Did You Know? offers a quick look at the broad scope of activities underway within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Federation, highlighting the people and initiatives making waves in standardization.
SES Announces Webinar on XML Workflows for Standards
ANSI member and accredited standards developer SES - The Society for Standards Professionals has announced that it will hold a webinar focusing on the effective use of Extensible Markup Language (XML) in the standards publication process. With many committees pushing for the fast, efficient publication of standards in a range of electronic formats, XML holds the potential to ease this process. However, the use of XML in standards publication carries with it a number of special issues that will be addressed in the webinar, which will take place from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, 2013.
The webinar will be led by Bruce Rosenblum, CEO of Inera. Mr. Rosenblum, who oversees the development of Inera's editorial and XML tools, is an expert in the field of electronic publishing technology, with more than thirty years of relevant experience. During the webinar, he will review the benefits and challenges associated with the use of XML, with a particular focus on Microsoft Word-based XML authoring.
The webinar is offered free of charge to all current SES members and costs $50 for non-members. Under a reciprocal agreement between the two organizations, ANSI full member technical contacts are considered SES members and can take part in the webinar at no cost. To register for the webinar, click here.
PMMI Launches Packaging and Processing Online Career Center
The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), an ANSI-accredited standards developer and member, has announced the launch of PackProJOBS, a free online career center providing employment listings and other assistance to job seekers and employers in the packaging and processing sector.
The new webpage allows job applicants to store their resumes and related materials online in a secure manner, with the option to apply for jobs and post resumes anonymously. The site gives employers the ability to draw from a focused pool of workers and to post positions, track application activity, and build their brand with the help of PMMI's social media channels.
To access PackProJOBS, click here, or visit PMMI.org and click on "Job Board."
NFPA Releases Free Guide to Standards for Fire Departments
ANSI member and audited designator the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in conjunction with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), has issued a free document intended to assist fire departments nationwide in understanding NFPA voluntary consensus standards and putting them into effective use.
The guide, Understanding and Implementing Standards, focuses on three major NFPA standards:
The document provides fire departments with insight into the health and safety aspects of all three standards, and includes major implementation steps and information about resources that can be used to simplify the process of reaching related safety goals.
To support the guide, the NVFC has developed an online resource center that provides targeted information on significant documents and other tools intended for fire departments seeking to implement these NFPA standards. The NVFC's resource center can be accessed here.
To download the full guide, click here.
OPEI Releases Gas-Powered Lawn and Garden Equipment Tips
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), an ANSI-accredited standards developer and member, has issued a set of tips intended to help consumers using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment avoid common fuel-related problems and safety risks.
The list provides advice intended to minimize air levels in the gas tanks of lawn and garden equipment such as lawnmowers and chainsaws, as well as fuel storage recommendations. In the document, OPEI emphasizes the dangers associated with the use of gas that is more than 10% ethanol in small engine equipment, which include engine failure.
The full list of tips is available here. For more information about the risks associated with the use of high-ethanol gas in outdoor power equipment, click here.
SMPTE Announces Technology Predict-the-Future Competition
ANSI member and accredited standards developer the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has begun accepting entries into a special technology prediction contest celebrating the upcoming one-hundredth anniversary of its founding in 1916.
There is no fee to enter the Centennial Predict-the-Future Contest, which is open to all adults ages 18 and older. To take part in the competition, participants are asked to complete a fifteen-question form regarding their predictions about the state of television and cinema technology in 2016. The competition is intended to celebrate SMPTE's history of guiding innovation and development in the motion-imaging technology field.
All entries are due by Friday, November 1, 2013. To enter the competition, click here. Full contest rules are available here.