Did You Know? offers a quick look at the broad scope of activities underway within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Federation of members and partners, highlighting recent accomplishments and new resources related to standardization.
3D PDF Consortium Seeks Responsibility for Secretariat of ISO TC 171, SC 2
The ANSI ISO Council (AIC) has announced that the 3D PDF Consortium has indicated its wish to assume the administrative responsibility for the secretariat of ISO Technical Committee (TC) 171, Document management applications, Subcommittee (SC) 2, Document file formats, EDMS systems and authenticity of information. This follows AIIM's announcement that it wishes to relinquish responsibility for this committee secretariat.
The U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for ISO/TC 171 supports this transfer of responsibility and the 3D PDF Consortium has provided the required letter of commitment to ANSI and has signed the required Memorandum of Agreement with ANSI. This action will allow administration of this ISO committee secretariat to remain in the United States.
AIC members are asked to give input on whether they support ANSI delegating administrative responsibility for the ISO/TC 171/SC 2 secretariat to the 3D PDF Consortium. All AIC members are requested to provide a response that supports the best positioning of ANSI on ISO matters, in order to establish a definitive AIC decision on this matter. If you feel there is a reason you must abstain, please provide the reasons for your abstention.
Responses can be sent to Steven Cornish, ANSI senior director, public policy ([email protected]; 212.642.4969), by close of business on Friday, May 5, 2017.
OSHA Prepares for Safe Sound Week
The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is seeking organizations to participate in its upcoming Safe Sound Week, to be held on June 12-18, 2017. This event raises awareness and promotes better understanding of the importance of workplace health and safety programs across the country.
Organizations that participate can access materials and tools from OSHA to plan activities, promote their events, and begin or improve their health and safety programs. Suggested activities center on the core elements of a successful safety and health program: management leadership, worker participation, and finding and fixing hazards.
Safe Sound Week event partners include ANSI members the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the North Carolina Department of Labor, the Scaffold and Access Industry Association (SAIA), and the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP). Learn more at OSHA's website.
NFPA White Paper Covers Code Requirements for Tiny Homes
In light of the growing popularity of tiny homes, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an ANSI member and audited designator, has released a white paper that underscores code requirements for traditional home construction and how they can be applied to tiny homes. Topics covered in the paper include room size, means of escape, stairs, smoke alarms, and fire sprinklers.
Tiny homes are permanent dwellings whose small size allow for lower living costs, but may also prevent them from fully adhering to code requirements. Building codes allow for code exceptions, allowances, and equivalencies that serve as acceptable alternatives.
"While building codes do not specifically address the concept of tiny homes, many code provisions are applicable to these dwellings and do not conflict with tiny home design," says Ray Bizal, NFPA senior regional director and staff liaison for NFPA's Building Code Development Committee, which developed the white paper. "Our intent with the white paper is to highlight how codes and standards can safely guide the creation of today's tiny homes while pointing to possible code-compliance issues that could impact a tiny home's design."
Learn more and access the white paper in the NFPA news item.
NEMA Survey Shows Energy Benchmarking Leads to Energy-Saving Investments
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, recently conducted a survey that revealed the connection between energy benchmarking and the adoption of energy-saving technology.
Results indicated that 84% of facility managers who measured the energy performance of their buildings made low- or no-cost operational changes to improve their buildings' performance. 82% invested in new equipment to improve performance, such as lighting and lighting controls, heating and cooling upgrades, and energy management systems.
"This survey adds to the growing evidence that building energy benchmarking and transparency ordinances are prompting facility managers and building owners to make investments in energy-efficient equipment and low- or no-cost operational changes," said Kyle ?Pitsor, vice president of government relations at NEMA. "Other cities should consider adopting building energy benchmarking and transparency policies similar to New York City's Local Law 84 to spur energy savings and to support the manufacturing and construction jobs that stem from building upgrades."?
Read more in the NEMA news item.