Fire door code of practice revised

BSI, the business standards company, has revised BS 8214 Code of practice for fire door assemblies. The updated standard gives recommendations for the specification, installation and maintenance of timber-based fire doors.

BS 8214 now includes updated guidance associated with the sealing between the door assembly and the surrounding structure. The recommendations are applicable to timber-based hinged or pivoted pedestrian door assemblies or door leaves, fitted into frames of any material.

Other changes to the revised standard from its predecessor, BS 8214:2008, include new fire precautions in the design, construction and use of building to ensure the standard is harmonized with recently revised BS 9999 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.

BS 8214 was revised with suppliers of door assembly components in mind, many of whom are looking for ways to align their offering with the reliability of assembly offered by doorsets. The revised standard reflects changes in the industry to meet its usability, particularly in relation to the installation and maintenance of fire doors, and is particularly relevant to those who work in the fire performance and smoke control sectors.

Anthony Burd, Head of Built Environment at BSI, said: “BS 8214 offers step-by-step guidance by experts from the fire door installation sector, certification bodies, and from across the industry. Failure to properly specify, install or maintain a fire door assembly could have devastating consequences. Fortunately for the industry, BS 8214 is the benchmark standard for the correct installation and maintenance of timber-based fire doors.”

BS 8214 will be of benefit to joinery sub-contractors; door and window manufacturers; architects; building contractors; maintenance companies; certification bodies; local authorities; glass manufacturing companies; construction materials and building manufacturers; and suppliers of door assembly components.

BSI convened a wide range of people when designing this standard including the Door and Hardware Federation and the Door Manufacturers Association; experts in specification, installation and maintenance of timber-based fire doors; door and window manufacturers; architects; and tech, inspection and certification houses were also consulted.

The revised standard is applicable only to door assembles that are designed to provide fire resistance ratings of up to and including a two hour time period when tested in accordance with other British standards BS 476-22 or EN 1634-1. BS 8214 no longer covers door sets, which are covered in BS EN 16034.

BS 8214 now references the following: regulation 7 of the Building Regulations 2010 and Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [4]; the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 [5]; the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 [6]. The reference to steel door assemblies in the standard has been removed.

Smart cities guide for developing project proposals launched

BSI, the business standards company, has launched a new guide for developing project proposals for delivering smart city solutions. Many cities in the UK and internationally are looking at how to develop as smart cities; by opening up information and data in a city, city-leaders can help provide better services and allow citizens to make more informed decisions.

PAS 184 Smart Cities – Developing project proposals for delivering smart city solutions – is a guide outlining how a city-wide, strategic-level approach to the development of a smart city programme should be applied at the level of an individual smart city project.

The guide outlines current good practice as identified by a broad range of public, private and voluntary sector practitioners engaged in developing smart city solutions. PAS 184 uses case studies to illustrate good practice in smart city procurement and creating viable, financially robust business cases for smart city projects.

PAS 184 is relevant to projects of all sorts – including ones involving procurement and a technology component. It follows recently launched PAS 183, a guide to establishing a smart cities decision-making framework for sharing data and information services.

Designed to be particularly beneficial to city leaders – from the public, private and community sectors – the new guide is targeted at project officers and commissioners on services within local and city authorities, their senior managers and the procurement specialists who support them. 

PAS 184 was developed in conjunction with the Cities Standards Institute. The Cities Standards Institute is a collaboration between BSI and the Future Cities Catapult to create a standards-based community of good practice for cities and the companies they work with.

Dan Palmer, Head of Manufacturing at BSI, said: “PAS 184 was created to make the process for delivering smart city solutions as easy as possible. One of the biggest barriers to setting up new smart city projects is the difficulty of showing how an innovative approach can provide better value for money than the business-as-usual approach. This PAS provides common-sense guidance to help city leaders to develop project proposals in order to make smart city solutions a reality.”

The latest guide is part of a wider suit of PASs, including PAS 180, 181, 182, and 183 – guides which define the vocabulary terms for smart cities, a smart city framework, a smart city concept model, and for sharing data and information, respectively.

PAS 184 does not cover how to develop the broader vision, strategy, and operating model for a smart city that is provides the optimal context for any specific smart city project – this is dealt with in PAS 181, and relevant linkages are highlighted through this PAS. This guide also does not cover how to manage the ongoing operation of a smart city solution once it has moved out of project development and into live running as part of a business-as-usual operation of the city.

