Can you imagine modern life without standards?

Como Imaginar
La Vida Sin Normas

Calidad, un estilo de vida. ICONTEC comprometido con latinoamérica y el mundo Andrew Williams, TGMB © 2008 1

What colour is this?

10


What colour is this?

Black Bottle Leaf Bamboo Forest Forest Willow Light Pale Flat
green green green green green green green green green
FS FS FS FS FS FS FS FS FS FS
34050 34058 34079 34098 34102 34127 34187 34138 34258 34230

Hu:116 Hu:117 Hu:150

T:XF- T:XF- T:XF-
17 27/61 61*2 +
65*1
P:PCA P:5008
814/83 15
5

10 out of a collection of 43 ‘greens’
Source: www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_fs.htm


Federal Standard 595B
Colors Used in Government Procurement

Current collection (January 1994) includes 611 colours.
Revision (2008) will include 650 colours.


Pantone Color Matching System

1114 colours


Another green!


Colour matching
Why is is important to be able to identify colour precisely?

● Describe/specify something
● Provide/sell something
● Repair something
● Replace something
● Coordinate something
● Repeat something

Natural Needs …
You’re a man,
and you’re in a
hurry …


Natural Needs in China …


Natural Needs …


Avoiding confusion
ISO 22727:2007, Graphical
symbols – Creation and
design of public information
symbols – Requirements

Derived from the signage systems
developed for the major Olympic
events of the 1960s and 1970s


ISO 7010:2003, Graphical symbols - Safety colours
and safety signs - Safety signs used in workplaces
and public areas


Not always obvious!
?

? Fuel Level


Ooops! Too hot


Care labelling
Vital, but also Modern Day hieroglyphics!


So, what are “Standards”?


Various definitions of “Standard” …

● Something established by authority, custom, or
general consent as a model or example
● An established reference (“norm”) against which
other things can be evaluated – the ‘usual way’ to
do something
● A set of guidelines, usually drafted by experts in a
particular field of technology, that are issued for
general use by national and international standards
organisations


… for example …

● Standard of living
● Standard of behaviour
● Standard of care
● Standard of hygiene
● Standard of performance
● Design standard
● Technical Standards


(Technical) Standard
Detailed definition*

q establish requirements, guidelines and/or characteristics for
products, processes, and services
q are intended for shared & repeated use
(something for single-use might better be called a ‘Specification’)
q are [typically] publicly available documents
q are developed by specialist group [typically] within a recognized
standards development body
q [typically] represent the broad consensus of stakeholder
interests
q are identified by a unique reference
q are subject to review in order to keep it up-to-date

*Based on definition in ISO Guide 2

(Technical) Standards can describe …

q requirements for a product (e.g. a car tyre, an
electric plug)
q processes (e.g. quality management, Good
Agricultural Practices)
q services (e.g. tourism)
q how to test a property (e.g. colourfastness, tensile
strength)
q classification systems (e.g. levels of security)
q a ‘dictionary’ of terms (a “Vocabulary”)
q “Good practice” (guidelines for installing something)
… etc

Standards have been around for a long time

Ancient civilizations achieved standardization of
weights and measures (legal metrology)
written language
the calendar
building construction
road engineering

The responsibility of providers of hazardous and
non-safe buildings and goods was recognized by
ancient laws


Ancient ‘weights and measures’ (measurement standards)
(Pompeii c.79 AD!)


Official Measurement of Colombian Gold

Scales used to check
bags of coins were
within tolerance

Official 12,5 kg weight


¡Hola!

привет!
Zdravo!

Salut!
やあ!

Merhaba!
喂!
What did
γεια!
Hej! you say?

Why can’t they just
all say ‘Hello’
Eh?


