Standards Spotlight

The end of the year signals the beginning of the holiday season, and the countdown to the major celebrations has just begun. This season is usually a great time to gather with family, enjoy the warmth of a nice meal, and exchange gifts with one another, and while pandemic may alter our annual traditions, it doesn’t have to do away with them completely. There are many ways to enjoy the holidays, though perhaps unconventional, and standards are involved in several ways.

One tradition that is still pandemic-safe is holiday decorations. Whether you’re putting up your own lighting show or driving around the neighborhood to see your neighbors’ creative displays, holiday displays bring contrasting joy and magic to the dark, dreary winter, and they’re a great family-friendly activity. UL 588 Ed. 19-2015, Standard For Seasonal And Holiday Decorative Products, was developed by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), an ANSI-accredited standards developing organization. This standard covers temporary-use, seasonal decorative-lighting products and accessories with a maximum input voltage rating of 120 V to be used in accordance with the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70. CSA C22.2 No. 37-2020, Decorative Lighting Products, was developed by CSA America, an ANSI-accredited standards developing organization, and covers decorative lighting strings, decorative lighting outfits, pre-lit trees, and accessories, and is intended for seasonal or commercial use connected to circuits of 120 V nominal or less by means of an attachment plug.

Gifts aren’t cancelled in the pandemic either, thanks to the Internet. Shopping online is a convenient way to get something special for everyone on your list without leaving your home. Some places even offer to gift wrap, saving you extra time. Between the moment you click “place order” to the moment your package arrives on your doorstep, supply chain management makes your experience smooth and seamless. ANSI/ASIS SCRM.1-2014, Supply Chain Risk Management: A Compilation Of Best Practices, was developed by ASIS International, an ANSI-accredited standards developing organization. This standard provides guidance and current best practices for developing and embedding a framework and process of risk management in supply chain management. The standard also adopts the risk management framework and process described in ISO 31000:2009, Risk Management - Principles And Guidelines, which was developed by ISO technical committee (TC) 262, Risk management. ASSP – The American Society of Safety Professionals, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer serves as the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) administrator to TC 262.

Snowy weather is inevitable as we approach the winter months. Whether you’re finding a hill to sled down or building a snowman in the front yard or just going for a winter walk, you’re going to need to bundle up with wool coats, hats, and mittens. When buying wool items, it is preferable that your wool has been inspected for impurities and has an accurate wool content. The standard published by ASTM International, ASTM D1334-18, Standard Test Method For Wool Content Of Raw Wool—Commercial Scale, covers the determination of the wool base content and the clean wool fiber present in a lot of raw wool by commercial-scale scouring of the lot followed by laboratory tests on samples of the scoured wool.

Even though in-person holiday celebrations may not be possible this year, the love and warmth of family is still present and the best part of the holiday season. However you’re celebrating the season, ANSI wishes you and yours a Happy Holiday!