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Helping Develop Better Building Standards03-30-16 | News

Helping Develop Better Building Standards
New Resources Available

When developing industry standards, typical issues that can be encountered by standard committees, professional societies, trade associations, government agencies and others include balance of interests, consensus, views and objections, and intellectual property. A new document provides a model development procedure that will assist in addressing these issues.

To help organizations that develop standards, including those for the building and landscape industries, the International Code Council and the Society for Standards Professionals have recently put together two key resources that "provide guidance for effective creation and implementation of standards."

Titled "Recommended Practice for Designation and Organization of Standards" and "Model Procedure for the Development of Standards," they are available in both print and digital formats.

"Through continued improvement in the development of standards that protect the public's welfare and safety, we want to improve speed to market and encourage economic growth through better coordination between industry, design and compliance professionals," said ICC CEO Dominic Sims, CBO.

Following, from the joint statement, are synapses of the new publications:

ANSI/SES-1:2013, Recommended Practice for Designation and Organization of Standards
This ANSI recognized SES document provides guidance on designating and organizing standards. With this document, standard committees, professional societies, trade associations, government agencies, companies, and others involved in the development and use of standards can more easily identify and appropriately include relevant information essential for effective and easy to implement standards.

Standardization for the organization of the material covered is critical for SDOs so that users can quickly know where to locate important sections of a standard such as the scope, definitions, relevant references, performance requirements, related testing procedures and other requirements.

SES-2:2012, Model Procedure for the Development of Standards
This SES standard provides a model development procedure that will assist those interested in using a reliable and robust ready-made model process. Rather than reinventing a complicated process, this document provides an SDO with simple ways to address some of the typical development issues that may be encountered such as openness, balance of interests, fairness, quorum, voting, consensus, views and objections, appeals and intellectual property.

Both publications are available through the Code Council at www.iccsafe.org/SES or by calling 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233).