International standards are essential

The spoken word

There are approximately 7000 living spoken languages

The most frequent (by number of countries) are
English, Spanish, and French

Each has the (standarization) support of a
linguistic society
English - Queens English Society
Spanish - Real Academia Española
French - Académie Française


Inter-
Inter-language translation

English Espagñol

You understand me today
because standardized
rules of grammar, syntax,
and semantics permit
translation (conversion)
between English and
Spanish



The written word

There are over 100 writing systems used globally, but …

.. the combination of Latin alphabet plus
Hindu-Arabic numerals has become the
standard for international communication


Are you writing this all down?
ISO 216 on paper sizes

The ISO paper size concept
With the ISO paper size system, all
sheet sizes have a width to height
ratio of the square root of two
(1:1.4142)

Economy of production

interworking


The man who changed Time

Pope Gregory XIII : established the Gregorian Calendar in
1582. Now adopted (standardized) worldwide as the annual
calendar

So, which is the real date?

Es extraño. Es De veras? Cómo es
el mismo día de posible? Esto es
mi cumpleaños! igual al mio también!


Date and Time – Fundamental standards

ISO 8601, Data elements and interchange formats – Information
interchange – Representation of dates and times has established the
international standard date notation is YYYY- MM - DD

2 October 1931
February 10, 1931
1902, October 31
2002, October 31


Who cares?
Two scenarios ….


#1
You’re a businessman.
You’re looking for a commercial advantage.
So, how much would
you pay ….


… for something that is almost guaranteed to …

1. Improve your products or services
2. Attract new customers
3. Increase your competitive edge
4. Inspire added trust in your business
5. Lessen the likelihood of mistakes
6. Reduce your business costs
7. Make your products compatible
8. Comply with regulations
9. Make exporting your goods easier
10. Improve your chances of success


#2
You’re a private citizen.
You’re looking for a good and safe Life.

So, how interested
are you in ….


… for something that can provide you with …

1. Safer, healthier, more environmentally sound products
and services
2. Products with improved quality and reliability
3. Compatibility within and between things you buy
4. Greater consistency in the delivery of services
5. Improved choice and access to goods and services
6. Lower living costs
7. Better information about products or services


Stakeholders (“interested parties“) of
Standardization include …
The private sector
(manufacturers, traders and retailers, importers and exporters, service
providers, industry and trade associations, extractive, agricultural,
fisheries, forest and other industries)
Professionals and academics
(including consultants and staff of technical universities, research
institutes and laboratories)
Consumers and consumer groups
(that means YOU, whatever other stakeholder group you belong to)
Governments
(different departments and regulatory agencies, publicly-owned
industries and utilities)
Nations and regions
(with different benefits depending on whether developed, or emerging,
or developing)


What standards do YOU have in YOUR pockets?


Credit cards/Bank cards/ID cards

ISO/IEC 7810 Identification cards --
Physical characteristics

Interchangeability, interoperability, security

ISO 9564-1, Banking - Personal Identification
Number (PIN) management and security,
Part 1: Basic principles and requirements for
online PIN handling in ATM and Point-of-Sale
(POS) systems

Security, compatibility, system design


… and much more


Money

q Quality tests (assays) ensure that the fineness or
composition of the metal is within the prescribed
tolerance
q The sizes and weights of coins are checked to ensure
they are within tolerance allowed by law

regulations

quality


Money & Machines

The correct operation of
vending machines, ticket
machines, and many other
machines is also dependent
upon coin size and weights
being standardized (or at
least within certain limits)

interworking


Cigarettes

q Standards (limits) associated with
cigarettes – e.g. tar and nicotine
content are established by
regulations and supported by a
range of standard test methods
e.g. to assess characteristics of
mainstream and sidestream smoke

q Reduction of fire propogation

Health
Fire safety
Environment


Lighters

q Prior to 2007 in Europe 1,500 - 1,900 injuries
and up to 40 deaths per year were due to fire-
related accidents caused by children playing
with lighters
q Child-resistance requirements in the US
resulted in a 60% reduction in the number of
such accidents
q Use of child-resistance mechanisms is
mandatory in Europe, US, Canada, Australia
and New Zealand

Standards exist for the safe operation of Fire safety
lighters (e.g. EN 13869:2002) particularly in
relation to the safety of children.
Personal safety

Music players

Users of personal media players like the iPod use
files in formats such as MP3 and MP4 to enjoy
their music and videos on the move.

The various MPEG standards developed by the
the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) - a
working group of ISO/IEC - have contributed to
the development of an industry worth several
hundred billion USD.