The following organizations were involved in the development of PAS 184 as members of the steering group: Aberdeen City Council; AMEY; Arup; Birmingham City Council; City of Edinburgh Council; City Standards Institute (CSI); CS Transform; Design for Social Change (D4SC); IBM; Leeds City Council; Ordnance Survey; Peterborough City Council; Slough Borough Council; SmartKlub; and Urban DNA.

New Medical Devices Regulation and IVD Regulation text published

The final texts of the new European Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) and the In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union today. The Regulations will enter into force on May 26th, marking the start of the transition period for manufacturers selling medical devices into Europe.

Read the full EU Commission press release here

Medical Device Regulation

REGULATION (EU) 2017/745 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC.

The MDR, replaces the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC) and Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (90/385/EEC), and has a transition period of three years, after which the Regulation will apply, and no new applications against the Directives will be accepted. Manufacturers have the duration of the transition period to update their technical documentation and processes to meet the new requirements. Manufacturers can apply for certificates to the new Regulation once their notified body is designated.

This long awaited text brings with it more scrutiny of technical documentation; it addresses concerns over the assessment of product safety and performance by placing stricter requirements on clinical evaluation and post-market clinical follow-up, and requiring better traceability of devices through the supply chain.

In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation

REGULATION (EU) 2017/746 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU.

The IVDR, which replaces IVD Directive (98/79/EC), has a transition period of five years, after which the Regulation will apply, and no new applications against the Directives will be accepted. Manufacturers have the duration of the transition period to update their technical documentation and processes to meet the new, more stringent requirements. Manufacturers can apply for certificates to the new Regulation once their notified body is designated.

The new IVD Regulation marks a significant shift in the regulatory environment for IVDs. It introduces a number of substantial changes to the requirements, including a new rule-based classification system for products, superseding the current list-based approach. The shift to a rule-based approach will considerably increase the number of IVD manufacturers who require a notified body to certify their products as classification rules are applied to all IVDs, rather than using an exclusive list of specific products to determine which require a notified body. The IVDR also introduces new concepts within the area of performance evaluation and clinical evidence.

The nature of these changes is reflected in the length of the transition period for manufacturers; the five year transition period was agreed to provide time for manufacturers to make the necessary changes to their technical documentation and processes.

Gary Slack, Senior VP, Global Medical Devices at BSI said, “The regulatory landscape for medical devices is a rapidly changing one, and with that comes the transformation of Medical Device and IVD Regulation. We welcome the increased requirements under the two Regulations, facilitating a good balance that allows medical device manufacturers to further prioritize patient safety whilst continuing to provide timely access to innovative medical device technology.”

Organizations need to familiarize themselves with the new regulatory requirements now and evaluate the impact this will have on their entire product range sold in the EU. To assist organizations, BSI has produced a suite of materials to support this regulatory change:

IVD Regulation 

Medical Device Regulation

Machinery for agriculture: a successful partnership between CEN/TC 144 and ISO/TC 23 

CEN has a strong relationship with the ‘International Standardization Organization’ (ISO). The ongoing technical cooperation with them is officialised with the Vienna Agreement, allowing new standards projects to be jointly planned.

In the area of machinery for agriculture, CEN Technical Committee CEN/TC144 ‘Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry’ mirroring ISO/TC 23 ‘Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry’, has as  main activity  the standardization of tractors and machines used in agriculture and forestry as well as in gardening, landscaping, irrigation and other related areas where  such equipment is used.

About 50% of the standards published by CEN/TC 144 (a total of 86 European Standards until now) were developed in cooperation with the corresponding ISO/TC 23. This cooperation can work in two ways: either standards are produced by the two standardization organizations in parallel or CEN can adopt already existing ISO standards. Most of these standards are listed in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), in support of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable use of pesticide, and therefore are a good example of bringing together European requirements with an internationally accepted approach.

Protecting the environment in agricultural work

Most of these existing European Standards, or which are being developed, , are related to machinery-safety for agriculture. However, some also address environmental aspects such as the application of pesticides. As an example, CEN and ISO are currently developing a Standard (EN ISO 16119-5) on environmental requirements for aerial spray systems. The standard will specify requirements and the means for their verification for design and performance of aerial-fixed wing and rotary aircraft platforms for agriculture, forestry and human health. Aerial application is used in difficult terrains or crops (forests) as well as for timely application to large areas. The main aim of the new standard is to maximize efficient use of crop protection products and minimize the risk of environmental contamination.

Smart farming on the way

As regards to smart farming, CEN and ISO are working on a Standard, EN ISO 18497, for the safety of highly automated agricultural machines, i.e. machines that function without an on-board operator.

