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.
New ASHRAE Publication Preps Building Professionals on Energy Industry
ASHRAE, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has announced the publication of a new primer that will give building professionals information on the future of the energy sector and the role of buildings.
Building Our New Energy Future was developed for ASHRAE, in collaboration with the the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The resource details the process of designing efficient and grid-responsible buildings within the changing energy sector, explaining the accompanying challenges and opportunities. Building professionals can learn more about distributed energy resources (DERs), electric vehicles and buildings, the Internet of Things (IoT), smart grids and buildings, the future of utilities, and high-performance building design.
"This primer was developed by a team of buildings experts across industries to provide a common language understanding of key topics that will affect our energy future," said ASHRAE Board president Sheila J. Hayter. "Our new energy future has many exciting opportunities and challenges and this document provides guidance to help buildings professionals not only become more aware of the steps needed to move our energy future forward, but also shows them how they can become involved to ensure our new energy future serves all humanity and promotes a sustainable world."
Learn more and access the report in the ASHRAE news item.
ASSP Article Outlines Top Fall Protection Misuses
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has published a news item on the top ten ways that fall protection systems are misused. Proper use of these systems is critical, as misuse can lead to serious injury or fatality, as well as damage to the equipment itself.
One of the top misuses listed by ASSP is using damaged or recalled equipment. Equipment experiences wear and tear over time from UV exposure, corrosion, and numerous other sources. In order to protect equipment from these elements, materials must be stored properly in a protected environment. Users should receive training to inspect equipment before use, with detailed, comprehensive formal equipment inspections at least once per year.
Another top misuse is improper fit of equipment. Gear that is not worn properly introduces hazards. For example, a dorsal D-ring positioned too high could hit the back of a worker's head during a fall; if positioned too low, it increases the chance of a suspension trauma. The chest retainer strap can choke a worker if too high, or pull apart and allow the worker to fall out of the harness if too low.
Read about all ten fall protection misuses and how to remedy them in the ASSP news item.
NCCO Provides Overview of OSHA's Proposed Rule for Crane Operator Certification
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) has developed a list of key elements of OSHA's Proposed Rule on crane operator certification. The Proposed Rule was published at the end of May and revises the rule published in 2010.
Several parts of the proposed rule that NCCCO explains are:
- OSHA removed the requirement to certify by capacity of the crane, as it is unnecessary and poses a huge financial burden with no additional gain in safety.
- OSHA maintains the employer's duty to evaluate its operators. A standardized test cannot cover all of the conditions that may appear on individual job sites.
- Smaller cranes will not be granted exemptions as they pose many of the same hazards as larger cranes.
- Employers must provide certification at no cost to employees.
Read more about each of these points, and learn about when the proposed rule may go into effect, in the NCCCO news item.
TIA Report Assesses STEM/STEAM in Schools and Toys
The Toy Association, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has published a report on the factors that impact a child's interest in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) topics. The report outlines how toys and can contribute to building these skills in children.
Decoding STEM/STEAM finds that many children may be uninterested in science and math in part due to a lack of diverse role models in STEAM careers, little exposure to STEAM professionals, and their parents' anxieties about math. To counteract these factors, TIA suggests several avenues for toy manufacturers to pursue: toys that encourage fine motor skills, as they use the same area of the brain as math; toys that encourage open-ended play to promote the use of imagination that could lead to new inventions, technology, or art; and toys that offer simple materials for exploratory play.
Learn more about the challenges in STEAM education and how toy manufacturers can respond to that in the TIA news item and report.
Approvals of Accreditation as ANSI Accredited Standards Developers
ANSI's Executive Standards Council has approved the Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission (NEMTAC), a new ANSI member in 2018, as an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) under its proposed operating procedures for documenting consensus on NEMTAC-sponsored American National Standards, effective July 13, 2018. For additional information, please contact Melissa Jankowski, executive director of NEMTAC (720.325.4093; [email protected]).
ANSI's Executive Standards Council has approved the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA), a new ANSI member in 2018, as an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) under its proposed operating procedures for documenting consensus on SIMA-sponsored American National Standards, effective August 1, 2018. For additional information, please contact Mr. Martin Tirado, CEO, Snow and Ice Management Association, 10140 N. Port Washington Road, Milwaukee, WI 53092 (414.375.1940; [email protected]).
ANSI's Executive Standards Council has approved the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), an ANSI member, as an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) under its proposed operating procedures for documenting consensus on SFPE-sponsored American National Standards, effective August 1, 2018. For additional information, please contact Chris Jelenewicz, P.E., Technical Director, Society of Fire Protection Engineers, 9711 Washingtonian Boulevard, Suite 380, Gaithersburg, MD 20878; (301.661.5986; email: [email protected]).
ANSI's Executive Standards Council has approved the Open-IX Association(OIX), an ANSI member, as an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) under its proposed operating procedures for documenting consensus on OIX-sponsored American National Standards, effective August 1, 2018. For additional information, please contact Richard Wolfram, Esq., Counsel to Open-IX Association, 750 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10017 (917.225.3950; [email protected]).