New Standard for Fall Prevention from Openable Windows

A new standard was published today: AS 5203:2016, Protection of openable windows/fall prevention—Test sequence and compliance method. The standard aims to provide the test method to help reduce the risk of injury and death associated with accidental falls through open windows, specifically for children five years old and younger.

In 1 May 2013, the National Construction Code requirements changed to mandate fall prevention measures in new early childhood centres and in bedrooms of new residential buildings where the floor below the window is more than 2 metres above the surface beneath. This followed research which showed that young children are most at risk from window falls in these buildings because they often play unsupervised.

While the National Construction Code (NCC) sets out the dimensional and load requirements for fall prevention through openable windows, there was no test standard available to which the requirement could be tested to; this new Australian Standard provides the test methods to satisfy this requirement.

Tracey Gramlick, CEO and Executive Director of the Australian Window Association, described the potential impact of this publication.

 “The standard will provide assurance to the marketplace that these products have been

tested to a recognised methodology and will be fit for their intended purpose: assisting in the prevention of falls.”

 “These falls often occur over the warmer months when families leave windows and doors to balconies, open both during the day and at night. Children aged from one to five years are most at risk as they are naturally curious, but lack the ability to recognise danger,” said Ms Gramlick.

  •AS / NZS ISO 817：2016，制冷剂——命名和安全分级
  •AS / NZS 5149.1：2016，制冷系统和热泵——安全和环境要求——第1部分：定义、分类和选择标准
  •AS / NZS 5149.2：2016，制冷系统和热泵——安全和环境要求——第2部分：设计、施工、测试、标记和归档
  •AS / NZS 5149.3：2016，制冷系统和热泵——安全和环境要求——第3部分：安装地点
  •AS / NZS 5149.4：2016，制冷系统和热泵——安全和环境要求——第4部分：操作、维护、修理和回收

Australia adopts International Standards for Refrigeration Safety

Strong industry and government engagement sees Australia adopt ISO standards for refrigeration safety

• Documents supersede the AS/NZS 1677 series

Significant changes have been made to refrigeration standards, with the following now published and available:

• AS/NZS ISO 817:2016, Refrigerants — Designation and safety classification

• AS/NZS 5149.1:2016, Refrigerating systems and heat pumps – Safety and environmental requirements – Part 1: Definitions, classification and selection criteria    

• AS/NZS 5149.2:2016, Refrigerating systems and heat pumps – Safety and environmental requirements – Part 2: Design, construction, testing, marking and documentation           • AS/NZS 5149.3:2016, Refrigerating systems and heat pumps – Safety and environmental requirements – Part 3:  Installation site 

• AS/NZS 5149.4:2016, Refrigerating systems and heat pumps – Safety and environmental requirements – Part 4: Operation, maintenance, repair and recovery

Phil Wilkinson, Executive Manager-Government Relations and Technical Services at the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), explained the significance of these publications.

“The adoption of these standards is a really important step as the HVAC&R industry transitions to a low emission future. This weekend saw the announcement that global agreement had been reached on an HFC phase down and this international alignment of standards supports our shift away from HFC refrigerants and towards low global warming refrigerant alternatives.

“The HVAC&R industry strategy to transition to low emissions, PRIME, identified very early on that AS/NZS 1677 needed to be reviewed. Standards Australia in response to stakeholders’ needs worked closely with industry and government and supported PRIME to achieve this major milestone,” said Mr Wilkinson. 

As direct or modified adoptions of international standards, AS/NZS ISO 817 supersedes AS/NZS 1677.1:1998, Refrigerating systems – Refrigerant classification and the AS/NZS 5149 series supersedes AS/NZS 1677.2:1998 Refrigerating systems – Safety requirements for fixed applications.

Sport & Spiel in freien Zügen

Ein neues Norm-Projekt beschäftigt sich mit den Anforderungen bei der Standortwahl von Spielplatz- und Freizeitanlagen. Zum Thema wurde auf europäischer Ebene der Technische Bericht CEN/TR 16879, Standortwahl von Spielplatz- und anderen Freizeitanlagen — Ratschlag zu Verfahren für Anordnung und Trennung, erarbeitet. Die darin enthaltenen Grundzüge zeigen in eine gute Richtung, bedürfen jedoch noch weiterer Spezifizierung für die Anwendung in Deutschland. Hier sieht DIN Bedarf und Potential, eine nationale Norm zu schaffen.

Alle interessierten Kreise wie beispielsweise Hersteller, Architekten, Städteplaner, Landschaftsgestalter, Kommunen, Betreiber, Dienstleister, Materiallieferanten, Prüfinstitute, Gutachter, Verbraucherorganisationen, Genossenschaften, Versicherer, Verbände, Vereine, aber auch Wissenschaft und Forschung sind zur aktiven Mitarbeit an diesem Projekt aufgerufen.

