1st Edition

Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation for Engineers

By Robert Hunter Copyright 2009
    232 Pages 19 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    232 Pages 19 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    The First Major Book to Incorporate New International Guides and Standards

    Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation for Engineers discusses conformity assessment and accreditation as defined in a new set of standards by the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC). Written by a licensed professional engineer with more than 25 years of experience, the book brings together material specific to international, regional, national, state, and company levels.

    The author begins with the terms and definitions of ISO/IEC Guide 2 and ISO/IEC 17000, along with commentary from a US perspective. He reviews the development of standards, the differences between accreditation and certification, and the main international standards organizations. He also presents regional standards, such as those of the European Union; national standards and conformity assessment in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Germany; and the provincial standards and conformity assessment mechanisms of states and provinces. The book provides an engineering perspective on legal issues, such as ASME v. Hydrolevel Corp.; examines the role of government in standards, conformity assessment, and accreditation; and explores standardization at the company level.

    Providing the tools to easily understand and comply with new standards, this accessible resource not only addresses the technical areas of standardization, but also the legal, economic, management, and education aspects. It covers required vocabulary and gathers references from the substantial yet scattered literature on standards.

    ISO/IEC Guide 2 Standardization and Related Activities—General Vocabulary

    Introduction

    ISO/IEC 17000 Conformity Assessment—Vocabulary and General Principles

    Introduction

    Bibliography

    References

    Standards

    The Economic Benefits of Standardization

    Anatomy of a Standard

    Variations on a Theme

    Modularity in Standards

    Descriptive Provisions versus Performance Provisions in Standards

    Good Standards versus Bad Standards

    Other Types of and Names for Standards Not Identified in ISO/IEC Guide 2

    Codes and Other Pre-Regulation Standards

    Applications of Standards

    Abuses of Standards

    The Life Cycle of a Standard

    References

    Standards Development

    Introduction

    Classical Methods

    Consortia and Similar Methods of Standard Setting

    Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Methods

    Conclusions

    Accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs)—ISO/IEC 17011

    Introduction

    Example of an Accreditation System in the United States

    Outline of the Requirements of ISO/IEC 17011

    Connections between Standards for Vocabulary, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation, and Other Applicable Standards and Documents

    Summary

    International Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation

    What Is an International Standard?

    Why International Standards?

    International Standards Need to be Globally Relevant

    Conformity Assessment in International Trade

    The Principal International Standards Organizations: ISO, IEC, and ITU

    Overview of Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation Bodies

    Common Elements of the ISO and the IEC

    ISONET and the International Classification for Standards (ICS)

    The Standards Development Stage Codes

    An Example of the Project Stage Codes

    The ISO

    The IEC

    The ITU

    Regional Standards and Conformity Assessment

    Introduction

    European Union

    Regional Standards and Conformity Assessment in Other Areas

    Concluding Remarks

    National Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation Bodies

    Introduction: Do Unique National Standards Have a Future?

    Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation in the United States

    Some Representative US Bodies for Non-ICT Standards and Conformity Assessment

    Some Representative US Bodies for ICT Standards and Conformity Assessment

    Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation in Canada

    Standards and Conformity Assessment in Japan

    Standards and Conformity Assessment in Germany

    Provincial (State) and Local Standards and Conformity Assessment

    Introduction

    The National Electrical Code (NEC)

    Model Building Codes Adopted by States

    State Highway Standards

    The MTBE Fiasco: State Standards Leading Federal Standards

    State’s Departments of Agriculture

    States Have Options on ICT Standards

    Legal Issues in Standards and Conformity Assessment

    Introduction

    Products Liability of Manufacturers and Others

    McDonnell and Miller, Inc. Caper

    Indian Head, Inc. v. Allied Tube and Conduit Corporation and the

    National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

    National Cooperative Research Act (NCRA) of 1984 (P.L. 98-462)

    Standards Development Organization Advancement Act (SDOAA) of 2004 (P.L. 108-237)

    Civil Liability of Standards Developers

    Standards and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)

    Patents Clauses from the ANSI Essential Requirements

    Federal Roles in Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation

    Background

    Overview of Federal Government Activities in Conformity Assessment

    Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C., 1976, as Amended)

    OMB Circular A-119 (First Take)

    The Department of Defense (DOD)

    National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

    National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) and the National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation (NVCASE) Program

    Fastener Quality Act (P.L. 101-592, as Amended under P.L. 104-113, P.L. 105-234 and P.L. 106-34)

    National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) of 1995 (P.L. 104-113) and the OMB Circular No. A-119 (Revised February 10, 1998) (Take 2)

    Conformity Assessment under the NTTAA

    Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

    Management Aspects of Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation

    Two Cultures

    Economics (Benefits and Costs) of Standardization

    Microeconomics of Standardization

    Variety Reduction (Simplification) Remains an Important Principle

    Relationship of Standards and Conformity Assessment to Innovative and Competitive Strategies

    Strategic Standardization Management (SSM)™

    Quality and Environmental Management Standards: ISO 9000 and ISO 14000

    Company Use of "External" Standards

    Why a Company Should Participate in Standards Development

    Managing Complexity in Conformity Assessment

    Macroeconomics of Standards

    Access to Standards and Standards Developers

    Appendix 1: Alphabetical Index for Chapter 1 (Guide 2)
    Appendix 2: Alphabetical Index for Chapter 2 (ISO/IEC 17000)
    Appendix 3: Abbreviations and Acronyms for Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation
    Appendix 4: URLs for Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Accreditation
    Appendix 5: List of NIST Guides on Selected European Union Directives
    Appendix 6: Lists of International Standards Organizations
    Appendix 7: List of Regional Standards Organizations
    Appendix 8: List of National Standards Bodies

    References appear at the end of each chapter.

    Biography

    Robert D. (Bob) Hunter, P.E., resides in Austin, Texas and has been involved in standards, conformity assessment and accreditation as a company employee and as a consultant to several technical and computer companies for over 25 years. Bob has served

    on standards committees at both international and national levels and served on the Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC) of underwriters Laboratories (UL) that developed one of the first National standards (UL 1950) that was based on major International Standard (IEC 60950). Bob has written and lectured on standards related subjects in his major fields of interest including product safety, electromagnetic compatibility and regulatory compliance. Bob Hunter is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas.

    Bob is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Bob’s consulting firm is a member if the American National Standards institute (ANSI) and the American Society for Testing and Materials, International (ASTMI).