Compatibility


Keys

BS 3621:2004 Thief resistant lock
assemblies. Key egress

Interchangeability, security, safety

Compliance with such standards is
often preferred by insurance
companies.

There are also standards relevant to modern-day
alternatives, e.g. access cards


Glasses

Opticians make use of a wide range of
standards to ensure the consistent and
correct quality eye-tests and of various types
of optics.

health

quality


Even in your most intimate moments …

Mechnical contraceptives, in particular
ISO 4074 the male condom, has received much
standards attention in recent times,
coinciding with the joint issues of
concerns about health risks associated
with sexually transmitted diseases and
also with a growing tendency for families
to be planned (and sometimes regulated)

health

responsible relationships


Standards are good for you.

Really!


Busting 5 myths

Good

Not everybody
sees standards Bad
the same way

? Not sure


Myth #1

“Standards inhibit innovation.
They will not permit me to
introduce new ideas, or to do
things differently”

Everything will have to
be the same, like the
peas in a pod


Dependent on standards but at the heart of innovation

telephony + …
messaging (SMS)
photography, video
internet
position location (GPS)
personal information management
games, etc


Myth #1

“Standards inhibit innovation.
They will not permit me to
introduce new ideas, or to do
things differently”


Innovation & Standards

¿ INNOVACION Y NORMAS ?

¿ AMIGOS O ENIMIGOS ?


Myth #2

“Standards are mandatory.
I will be forced to use
them”


Myth #2

National and International (e.g. ISO) standards
are typically developed and implemented on
a voluntary basis i.e. are not in themsleves
intended to be ‘imposed’ on users
What typically makes standards
‘mandatory’ are associated regulations.
Regulations ARE mandatory, and if the refer to
standards then the standards become
mandatory “by association”


Myth #2

“Standards are mandatory.
I will be forced to use them”


Myth #3

“Standards will be imposed
on me - I won’t have a say
in their content”


Myth #3

It is a requirement of membership of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) that standards-
making processes must be available to all
stakeholders i.e. that mechanisms must be
provided to permit contributions
In Colombia standards users have the opportunity
to contribute – They should use it!


Myth #3

“Standards will be imposed
on me - I won’t have a say
in their content”


Myth #4

“I’m a small company.
Standards are only
relevant to large,
established
businesses…”


Myth #4

Quality, efficiency and best practice –
which can be improved through
applying standards – are just as
important to small firms as they are to
larger companies.
All the potential benefits offered by
standards are as relevant to start-ups
and early-life businesses as to
established firms


Myth #4

“I’m a small company. Standards are
only relevant to large, established
businesses…”


Myth #5

“Standards are
only applicable
to products”


Myth #5

q First standards were for products

q In the 1980’s standards for management
procedures started to be developed

q In the 1990’s standards for services
started to appear


Myth #5

“Standards are only applicable to products”


Standards are good for me?

Prove it!


Freight Containers

Unloading a timber ship:

1970 - 108 men X five days = 540 man-days
2006 – 8 men X 1 day = 8 man-days

98,5 % reduction in man-days

Providing to ISO a royalty-free license, Mc Lean allowed use of his
patented designs in the creation of an international standard


Benefits of standards for …

Industry
Small and Medium Enterprises
Regulators and financiers
Developing Countries
Consumers
Everybody


Benefits …
of standards for industry
contractual agreements simplified
technical barriers to trade reduced
create global markets with the fewest differences in
requirements from nation to nation
significantly lower transaction and production costs
greater choice of markets and suppliers
increased competition amongst suppliers; dependence on
single supplier reduced
increased confidence in quality of products and services
support innovation
improved interdepartmental communication

Benefits …
of standards for for Small and Medium Enterprises
reduce the risk of mistakes
reduce the time, effort and money to invest in R&D
help assessment of their processes
provide a reliable benchmark against which performance can be
judged and demonstrated
help retain existing clients
enterprise becomes accessible to potential customers
requiring compliance with standards
aid to maximising compatibility with products or services offered
by others
a way of ensuring business meets regulatory obligations
provide information necessary for trading in new markets


