Chap6

1999CRCPressLLCPartIIIEnvironmentalStandardsdividers.fmPage55Sunday,August19,20011:41PM61999CRCPressLLCAnIntroductiontoInternationalStandardsOrganizationsandtheDevelopmentProcessCONTENTSStandardsOrganizationsintheUnitedStatesInternationalStandardizationActivitiesofASTMInternationalStandardizationActivitiesofISOResponsibilitiesfortheTechnicalWorkofISOCurrentInternationalStandardizationActivitiesofANSIDevelopmentofInternationalEnvironmentalLawsDevelopmentofEuropeanUnionDirectivesDevelopmentofNationalLawStandardsaredocumentedagreementscontainingtechnicalspecificationsorcriteriatobeusedasguidelines(andpossiblylegalrequirements)toensurematerials,products,processes,orservicesareappropriatefortheirpurpose.Astandardizationbodyisresponsibleforthedevelopment,presentation,andpublicationofappropriatestandards.Theseorganizationscanbenationalbodies,internationalorganizations,orboth.Thestandardsdevelopmentprocessbeginswhenaneedisexpressedtoanationalstandardsorganization,whichmaydevelopandpublishastandardorpresenttheissueasanewworkitemtoaninternationalbodysuchastheInternationalOrganizationforStandardization(ISO).Thefollowingstandardsorganizationsparticipateinthedevelopmentofconsensus,industry-wide,voluntarystandards.[AcompletelistingofU.S.andinternationalstandardsorganizationsappearsinChapter12.]Committees•EuropeanCommitteeforStandardization(CEN)•EuropeanCommitteeforElectricalStandardization(CENELEC)•TechnicalCommittee(TC)207EnvironmentalManagement(ISO14000)•Subcommittees(SC)toTC207-SC1throughSC6Associations,Councils,Organizations•AmericanNationalStandardsInstitute(ANSI)•AmericanSocietyofTestingandMaterials(ASTM)•BritishStandardsInstitution(BSI)•InternationalOrganizationforStandardization(ISO)•AmericanSocietyofQualityControl(ASQC)Chap6.fmPage135Sunday,August19,200112:28PM1999CRCPressLLC•CanadianStandardsAssociation(CSA)•StandardsAssociationofAustralia(SAA)•DeutchesInsitutforNormunge.V.(DIN)•NationalFireProtectionAssociation(NFPA)Standardsorganizationshavedevelopedcodes,practices,andstandardsdesignedtoprotectproperty,theenvironment,andthehealthandwelfareofworkersandthepublic.Also,internationalstandardizationresultingfromconsensusagreementshashelpedfacilitateinternationaltradebyhelpingeliminatetechnicaltradebarrierscausedbynonharmonizedstandards.Standardsarethekeytocurrentandfuturebusinessstrategiesdesignedtoreducecosts,improvequality,andsecurealargermarketshare.Conformingtointernationallyrecognizedstandardsforacompany’sproductorservicebuildsconfidenceinitscustomers.Standardizationhasmovedbeyondproductspecificationsandserviceindustriestoincludesuchdiverseareasasenvironmentalmanagement,informationprocessingandcommunications,textiles,packaging,andfinancialservices.Standardsorganizationsmaybecomprisedofqualifiedrepresentativesofindustry,researchinstitutes,governmentauthorities,orotherstandardsorganizationsthatprovidemembershipoppor-tunitiesandserveasinternationaltechnicalandeducationalorganizations.Somestandardsorga-nizationshavebeenestablishedbythefederalgovernment,suchastheOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)intheUnitedStates,todevelopregulationsandstandardstoprotectthehealthandsafetyofworkingmenandwomen.Others,suchastheNFPA,havebeenestablishedtoimprovemethodsoffireprotectionandprevention,electricalsafety,andotherrelatedsafetygoals.Manyofthesestandardsarevoluntary,buttheydemonstratealevelofperformanceorqualityforproductsandservices,whichisvaluableinmarketingandproductliabilityactions.Also,manystandardsarereferencedbygovernmentagenciesasminimumrequirementsrequiredtomeetfederallaw.Asbarrierstointernationaltradeareeliminated,therearemoreopportunitiesforcompaniestosellproductsabroad.However,theneedtohaveconsistentenvironmentalandsafetystandardsalsoincreases.Nationalandinternationalorganizationsdevelopstandardsdesignedtobeuniversallyrecog-nizedandapplied.Forexample,ANSIdevelopedtheAmericanNationalStandardforHazardousIndustrialChemicals—PrecautionaryLabeling(Z129.1–1994,revisionofANSIZ129.1–1988).ThisstandardwasdevelopedbyatechnicalcommitteeoftheChemicalManufacturersAssociation(CMA)andisdesignedtoprovideguidanceforprecautionaryinformationonhazardouschemicalcontainerlabels.ISOhasdevelopedaseriesofInternationalStandardsforenvironmentalmanagement.ISO14001EnvironmentalManagementSystems(EMS)wasdevelopedtoprovideelementsofaneffectiveEMStoorganizationswantingtodemonstratesoundenvironmentalperformance.STANDARDSORGANIZATIONSINTHEUNITEDSTATESVoluntarystandardsintheUnitedStatesaredevelopedbyadecentralizednetworkofprivate-sectorparticipantswithoversightandcoordinationprovidedbyANSI.ANSI,foundedin1918,isaprivate,not-for-profitmembershiporganizationthatharmonizesprivate-sectorstandardsactivitieswithintheUnitedStates.ANSIconsistsofapproximately1,300nationalandinternationalcompanies;30governmentagencies;20institutionalmembers;and250professional,technical,trade,andcon-sumerorganizations.ANSIisthevehiclebywhichacompanycanbecomeinvolvedintheinternationalstandardizationprocess.Specialized“technicalcommittees”alsomaydevelopaparticularstan