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Editor's Note: This article was commissioned by the
American National Standards Institute for Science's Next Wave.
"The institute works extensively with both national and
international standards bodies to ensure that American interests
are well represented in the development of global activities that
assess conformance to standards."
Like the trailing, unseen strings of numbers that make up
"the Matrix," the world of standards operates as a mystery to
most--affecting all but understood by few. What is a standard? One
definition is "a recognized unit of comparison by which the
correctness of others can be determined." Although definitions may
vary, standardization, when it's understood, can be a very powerful
tool to promote business success, advance scientific endeavors, and
support consumer satisfaction.
The scientific and engineering communities are interwoven with
the U.S. standardization infrastructure. The time is right to
strengthen this relationship by increasing participation in
standardization activities and heightening the awareness of the
importance of standards in higher education venues, among
consumers, and throughout the scientific community.
American National Standards
On 19 October 1918, the American National Standards Institute (
ANSI ) was founded in New York
City by five organizations: the American Institute of Electrical
Engineers (now IEEE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers (AIMME),
and the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM).
Those organizations, along with the U.S. departments of War,
Navy, and Commerce, joined to establish a national body to
coordinate standards development and to serve as a clearinghouse
for the work of standards-developing agencies. This group served as
the national coordinator of the standards-development process as
well as an impartial organization to approve national consensus
standards and halt user confusion on acceptability.
In 85 years, ANSI has grown into a unique and diversified
federation that includes industry, standards-developing
organizations, trade associations, professional and technical
societies, research centers, laboratories, government, and labor
and consumer groups. The institute works extensively with both
national and international standards bodies to ensure that American
interests are well represented in the development of global
activities that assess conformance to standards. As the country's
official member body, ANSI ensures that U.S. interested parties
have access to the standards-development processes of the
International Organization for Standardization and, by means of the
U.S. National Committee, to the International Electrotechnical
Commission. ANSI is also involved in regional conformity assessment
and standards organizations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle
East, Africa, and the Pacific Rim.
Domestically, ANSI provides a forum where the private and public
sectors can cooperatively work together toward the development of
voluntary national consensus standards. It is important to
remember, however, that ANSI does not itself write standards.
Rather, ANSI creates an environment for the development of
standards by accrediting developers who then pull together subject
matter experts for content development. ANSI-accredited standards
developers participate in the standards development process
voluntarily. The institute does not serve as a regulatory body, nor
does it have unconditional authority over its accredited
developers.
Consensus-Based and Open Processes
At the heart of the U.S. system are the documents that arise
from this formal, coordinated, consensus-based, and open process.
These are commonly called voluntary consensus standards and are
written by industry professionals from both the public and private
sectors. The voluntary process requires full cooperation by all
parties, relying upon data gathering and compromises among a
diverse range of stakeholders.
The open and fair American National Standards process ensures
that all interested and affected parties have an opportunity to
participate in a standard's development. It also serves and
protects the public interest, because standards developers
accredited by ANSI must meet the institute's requirements for
openness, balance, consensus, and other due-process safeguards.
ANSI's focus has always been to remain responsive to the
evolving needs of its constituents. The institute's programs are
constantly expanding and are modified to meet the changing needs of
industry, government, and other sectors. Standardization needs are
addressed in fields such as nuclear energy, information technology,
materials handling, and electronics. Alongside traditional
engineering committees and design-based standards are new and
innovative projects ranging from quality and environmental
management to standards for the service industry and most recently,
for personnel certification programs.
Although ANSI is not a regulatory body, it has important
partnerships with the public sector and serves as an information
provider to bridge the gap between standards developers and the
government agencies that create legislation affecting the standards
community. ANSI has worked to facilitate the growing trend of
government agencies using voluntary consensus standards created by
the private sector as an alternative to agency-developed
standards.
Earlier this year, ANSI formed a cross-sector group to address
homeland security and emergency preparedness. The ANSI Homeland
Security Standards Panel is working with the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security and other agencies to develop solutions that will
help protect national infrastructures; support emergency
preparedness; advance technologies in biometrics, information
technology, and secure financial networks; and much more.
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American National Standards in Science
Standards have a daily impact on the work and safety of almost
every research lab in America, as evidenced by these voluntary
industry standards:
ANSI Z87.1: Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and
Face Protection
ANSI Z136.1: American National Standard for Safe Use of
Lasers
ANSI Z358.1: Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment
ANSI Z400.1: Hazardous Industrial Chemicals--Material Safety
Data Sheets--Preparation
ANSI Z540.1: Calibration Laboratories and Measuring and Test
Equipment General Requirements
ANSI/NFPA 704: Chemical Hazard Label (example illustrated
above)
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Benefits to Science and Industry
The work of scientists, chemists, chemical engineers, and other
professionals in the scientific community is vitally important to
the homeland security initiative. But standards impact technology
and the rate of technological development in nearly all industries,
not just homeland security.
There is a shared awareness of the growing need for globally
relevant products, processes, systems, and personnel, and of the
impact of market forces such as global trade and competition.
Experience shows that companies that assume a leadership role in
standardization gain a strategic advantage in the marketplace. A
company that successfully introduces its technology to a
standards-setting committee may gain a lead-time advantage that
allows them to build a huge market for its products while their
competitors are playing catch-up. This company may also be able to
reallocate resources to the development of "next generation"
technologies rather than to the retooling of an existing product
line to encompass a standard that was more heavily influenced by a
competitor.
Participating in standards development activities offers an
opportunity to influence domestic and international policy, benefit
from unique networking opportunities, and learn from international
colleagues. It also provides a forum for the presentation of U.S.,
corporate or, perhaps, personal positions and the opportunity to
comment upon proposals submitted by others.
Sarah C. McCreary is a writer with the American
National Standards Institute and may be reached by e-mail at
smccreary@ansi.org .