Voluntary Standards Cover the Spectrum: from Grass Tennis Courts to Elevator and Escalator Safety

In an effort to communicate the vital role that standards play in daily life, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will publish, on an ongoing basis, a series of snapshots of the diverse standards initiatives undertaken in the global and national standards arena, many of which are performed by ANSI members and ANSI-accredited standards developers. Two of the latest selections follow:

Grass Tennis Courts
With spring just around the corner, tennis enthusiasts are gearing up to enjoy their popular pastime outdoors once again. Although tennis can be played on a variety of indoor and outdoor surfaces, including clay, carpet, or AstroTurf, grass is the original surface for the game. To ensure a quality surface and an even playing field for all participants, grass tennis courts require proper construction, maintenance, and care.

A recently updated American National Standard (ANS), ANSI/ASTM F1953-2010, Guide for Construction and Maintenance of Grass Tennis Courts, covers the selection of appropriate soil systems and turfgrass species, as well as management practices to properly maintain the playing surface. The standard takes into account factors affecting construction and maintenance, such as existing soil types, climate factors, the level of play anticipated, and the training and ability of turf-management personnel.

ASTM International, an ANSI member and audited designator, seeks to develop voluntary consensus standards to improve product quality, enhance safety, and build consumer confidence.

Elevator and Escalator Safety
Though we count on them every day for safe transport up and down office and residential buildings, schools, and shopping centers across America, elevators and escalators can be a potential source of serious injury to the public riding them and to workers installing, repairing, and maintaining them. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, incidents involving elevators and escalators seriously injure roughly 17,000 people each year - a small but significant number.

In order to further reduce the likelihood of injury or death from elevators and escalators, the American Society of Mechanical Engineersa (ASME) recently published ASME A17.1-2010/CSA B44-10, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. An update to the 2007 edition, the standard covers the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of elevators, escalators, and related equipment. The 2007 edition replaced the previous editions of B44, published by CSA America, in 2004, 2000, 1994, 1990, 1985, 1975, 1971, 1966, 1960, and 1938.

ASME is a non-profit professional organization promoting the art, science, and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences. ASME develops codes and standards that enhance public safety, and enables learning and technical exchange opportunities benefiting the global engineering and technology community.