Guillaume Bocquet, the Chair of CEN/TC 144, explains that “the challenges of future farming, which are productivity and environmental preservation, will only be met by development of more and more smart means of production. The stakes lie in the ability of machines to exploit tomorrow a considerable amount of data (climatic, agronomic, etc.) in real time, in order to be able to take autonomous decisions to optimize production: seed, fertilization, processing, water management … etc.
The machines are being designed with more and more automatic functions, hence allowing the farmer to confidently devote himself/herself to other tasks of higher benefit. The design of these machines requires a perfect management of reliability and safety in the interest of cultures, goods and people. The ongoing development of the prEN ISO 18497 standard on safety requirements for highly automated machinery at the ISO international level reflects not only this reality and this need, but also provides manufacturers with a framework for designing safe and viable machines, while at the same time allowing a strong innovation, useful to the farmer.”

Machinery for agriculture: a successful partnership between CEN/TC 144 and ISO/TC 23 

CEN has a strong relationship with the ‘International Standardization Organization’ (ISO). The ongoing technical cooperation with them is officialised with the Vienna Agreement, allowing new standards projects to be jointly planned.

In the area of machinery for agriculture, CEN Technical Committee CEN/TC144 ‘Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry’ mirroring ISO/TC 23 ‘Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry’, has as  main activity  the standardization of tractors and machines used in agriculture and forestry as well as in gardening, landscaping, irrigation and other related areas where  such equipment is used.

About 50% of the standards published by CEN/TC 144 (a total of 86 European Standards until now) were developed in cooperation with the corresponding ISO/TC 23. This cooperation can work in two ways: either standards are produced by the two standardization organizations in parallel or CEN can adopt already existing ISO standards. Most of these standards are listed in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), in support of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable use of pesticide, and therefore are a good example of bringing together European requirements with an internationally accepted approach.

Protecting the environment in agricultural work

Most of these existing European Standards, or which are being developed, , are related to machinery-safety for agriculture. However, some also address environmental aspects such as the application of pesticides. As an example, CEN and ISO are currently developing a Standard (EN ISO 16119-5) on environmental requirements for aerial spray systems. The standard will specify requirements and the means for their verification for design and performance of aerial-fixed wing and rotary aircraft platforms for agriculture, forestry and human health. Aerial application is used in difficult terrains or crops (forests) as well as for timely application to large areas. The main aim of the new standard is to maximize efficient use of crop protection products and minimize the risk of environmental contamination.

Smart farming on the way

As regards to smart farming, CEN and ISO are working on a Standard, EN ISO 18497, for the safety of highly automated agricultural machines, i.e. machines that function without an on-board operator.

Guillaume Bocquet, the Chair of CEN/TC 144, explains that “the challenges of future farming, which are productivity and environmental preservation, will only be met by development of more and more smart means of production. The stakes lie in the ability of machines to exploit tomorrow a considerable amount of data (climatic, agronomic, etc.) in real time, in order to be able to take autonomous decisions to optimize production: seed, fertilization, processing, water management … etc.
The machines are being designed with more and more automatic functions, hence allowing the farmer to confidently devote himself/herself to other tasks of higher benefit. The design of these machines requires a perfect management of reliability and safety in the interest of cultures, goods and people. The ongoing development of the prEN ISO 18497 standard on safety requirements for highly automated machinery at the ISO international level reflects not only this reality and this need, but also provides manufacturers with a framework for designing safe and viable machines, while at the same time allowing a strong innovation, useful to the farmer.”

Europe on the forefront of standardization for sustainability and traceability of cocoa beans

The market for sustainable products and services increases in Europe and is currently catered for private initiatives. Yet, no European standards exist for traceable and sustainable cocoa. Pressure comes also from Public authorities in the context of public procurement to purchase only products labelled as ‘sustainable’ and ‘traceable’. At the same time, the European market of chocolate represents 21.6 billion euros. In 2016, the European Union Members exported about 2 million tons of chocolate. The EU countries have imported 1.7 million tons of cocoa beans, most of them coming from Africa (Eurostat figures: Ivory Coast, 720 000 tons; Ghana, 340 000 tons; and Cameroon, 140 000 tons).

European chocolate producers and European consumers are also concerned about sustainable production of high-quality cocoa, asking for high standards. The questions of quality, sustainability and traceability need to be tackled to harmonize cocoa production practices: uniformed procedures, defining what sustainability in the cocoa sector means, reach a common understanding, etc. We therefore need Standards to ensure good agricultural practices, the protection of the environment, and the improvement of the social conditions and lives of farmers. They will be of use to all parties involved in the cocoa supply chain from the farmers to the purchasers of cocoa. The standardization efforts aim at unifying requirements for cocoa supply chain with a view of improving its effectiveness and creating transparency and fair competition.

