delete personal information we hold about you, subject to our legal and regulatory retention obligations
• Withdraw consent to receive marketing communications at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles

To exercise any of these rights, contact us on 0400 407 896.

Complaints

If you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us in the first instance on 0400 407 896. We will acknowledge your complaint within five business days and respond substantively within thirty days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

• Web: www.oaic.gov.au
• Phone: 1300 363 992
• Post: GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy will indicate when the policy was last changed. Material changes will be notified to existing clients by email where appropriate.

Contact us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or our handling of personal information:

• Phone: 0400 407 896
• Post: [insert business postal address before publication]

SafeTrace Biohazard Pty Ltd
ABN 00 000 000 000
Victoria, Australia