Benefits …
of standards for Regulators and
Financiers
support technical regulations while avoiding unnecessary
barriers to trade ensure equity in trade
provide the technological and scientific bases
underpinning health, safety and environmental
legislation
when used in association with regulations contribute to
safety
reflect ‘state-of-the-art’, so use a means to demonstrate
‘due-care’ and assist in liability management
guide those seeking financial assistance for
procurements (e.g. via World Bank)


Benefits …
of standards for Developing Countries

source of up-to-date technical information
establishment of national standards as possible basis
of regulations
selection of technologies and equipment
adapting products for export
competitiveness of producers
safeguarding national interests for imports
retaining access to export markets


Benefits …
of standards for Consumers

safer, healthier, more environmentally sound products
and services
products with improved quality and reliability
compatibility within and between products
greater consistency in the delivery of services
improved choice and access to goods and services
lower costs
better product or service information


Benefits …
of standards for Everybody
optimized solution to repetitive technical problems
protect safety, health and property from hazards due to
fire, explosion, chemicals, radiation, electricity
ensures interchangeability and interoperability
basis for procurement and assessment of quality
improvement guidance to organizations (Quality management
systems, Environmental management systems)
common terminology facilitating communication
contribution to sustainability


Benefits …
of participating in the process of standardization
greater opportunity to influence content
early (insider) knowledge provides a competitive edge
good forum for trends identification
conversely, insights obtained can lead to less risk of
investing in inappropriate technology
environment facilitates co-operation, particularly at the same
position in the value chain
networking opportunities, supports dissemination of
ideas
sharing of research through standards development
beneficial to costs and speed of development
savings made through early application of standards in
anticipation of adoption in regulations


Standards contribute to ...

avoiding unecessary security
variety protection of the
usability environment
compatibility product protection
interchangeability mutual understanding
health economic performance
safety trade


“Make exporting your goods easier”


Two basic sorts of barriers to trade ...

Tariffs and quotas, and similar
Non-tariff barriers to trade


Trade documents
A typical ‘Non-Tariff’ barrier to trade ...
Invoice
Order
Quotation
Consignment Document Despatch Notice
International Consignment Note
Certificate of Origin
Export Customs Declarations
Shipping Instructions
Non-negotiable Sea Waybill
IMMTA Non-negotiable Transport document
IMMTA Negotiable Transport document
Forwarding Instructions

Non-
Non-tariff barriers affecting market access


Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) - Standards


(Potential) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) (1)

Technical regulations and voluntary standards
that set out specific characteristics of a product
Size, shape, design
Functions
Performance
Labelling
Packaging


Even something as ‘simple’ as a label blocks trade

Labeling practices have grown more complex in recent years
and traders and governments have voiced concerns about
potentially negative implications for market access

Example: Clothes labeling is covered by
ISO 3758:2005
Textiles -- Care labeling code using
symbols

ISO 3758 is not acceptable in USA under
the provisions of the Federal Trade
Commission's (FTC) Care Labeling Rule


(Potential) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) (2)

Technical procedures which confirm that products
fulfil the requirements laid down in regulations and
standards:
Claims of conformity
Conformity assessment
Conformity assessment components such as
testing, certification and accreditation


Help with understanding, using, and developing
standards for Micro- and SMEs (MPYMEs)
Micro-

PROGRAMA NOREXPORT
Acceso a los Mercados y a la Integración Regional
Andina a través de la Normalización Técnica

www.norexport.org


Kinds of standards


A standard for all needs, with or without limits

Most limits
Product standard (no options)
Interchange standard

Design standard Product standard (with options)

Method of test (no options) Performance specification

Method of test (with options) Classification system
Vocabulary of terms
Guide to specification
Code of practice
Guidance
Recommendations

Reports Results of R&D and other studies

Fewest limits

Interchange standard

Used in 53 countries safety, operation
(out of 193)

Test methods
A high proportion (at least 10%) of published
standards describe methods to determine (test) the
properties of materials or designs, e.g. the various
properties of a safe children’s pushchair e.g.
Stability
Performance of integrated safety harnesses
Resistance to flammability
Trapping hazards (fingers)
Resistance to impacts
Safety of paint and treatments (toxicity)
Ability to clean
Protection from sun
Labelling
Instructions for use


Products need Product Standards
Typical elements of a product standard

In one or more standards/parts of standards Separate elements

Terminology
Guidelines on
Performance requirements conformity
assessment
Design requirements
Guidelines on
Marking/labelling requirements quality
management
Methods of test

Installation or usage guidelines


One of my favourite products …

Even the chocolate bar in your pocket needs standards …


… and it’s your turn to do some work and prove it!