In 2012, CEN established CEN/TC 415 – a Technical Committee to develop standards for sustainable cocoa. Over time, a corresponding ISO body – ISO/TC 34/SC 18 – was created. Currently, CEN and ISO are jointly working on the development of four standards in support of Sustainability and Traceability of Cocoa beans:

prEN ISO 34101-1 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 1: Requirements for sustainability management systems’.

rEN ISO 34101-2 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 2: Requirements for performance (related to economic, social and environmental aspects)’.

prEN ISO 34101-3 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 3: Requirements for traceability’.

prEN ISO 34101-4 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 4: Requirements for certification schemes’.

CEN Technical Committee TC/415 on ‘Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa’ is developing this series of standards under the secretariat of our Danish Member, DS. The work is carried out together with ISO/TC 34/SC 18 on ‘Cocoa’, which is jointly managed by ISO members from the Ivory Coast (CODINORM), Ghana (GSA) and the Netherlands (NEN). These standards are developed with a strong presence of cocoa-producing countries.

Cocoa-related standards are expected to be published at the end of 2017 to support cocoa farmers and other parties involved.

Europe on the forefront of standardization for sustainability and traceability of cocoa beans

The market for sustainable products and services increases in Europe and is currently catered for private initiatives. Yet, no European standards exist for traceable and sustainable cocoa. Pressure comes also from Public authorities in the context of public procurement to purchase only products labelled as ‘sustainable’ and ‘traceable’. At the same time, the European market of chocolate represents 21.6 billion euros. In 2016, the European Union Members exported about 2 million tons of chocolate. The EU countries have imported 1.7 million tons of cocoa beans, most of them coming from Africa (Eurostat figures: Ivory Coast, 720 000 tons; Ghana, 340 000 tons; and Cameroon, 140 000 tons).

European chocolate producers and European consumers are also concerned about sustainable production of high-quality cocoa, asking for high standards. The questions of quality, sustainability and traceability need to be tackled to harmonize cocoa production practices: uniformed procedures, defining what sustainability in the cocoa sector means, reach a common understanding, etc. We therefore need Standards to ensure good agricultural practices, the protection of the environment, and the improvement of the social conditions and lives of farmers. They will be of use to all parties involved in the cocoa supply chain from the farmers to the purchasers of cocoa. The standardization efforts aim at unifying requirements for cocoa supply chain with a view of improving its effectiveness and creating transparency and fair competition.

In 2012, CEN established CEN/TC 415 – a Technical Committee to develop standards for sustainable cocoa. Over time, a corresponding ISO body – ISO/TC 34/SC 18 – was created. Currently, CEN and ISO are jointly working on the development of four standards in support of Sustainability and Traceability of Cocoa beans:

prEN ISO 34101-1 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 1: Requirements for sustainability management systems’.

rEN ISO 34101-2 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 2: Requirements for performance (related to economic, social and environmental aspects)’.

prEN ISO 34101-3 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 3: Requirements for traceability’.

prEN ISO 34101-4 ‘Sustainable and traceable cocoa beans – Part 4: Requirements for certification schemes’.

CEN Technical Committee TC/415 on ‘Sustainable and Traceable Cocoa’ is developing this series of standards under the secretariat of our Danish Member, DS. The work is carried out together with ISO/TC 34/SC 18 on ‘Cocoa’, which is jointly managed by ISO members from the Ivory Coast (CODINORM), Ghana (GSA) and the Netherlands (NEN). These standards are developed with a strong presence of cocoa-producing countries.

Cocoa-related standards are expected to be published at the end of 2017 to support cocoa farmers and other parties involved.

最近，澳大利亚标准协会（SA）正在对AS1428.4.2导向标识的可达性与机动性设计草案进行公开评议。

该项标准目前正在以可以访问的PDF和DAISY格式制作，这些格式旨在通过常用的屏幕阅读软件进行阅读。

如果您想获得可访问的草案副本，请发送邮件至mail@standards.org.au，您也可以拨打(02) 9237 6000，向标准信息服务部（Standards Information Services）获取更多资讯。

 ​Wayfinding Standard (AS 1428.4.2) accessible public comment procedure

Standards Australia is releasing a draft of AS1428.4.2, Design for access and mobility Wayfinding, for a period of public comment.

This standard is being produced in Accessible PDF and DAISY formats, which are designed to be read with commonly available screen reading software.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the accessible drafts, please email mail@standards.org.au.

Alternatively, you can call Standards Information Services at (02) 9237 6000 for more information.

