Media Tips and Case Studies
Gas Equipment Standards World for People and Business
By Julie Cairns, CSA America, Inc.

(Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of the ANSI Reporter)

For many North Americans, barbecued foods are a summertime delight, and with the convenience of gas barbecues, more people now enjoy outdoor cooking year-round — even in the colder northern states. However, whether at home or at work, we rarely think about the safety and/or performance of the gas equipment around us.

That’s why CSA America, Inc. (CSA), and other standards organizations have developed standards like ANSI Z21.58-1995, Outdoor Cooking Appliances; a standard that provides written guidelines for designing and manufacturing outdoor cooking products so that they will conform to requirements for operation, performance, durability, interchangeability and other criteria.

These requirements are intended to help reduce risks of injuries while retaining the normal operation of the appliance. However, the safe and satisfactory operation of an appliance such as an outdoor gas grill depends to a great extent upon following the manufacturer’s instructions for safe installation, use and maintenance.

The ANSI Z21.58 standard requirements include provisions to ensure there are no sharp edges, that the materials used in the grates are adequate for the heat to which they will be exposed, that the flames will not be extinguished when the lid to the grill is opened, and that the surface temperature of the grasping area of handles of burner valves is not excessive. The standard also specifies that manufacturers must supply clear, concise, printed instructions and labels for proper field assembly, installation, maintenance, safe use, and operation.

Summer barbecues are a fun pastime, but many of us also enjoy other outdoor activities that involve the use of gas appliances. Therefore, there are many different standards under CSA America’s Z21/83 Program that apply to a wide variety of gas-fired camping accessories, including portable refrigerators, camp heaters, camp stoves and camp lights powered by propane, butane and relevant mixtures. In addition to the basic construction requirements, the camping equipment standards contain provisions to evaluate the operation and performance of these types of products. One very important performance test evaluates the amount of carbon monoxide produced by the equipment as a normal part of the combustion process and specifies a maximum level of 100 parts per million.

CSA America, Inc. serves as secretariat to the ANSI-accredited Standards Committee Z21/83 on Performance and Installation of Gas Burning Appliances and Related Accessories.

As part of the Z21/83 program, CSA America, Inc. administers more than 30 committees, technical advisory groups and working groups that develop and maintain safety and design standards for gas appliances and related accessories marketed around the world. The membership on these committees, technical advisory groups and working groups consist of volunteers from all walks of life and include consumers, manufacturers, utilities, and government agencies.

In addition to appliance standards, the Z21/83 Committee also oversees the development of natural and propane gas accessories and controls. Products listed under the accessories and controls standards include automatic gas controls, connectors, conversion burners, damper devices, manual valves, and relief valves.

The Z21/83 standards program continuously reviews and revises the standards to address consumer needs, efficiency and safety issues. For this reason, consumers can continue to depend on product designs certified to the Z21/83 standards developed by an accredited standards developing organization.

While the Z21/83 Program covers the development of natural and propane gas appliance standards for indoor residential, commercial and light industrial use — covering products such as air conditioners, boilers, central heating, clothes dryers, decorative fireplaces, outdoor cooking appliances, household and recreational vehicle ranges, refrigerators, camping equipment, and water heating appliances — the program also covers gas appliances destined for the great outdoors.

Standards under the Z21/83 program may also apply to specialized components for regulating, igniting, controlling and distributing these gases at the point of use.

Even though many Americans love outdoor barbecues, the warm weather eventually fades as the winter months approach forcing us indoors to cook on our other appliances which are often fuelled by gas.

In the case of gas appliances, the Z21/83 program has been designed to include various requirements to provide protection against fires and burns by including certification requirements that include wall, floor and ceiling temperature tests to ensure that the exterior of the appliance will not reach temperatures hot enough ignite combustible surfaces near it.

These maximum surface temperatures have also been established to protect consumers from being burned by touching the surfaces and to protect their clothes from catching fire if they stand close to items such as a gas range.

Even if consumers aren’t aware of them, standards for gas appliances make a real difference in their lives and in the world.

Contact the Author:

Julie Cairns can be reached at 216-524-4990, ext. 8213 or at julie.cairns@csa-america.org.