Outside …


Inside …


All around …


… Lots of them!

q Quality and characteristics of ingredients (including general methods
of tests and analysis for food products)
Fruits and nuts
Milk and milk products
Cocoa
Sugar. Sugar products. Starch
Chocolate
Edible oils and fats
Food additives
q Packaging
Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs
q Production, handling, storage, etc.
Processes in the food industry, including food hygiene and food
safety (ISO 22000)


Performance specifications (1)
Performance specifications avoid prescriptive methods and
focus on the final product or service
They do not define
a design or its manufacturing process in detail
They do define:
What is considered an acceptable product/service by
defining its characteristics
How to determine if the product/service is acceptable

E.g. The fabric shall resist fading when tested in accordance with
ISO 105-B02:1994 (Textiles -- Tests for colour fastness -- Part B02:
Colour fastness to artificial light: Xenon arc fading lamp test) …
[Important Note: Partial definition - additional test
requirements/conditions will be necessary, together with limits]


Performance specifications (2)

Using performance specifications:
Avoids ‘fossilising’ design practices
Increases options for innovation
Increases access to state-of-the-art solutions
Gives incentive to suppliers to explore options for potential
improvements
Provides potential to optimise service levels whilst at the
same time offering better value for money
Offers greater flexibility in working practices


Making standards

It’s done in committees …

The national standards body ...
q El Instituto Colombiano de Normas
Técnicas y Certificación (ICONTEC) es
un organismo multinacional de carácter
privado, sin ánimo de lucro

q Trabaja para fomentar la
normalización, la certificación, la
metrología y la gestión de la calidad en
Colombia
www.icontec.org
q 224 technical committees, many being
mirrors of groups working at
international level


The principle international standardizing bodies ...

International Organization for Standardization - ISO

International Electrotechnical Commission - IEC

International Telecommunication Union - ITU-T

… plus

UN Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)

Regional standards bodies

EASC
PASC CEN

AIDMO SAARC

ARSO ACCSQ
COPANT
PASC PASC

2005-09-07


Standards development typically …

Involves
Negotiation * As applied in ISO and other bodies,
Consultation consensus does not equate to a
Compromise requirement for unanimous agreement

Prioritisation
Is structured, typically project-based
Is consensus-based*
Includes for open/‘public’ consultation mechanisms
Involves meetings, including on-line/virtual meetings
Benefits greatly from active participation by stakeholders


Names of ISO’s project stages …

0. Preliminary stage
1. Proposal stage
2. Preparatory stage
3. Committee stage
4. Enquiry stage
5. Approval stage
6. Publication stage


Justification and need

Increase of stability & consensus through
Increase of stability & consensus through project
Stage 0 Preliminary Stage

Stage 1 Proposal stage (submission and review of project proposal)

Stages 2/3 Preparatory & Committee Stages (working and committee drafts)

Stage 4 Enquiry Stage (‘DIS vote’)

Resolution of feedback from enquiry stage

Stage 5 Approval Stage (‘FDIS vote’)

Stage 6 Publication (followed by periodic reviews)


Consensus building









External Review, and Reconciliation of feedback









Typical project stages

Preliminary preparations prior to launching of project

Formal review of proposal for new project [with vote]

Development of internal consensus amongst experts [with vote]

Stages Stages
may be Submission of envisaged publication for external review [with vote] may be
repeated repeated
Resolution of feedback from external review

Submission of envisaged final text for external approval [with vote]

Finalization and publication (followed by maintenance)


Finalisation & Approval









‘Best Case’ (Minimum) Project stages

Stage 0

Stage 1 Proposal stage (submisson and review of project proposal)

Stages 2/3

Stage 4 Enquiry Stage (‘DIS vote’) (100% appoval)