New ISO handbook brings environmental management to SMEs

Implementing an environmental management system can be challenging for small businesses. ISO’s new handbook has been designed to assist SMEs in improving their environmental performance using ISO 14001.

The benefits of addressing environmental issues are not only linked to the protection of the environment, they can also be found in a company’s business performance and profitability. The handbook ISO 14001:2015, Environmental management systems – A practical guide for SMEs has recently been updated to take into account the latest edition of the standard, published in 2015.

ISO 14001:2015 in figures

.   Implemented in more than 180 countries

.   More than 300 000 certificates issued worldwide at end 2015

.   8 % increase in certifications compared to 2014

Susan L. K. Briggs, the author of the handbook and leader of the ISO/TC 207/SC 1/WG 5, the group that led the revision of this standard, says: “With the revised standard being issued, several new requirements were incorporated such as a focus on the organizational context, risks and opportunities, and leadership requirements. To facilitate expanded uptake of this standard, it was important to demystify these concepts for small and medium-sized enterprises that are by far the most numerous organizations in most economies, particularly as many companies increasingly insist that ISO 14001 requirements are respected within the supply chain.”

For SMEs, implementing an environmental management system can be a real challenge as technical and financial resources, in addition to staff time, is often limited. “I hope this handbook, which contains technical expertise, tools, templates and lessons learned from implementing these systems myself, will support SMEs in conforming to the requirements. The hope is to reduce the financial burden of hiring technical experts… but SMEs will still need to invest time,” says Briggs.

“The key for SME success is to leverage their informal management structures and decision-making processes, not replace them with overly complex and bureaucratic methods.” The author sums it up in a nutshell: “The standard provides the ‘what’, while the handbook provides the ‘how’. ISO 14001 is a set of environmental management requirements that an organization must satisfy. The handbook provides practical help, examples and guidance on how to meet those requirements.”

Although the handbook has been designed with SMEs in mind, organizations of all sizes will find the information helpful when implementing or upgrading their environmental management system to ISO 14001:2015.

Acting ISO Secretary-General Nicolas Fleury comments: “We hope that this new edition destined to help achieve the benefits of ISO 14001 will be of practical use to small businesses, whatever their activity and wherever they may be in the world, but especially in developing countries and economies in transition. ISO 14001:2015 is a tool that helps support the Paris climate agreement and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that make up the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is our hope that this handbook will encourage further uptake of the standard, helping organizations to mitigate their environmental impact.”

ISO 14001 is one of a number of International Standards that help support better environmental management and tackle climate change. Other ISO standards focus on the management of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and helping organizations report their GHG emissions or reductions in order to comply with applicable national regulatory requirements, participate in the carbon emissions trading market or demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Benefits of ISO 14001:2015 for SMEs

Small businesses can achieve the same results from environmental management as larger companies. Having an ISO 14001 management system in place:

.   Enhances business practices

.   Minimizes environmental impacts while increasing productivity

.   Affords a competitive edge, opening new business opportunities

.   Improves operational efficiency and saves costs, particularly with regard to energy consumption and waste management

.   Gives credibility and confidence to regulatory agencies and other interested parties, including customers

Incentives for implementing ISO 14001 differ from country to country; they can range from decreased inspection frequency to lower insurance premiums or government subsidies.

Organizational resilience made simple with new ISO standard

Resilience is the key for any business wanting to thrive in an ever-changing world. A new standard just published will help put organizations in a better position to meet the challenges ahead.

Climate change, economic crises and consumer trends are just some of the pitfalls that can dramatically affect the way an organization does business and survives. Organizational resilience is a company’s ability to absorb and adapt to that unpredictability, while continuing to deliver on the objectives it is there to achieve.

A new standard, ISO 22316, Security and resilience – Organizational resilience – Principles and attributes, provides a framework to help organizations future-proof their business, detailing key principles, attributes and activities that have been agreed on by experts from all around the world.

James Crask, Convenor of ISO/TC 292’s working group WG 2, the group of experts that developed the standard, says improving the resilience of organizations ensures they are not only better placed for anticipating and responding to potential risks, but can harness opportunities as well.

“The standard takes a wide view of the things that can drive resilience in an organization; many of these are behavioural and have historically been overlooked. This is why one of the key principles of the standard is to help them develop a culture that supports resilience.

“It also involves building upon existing forms of risk management, having shared values and an awareness of changing contexts, all the while underpinned by strong and empowered leadership.”

ISO 22316 was developed by working group WG 2, Continuity and organizational resilience, of technical committee ISO/TC 292, Security and resilience, whose secretariat is held by SIS, the ISO member for Sweden.