In an effort to communicate the vital role that standards play in daily life, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publishes 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:
Powered Shears
Shears are utilized for precision cutting of cement board, sheet metal, and other alloys used in manufacturing furniture, refrigeration, doorframes, automobiles, building components, and other applications. In order to maintain safe use of powered shears, a revised ANS has been released by ANSI member and accredited standards developer B11 Standards, Inc.
ANSI B11.4-2003 (R2013), Safety Requirements for Shears, applies to mechanically, hydraulically, hydro-mechanically, or pneumatically powered shears used to cut material by shearing, and which utilize a fixed blade(s) and non-rotary moving blade(s). Shears that are excluded from the standard include slitting-rotary; nibblers; coil slitters; portable hand tools; rotary-blade slitters and shears; iron workers; alligator; and angle, bar, bean, channel, and notching machines.
B11 Standards, Inc. administers and develops the B11 series of ANS and technical reports on machines and machinery safety. B11 standards cover requirements applicable to the design, construction, installation, maintenance, and use of power-driven machines used to shape or form metal or other materials by cutting, impact, pressure, electrical techniques, or a combination of these processes.