Resolution of editorial feedback from enquiry stage

Stage 5

Stage 6 Publication


Keeping it relevant – Systematic reviews

Every deliverable published by ISO or jointly with IEC is
reviewed by the technical committee or subcommittee
responsible
The timing of a systematic review is normally based
either on the year of publication or, where a document
has already been confirmed, on the year in which it was
last confirmed
Similar systems have been established by most national
standards bodies


Standards development always …

“.. Benefits greatly from active
participation by stakeholders”


Contributing

International standards body

Companies & Individuals


Contributing

ISO International standards body

Regional standards body International trade organisation

ICONTEC National standards body

National trade organisation



New standards

Don’t re-invent the wheel

A standard may already exist!


Sources of new standards

International standards body

Regional standards body International trade organisation

National standards body

National trade organisation



Supporting the standard …

“Conformity Assessment”


Conformity Claim

“It meets the standard”

Claims of conformity need to be checked and
verified, and potentially confirmed through formal
proceses


Conformity Assessment (CA) is …

Checking whether products, services, materials,
processes, systems and personnel meet the
requirements of standards, regulations, or other
specifications
Includes
Testing
Inspection
Certification
Accreditation


Why use CA?

1. Provide purchasers with confidence in the
suppliers, products, or services that they use
2. Help business to be competative
3. Facilitate trade
4. Create market advantage
5. Provide a visible link between standards and
the market


First party (“Do-It-Yourself”) assessment
(“Do-It-

… is when conformity assessment (checking) is carried out by the
supplier organization itself. In other words, it is a self-assessment

Known as a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC)

ISO/IEC 17050 – 1 and 2:2004

Manufacturer, DIRECT PATH
Consumers,
Supplier,
Users
Organization Confidence in the
company brand


Why choose Supplier's Declaration of Conformity ?

q Avoids the costs of third-party assessment
q An option where a supplier it enjoys a
sufficiently high market reputation for it to
dispense with independent confirmation of
conformity


Supplier's Declaration of Conformity: Issues

q SDoC does not exempt the supplier from its
responsibility to meet relevant regulations
q May not be appropriate in all cases, particularly where
the health, safety or environmental risks of the
product concerned are higher
q Generally need to be accompanied by effective post-
market surveillance
q May not be a suitable option for developing countries


Third party (“Independent”) assessment

… is when conformity assessment (checking) is carried out
by a body that is independent of both supplier and customer
organizations

May be carried out on behalf of an organization for its own needs,
E.g. ISO 9000 certification; or

May be carried out in order to provide an independent (thus
‘neutral’) assessment of a product, service, etc

May be voluntary or prescribed as a contractual requirement


Why choose ‘Third party assessment’

q Supplier may choose it as a way of differentiating its
product or service from others on the market
q Customer may require it as a part of a contractual
agreement
q Government regulations may require it e.g. of the
protection of the consumer, public health, safety,
environment etc.

Note! A requirement to carry out third party assessment
could constitute a Technical Barrier to Trade


Certification & Marking
(in USA certification is known as “Registration”)

Third party (a Conformity Assessment Body – CAB)(Registrar in
USA) gives written assurance that a product (including services),
process, personnel, organization or system conforms to specific
requirements

Written assurance is typically in the form of a Certificate of
Conformity identifying which products or services comply with the
requirements specified in standards and/or regulations

A Certificate of Conformity may entitle the marking of products or
their packaging with a mark of conformity (“certification mark”)
identifying that the product complies with requirements.


Examples of Certificates of Conformity


ICONTEC Certification Marks (of conformity)


Some electrical safety marks …


Accreditation
Checking-The-
Checking-The-Checkers

… is when an authoritative body gives formal recognition
that a body (e.g. a Conformity Assessment Body) or person
is competent to carry out specific tasks
E.g. accreditation of testing laboratories, inspection bodies
and product certification bodies

"Accreditation" and "certification" are completely different


Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA)

… is when the parties involved agree to recognize
something the other party has done, for example to
accept the results of each other's testing, inspection,
certification or accreditation

Cross-border MRA
MRA between or endorsed by governments - can be
critical in increasing the confidence of both private and
public sector purchasers and so aid exports by avoiding
repeated conformity assessment controls and associated
costs


Standards and
regulations.

