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.
ASSE Announces Upcoming Name Change to American Society of Safety Professionals
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has announced that it will change its name to American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) as of June 1, 2018.
The new name was chosen to reflect the current state of the safety profession, encompassing many disciplines and roles, and more inclusive, eliminating confusion about who can join the organization.
"As we know, corporate leaders look to safety professionals to be knowledgeable about everything from risk assessment and hazard control to workers' compensation and organizational management, as well as traditional aspects of safety management and engineering," said Jim Smith, ASSE president. "The Society must evolve to remain relevant and stay at the forefront of helping OSH professionals protect people and property. It must embrace a visionary outlook that anticipates change and recognizes emerging opportunities in areas such as sustainability and human capital."
Read more in the ASSE news item.
ASTM and NFPA Sign MoU to Support Drone Standards for Public Safety Officials
ASTM International and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), ANSI members and audited designators, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the safe and effective use of drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), by public safety professionals.
The MoU brings together experts in public safety and drone technology in a joint working group (JWG) to create "use-case" scenarios that will assist law enforcement, search-and-rescue teams, emergency medical services personnel, and firefighters who want to use drones in their work to help protect and save lives.
"Innovation in drone technology is driving the demand for technical standards, training, and certification for first responders," said NFPA president and CEO Jim Pauley. "Through the experts in this new group, we hope to see new benchmarks, use-case scenarios, and performance criteria to help professionals use drones to be more effective in their jobs."
"I've seen first-hand how experts in unmanned aircraft systems and response robots could work with first responders to conduct lifesaving tasks," said ASTM International president Katharine Morgan. "I'm excited about the potential for this new group to align efforts of various stakeholders and to build a technical foundation that empowers people on the front lines."
Learn more in the ASTM news release.
AIA Publishes Paper with Recommendations on Future of the Industrial Base
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has released a free paper outlining recommendations from the aerospace and defense industry for policies that will support the health of the manufacturing and defense industrial base.
"Fostering the Manufacturing & Defense Industrial Base of the Future" provides recommendations from four general areas:
- Robust, balanced, and stable defense spending
- Streamlined acquisition policy
- Stewardship of key capabilities
- A talented workforce
The paper was developed in response to the ongoing interagency assessment of the manufacturing and defense industrial base and their supply chains required by Executive Order 13806, Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United States.
Learn more and access the free paper on AIA's website.
IEEE Releases Paper on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applied to Cybersecurity
IEEE, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has published a new paper on cybersecurity as it relates to the changing face of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
The paper was developed through a two-and-a-half day collaborative session with 19 experts from the AI, ML, and cybersecurity sectors who sought to address a challenging question: Given the rapid evolution of AI/ML technologies and the enormous challenges we all face with respect to cybersecurity, what is needed from AI/ML, where can it be best applied, and what must be done over the next 10 years? The collaborative document focuses on six prioritized topics, exploring challenges and identifying viable solutions.
To learn more and read the free paper, see IEEE's website.
SQFI Quality Achievement Awards Accepting Nominations
The Safety Quality Food Institute (SQFI) Quality Achievement awards program is accepting nominations for SQF auditor of the year and SQF practitioner of the year. Winners will be recognized at the 2018 SQF International Conference, to be held on October 23 to 25 in Atlanta.
The program recognizes the commitment, support, and performance of outstanding individuals who contribute to the promotion and improvement of the SQF program and mission throughout the industry.
All nominations must be submitted no later than 12:00 a.m. EST on June 23, 2018. For more details on rules and eligibility, see the nomination entry form.