The world of standards development goes largely unseen and unnoticed by most people, even those involved in industry. Yet without this assembly of diligent men and women doing their work — casting votes, proposing suggested revisions, adding and deleting text from existing or new industry standards — the world would be a less user friendly and safe place.

A quick education in the vital role standards play in everyday life is required to fully understand industry. Virtually every product ever created for consumer or industrial consumption can be linked to either an existing product standard or one created solely on its account. Without accountability through the written word, a product may or may not be designed properly or consistently. Even worse, the product may perform in a manner which is unsafe. This is where standards come in.

One of the most familiar symbols is the UL trademark for Underwriters Laboratories. Its ubiquitous presence can be found on almost every electrical product. That symbol indicates that a product has undergone safety tests in accordance to a national standard. In addition, many model building codes require that installed gas or electric equipment be listed (that is, certified to a national standard by a recognized testing laboratory).

 

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A quick education in the vital role standards play in everyday life is required to fully understand industy.

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• Standards also serve political aims and influence global commerce. Countries can use standards to protect their gross domestic product. Conversely, standards can open the doors of international trade by creating a communications bridge across continents. This is evident by the growing cooperation beginning to emerge between prominent standards developers like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). While these newly formed alliances are still tentative and somewhat delicate, the first important step has been taken.

  What does all this mean? It's difficult to say, but many predict that this harmonization will offer an improved and more level playing field among competitors, resulting in better, safer and more affordable products and services across national borders. Consensus within standards committees will be better enforced and monitored, protecting the consumer and marketplace alike. With more hands in the pot, surely some controversy and disagreements will emerge. But after the dust settles, harmonization of standards is ultimately to the benefit of all. Bringing it about won't be easy, but I believe we're well on the way.

  Beneath the humanitarian (and perhaps even utopian) benefits of writing standards for industry is the utilitarian need for their very existence. The flurry of business mergers and acquisitions before, during and after the dot com debacle has further fueled the need for international standards. Standards bodies from countries around the world are meeting collectively to revise their respective national standards or, in some cases, to combine them into one international document. For instance, ASTM and ISO are hosting joint committee meetings (covering nuclear reactors to playground equipment) to encourage international cooperation and recognition.

  ASTM is one of the largest American standards development organizations and, since 1898, has provided a voluntary consensus for the effective management of its thousands of product standards. ASTM committees are structured to ensure that all affected parties within a particular industry (consumer, producer, supplier, regulatory and individual interests) are duly represented and have a voice. This way, standards cannot be written which are biased or monopolistic.

  ISO is a premier international standards development organization. ISO is comprised of national standards bodies where each member country has a vote. The US is represented on ISO. Much of the work to develop ISO standards is carried out by technical committees. Proposals developed by technical committees are then submitted to ISO member bodies for an official vote. Of course, the ever present temptation for countries to band together and vote as a block is always a concern. However, under certain circumstances, such action may be appropriate to protect sensitive national interests or security concerns.

  Another exciting trend in standards development is the creation of what are known as performance based standards. Simply put, these encourage free enterprise by abolishing the former practice of writing in specific equipment or products exclusive to a particular manufacturer. Older standards that are hardware based in nature can often force users down only one path, when there might be several choices available.

  Instead of bogging down a standard with prescriptive, hardware specific wording, performance based standards focus on general performance parameters or conditions needed to comply with the standard, rather than grandly described construction attributes. At their worst, hardware based standards read like the owner's manual for a specific product. Performance based standards foster innovation and facilitate keeping standards up to date with rapidly emerging technology.

  So, the next time you start your car, plug in your hair dryer, defrost a frozen chicken breast in your microwave, wash your clothes, watch a DVD or drink distilled bottled water, know that the unsung authors of industrial standards had more than just a hand in all of it: they actually raised your life and mine to a much higher standard.

   

  * Q-Panel Lab Products, 26200 First Street, Cleveland, OH 44145; (440) 835-8700 X240; fax (440) 835-8738; e-mail <eeverett@q-panel
  .com>.

   

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