The perfect
marriage …


Standards and Regulations Working Together

Globally many examples of standards and regulations
working together. Examples from Europe include
Safety of toys, bicycles, etc
Construction codes
Safety of machinery
Medical devices
Personal protective equipment
Automotive safety and performance
Measuring instruments
Child transport devices (cots, pushchairs, car seats, etc)
Noise emission
Food safety
Energy efficiency of household equipment


(Technical) Regulations v. Standards

Technical regulation
Document which lays down product characteristics or
their related processes and production methods with
which compliance is mandatory
Standard
Document approved by a recognized body that
provides, for common and repeated use, rules,
guidelines or characteristics for products or related
processes and production methods, with which
compliance is voluntary


Standards and Technical Regulations

Voluntary standards can be used as a basis
for regulations:
Incorporating standards (the actual text
or sections of the actual text) into
legislation
Incorporating references to standards
into legislation (often using the clause
« as amended from time to time »)


(Technical) Regulations v. Standards

When a …

Technical regulation

… calls up a

Standard
Standard

… it becomes mandatory


Child transport devices - Focus is safety
Stability
Performance of integrated safety
harnesses
Resistance to flammability
Trapping hazards (fingers)
Resistance to impacts
Safety of paint and treatments (toxicity)
Ability to clean
Protection from sun
Labelling
Instructions for use


You thought they were clean …
A hand touches a plate … … and one day later

Unwashed Washed Washed
(soap & water) (antiseptic)
On each cm2 of your hand there are around 1500 bacteria.
Standards on food safety management contribute to avoiding
food contamination and issues such as food poisoning
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B693.htm


FOOD SAFETY - ISO 22000
Food safety management systems -- Requirements for
any organization in the food chain
Failures in food supply chain can
be dangerous and costly.
Approximately 65% of ISO’s food
standards (673 to date) deal with
analysis and test methods.
ISO ISO 22000 specifies
standards for food safety
management systems to
complement regulatory
requirements


News Flash
4 November 2008

“… women have a significantly greater diversity
of microbes on their palms than men ... ”

University of Colorado at Boulder (2008, November 4). Women Have More Diverse Hand Bacteria
Than Men. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 4, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com-
/releases/2008/11/081103192310.htm


Quality – Maybe the only standard
you had heard about before today?

ISO 9001 and it’s standards
relations are now associated with
many services and also products
(sometimes on ways that are not
appropriate)


A quick test …

Which is the correct answer?

When a claim of compliance with the ‘quality standard’
ISO 9001 is associated with a product it indicates that …

1. The product has been designed and/or
manufactured to a high standard
2. The manufacturing company manages its
processes well
3. Both


What ISO 9001 certification is NOT

q Certification to ISO 9001 is not intended to certify
or otherwise indicate that a product or products
meet any particular requirements i.e. it is not an
indication of the quality of a product

q Product certification is different and involves
validation against completely different standards


To feel confident about the quality of a product
you need at least two things …

Product Quality
Certificate + Management
Certificate


What ISO 9001 certification IS

q ISO 9001 specifies an approach to quality management
and describes what an organization should do to
manage its processes, or activities

q It is a generic standard, which means that the same
standard can be applied to any organization, large or
small, whatever its product or service, in any sector of
activity, and whether it is a business enterprise, a public
administration, or a government department


Standards for
Responsible Business


Examples of standards for responsible business

ISO 9001 Quality management
ISO 14001 Environmental management
ISO 26000 Social responsibility
SA 8000 Social responsibility
OHSAS 18001 Work place safety
Investors in People standard Personal growth of employees


Sustainable Development

“Development which meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs”*
It demands the positive interaction of three elements:

Economic growth
Social equity
Environmental integrity

* Source: World Commission on Environment and Development

Economic growth


Social equity


Environmental integrity


Stories of how some
Very Important Standards
were born …


The world-wide railway gauge
world-

Why
1.435m ?
(56.5 inches)

1.435m


From Romans to Railways (1)

Roman
In Europe the roads
Romans built an
extensive
network of roads
to help them
move around
their Empire



The Imperial standard for the width
of Roman war chariots used in battle 1.435m
…

… was the width of the two
1.435m war-horses needed to pull it



The Roman roads of England (and
elsewhere) developed ruts caused
by their use by the Roman
chariots and other carts.

The ruts were the width of a Roman chariot’s axle, so it made
practical sense to adopt that width as the basis for cart design
and construction in the UK.


Cart makers continued making wheel axles for all kinds of horse-drawn transport
using the width of a Roman chariot as the standardized dimension


When horse-power was replaced by steam-power axle-
makers continued to make axles for steam trains according
to the size standardized for horse-drawn carriage use



As British workers built
railways all around the world
the British railway
dimensions became an
international standard …

1.435m

.. which is why railways the world over have
a 2000 year-old width (gauge) of 1.435 m …
… based on horse rears


Measuring things :
How big/heavy/fast/hot is it?


Natural origins for sizes: Inch
2. Inch (1324) equal to three
barleycorns (from the
middle of the ear, full and
round) laid end to end
1. Ynche (1150 equal (King Edward II of
AD) equal to the England)
width of an
average man's
thumb at the
base of the nail
(King David I of
Scotland)
3. International Inch
(1958 AD) is equal to
25.4 millimetres

Other “unscientific” measurements


Scientific measurement - SI Units
Crucial to the advancement of science and commerce

The Système International d'Unités (International System of Units)

Established in 1791 during the Frenchç metre (m)
Revolution kilogram (kg)
Has seven base units, and many second (s)
derived units, formed by combining ampere (A)
base units
kelvin (K)
candela (cd)

mole (mol)


Inch – still used to describe the size of …

1. Computer displays
2. Diameters of pipes
3. Bicycle and automobile tyres and rims
4. Vinyl gramophone records
5. Pizzas
6. Clothes
7. Diameter of cigars



Selling oil in ‘barrels’

There was a problem with user confidence with oil
being sold in different sized containers
Adopted the more-or-less standardized whisky barrel
as a standard measure
Standardized in 1872 as 42 US Gallons
Reference to US Gallon is vital because …
USA gallon (8 USA pints) = 3.7854 Litres
UK gallon (8 UK pints ) = 4.5461 Litres
= 32 litres difference between barrels
based on the two measures!


The Eurobottle (of wine) …
(From serving/trading aid to measure to standard)

17c - Measures existed (broc, sétier, pot, pichet,
etc.) but varied between towns
1616 – Swiss government attempted to impose
standards
1791 – Metric system introduced in France
1801 – First Swiss uniform system of measures
1822 – Swiss Pot was standardized as 1.35 l
1836 – Swiss Pot revised to 1.5 l with Demi-pot of
0.75 l
Eurobottle of 0.75 l adopted worldwide

Epilogue:
Not every standard is a success!


The failure of the “International” electrical plug

Chile, Cuba, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, Italy, Maldives,
Syria, Tunisia, Uruguay

9 Countries
i.e. 184 countries use
something else!


The World of Electrical Plugs!

13 incompatible versions!


Electrical adaptors – the translators of
the electrical world!

In this example of variety if the ‘loser’ in the world
‘standard’ the winners are the makers of adaptors!


So, now you see how our Modern Life
depends on standards to function …


Every minute of every day, in the home and
office, Modern Day Life is in every way supported
by standards …

illumination & ventilation systems in this room
windows keeping the heat in (& the weather out)
mobile phones in your pockets (ITU)
computers you use
safety of electrical systems and outlets (IEC)
paper you write on (and the pen you write with)
transport systems you used to get you here
quality and safety of the food you eat
hygeine of the restaurants you eat in
sizing and labelling systems of the shoes and clothes
you wear
…. Etc. etc

Finding out more
ICONTEC
Instituto Colombiano de Normas Técnicas y Certificación
www.icontec.org
ISO
International Organization for Standardization
www.iso.org

IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
www.iec.ch
NOREXPORT
Andean project on use of standards by SME to support exports
www.norexport.org

Can you imagine modern life without standards?

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Can you imagine modern life without standards?