Hintergrund:

Von klein auf ist es essentiell, dass Kinder durch Geschicklichkeit und Wagnis Bewegungsaufgaben lösen, um ihre körperlichen Fähigkeiten zu erfahren und zu erweitern. Auf öffentlichen Flächen, in Schulen, in Kindertagesstätten und diversen Freizeiteinrichtungen beginnt dies bereits beim Spielen auf Spielplätzen oder einzelnen Spielplatzgeräten. Um für mehrere Altersgruppen und individuelle Vorlieben durchweg die angemessenen Spiel- und Sportmöglichkeiten zu schaffen, bedarf es eines großen Angebotes verschiedener Anlagen und Geräte für Spiel- und Sportarten.
Zudem sind wegen spezifischer, individueller Anforderungen Anlagen und Geräte sehr häufig von anderen Anlagen isoliert, z. B. der Fußballplatz vom Spielplatz. Daraus folgt eine eingeschränkte Ausnutzung des vorhandenen Platzes, was sich besonders in Großstädten zu einem stetig wachsenden Problem entwickelt. Aus diesem Grund bedarf es Konzepten, die ein Zusammenführen verschiedener Anlagen und Geräte – stets unter einem hohen Sicherheitsgedanken – vorschlagen.

Welche Vorteile bietet die Normungsarbeit?

Aktive Teilnahme an der Normungsarbeit bietet den Beteiligten den Vorteil eines Zeit- und Wissensvorsprungs. Dabei haben insbesondere Innovationen, die durch Normungsprozesse begleitet werden, höhere Chancen, sich am Markt durchzusetzen. Denn jeder Kunde honoriert die größere Sicherheit einzelner Produkte durch eine höhere Kaufbereitschaft.

Für Hersteller, die am Normungsprozess aktiv teilnehmen, vermindert sich darüber hinaus das wirtschaftliche Risiko durch eigene Forschungs- und Entwicklungstätigkeiten.

New anti-bribery standard addresses growing global concern over bribery in organizations

Public and private sector organizations of all sizes set to benefit from internationally recognized anti-bribery standard

BSI, the business standards company, has launched BS ISO 37001, Anti-bribery management systems: requirements with guidance for use, a standard to aid the prevention and detection of bribery in organizations.

BS ISO 37001 assists organizations with turning the legal requirements of the 2010 UK Bribery Act into practical measures, by providing guidance on how to put the right controls in place. The standard sets out the requirements for an organization or business looking to set up a management system to prevent and detect bribery within an organization – and how to confront bribery should it arise. 

Managing the risks posed by bribery is high on the agenda of many organizations globally. BS ISO 37001 covers the many forms of bribery which can damage an organization, including bribery of individual personnel; bribery of the organization by another party; bribery by the organization itself; and indirect bribery from a third party.

The standard provides a system for organizations to use to avoid funds being misappropriated, and safeguards against projects being undermined and not carried out with due diligence. Critically, BS ISO 37001 sets out how to maintain an effective anti-bribery system once it is in place, and reviewing and improving these safeguards periodically.

The relevance of the standard for different areas of the workplace is far-reaching. BS ISO 37001 will benefit senior leadership within an organization responsible for compliance, legal and governance issues, as well as employees who work in risk and financial management. Human Resources managers and corporate secretaries are also cited as key beneficiaries of the security afforded by the standard. 

Anne Hayes, Head of Market Development for Governance and Resilience at BSI, said: “In a 24 hours news cycle, any association with bribery can be fatal for the reputation of an organization. It’s critical for public and private sector organizations to be seen to have a strong system of leadership in place to weed out corruption, root and branch.

“BS ISO 37001 is a tangible way for organizations of all sizes to demonstrate to their employees, suppliers and the public at large that they are managed with integrity and have the necessary safeguards in place to tackle bribery if it arises.” 

Should an organization fall foul of a bribery scandal by a rogue employee, BS ISO 37001 can be used to demonstrate to clients and contractors that the organization is committed to a comprehensive anti-bribery policy.

The standard follows Annex SL, and was designed to align with other management systems including ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 26000 (sustainability).

Experts from over forty countries were involved in designing this standard. The forerunner to this standard, BS 10500, received coveted support in 2011 from the prestigious Anti-Corruption Standing Committee of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, an umbrella group which represent over 15 million engineers from over 90 nations. 

New European Standard for Osteopathy Services    

CEN has adopted and issued a European Standard on Osteopathic Healthcare Provision, which has been developed in partnership with the European Federation of Osteopaths (EFO) and the Forum for Osteopathic Regulation in Europe (FORE). This new standard sets a benchmark for high quality clinical practice, education, safety and ethics.

The European Standard on Osteopathic Healthcare Provision (EN 16686) was developed by CEN’s Project Committee on 'Services for Osteopaths' (CEN/TC 414), which included healthcare professionals from more than 10 European countries. This Project Committee was set up in 2011 by CEN in partnership with the European Federation of Osteopaths (EFO) and the Forum for Osteopathic Regulation in Europe (FORE). The secretariat was provided by CEN’s member in Austria (Austrian Standards).

EN 16686 specifies requirements and recommendations regarding the healthcare provision, facilities and equipment, education, and ethical framework for the practice of osteopathy. When correctly applied, the new European Standard will help osteopaths to ensure that they provide a safe environment for patients and high quality treatment. The standard was made available by CEN in July 2015, and has since been published by CEN’s national members in 33 European countries.

Professional osteopath treating a patient [© Norsk Osteopat Forbund]

Osteopathy is a primary contact and patient-centred healthcare discipline, that emphasises the interrelationship of structure and function of the body, facilitates the body’s innate ability to heal itself, and supports a whole-person approach to all aspects of health and healthy development, principally by the practice of manual treatment. Osteopathy is a distinct healthcare profession, with osteopaths providing their services all over Europe.

The new European Standard should contribute to raising awareness and understanding of osteopathic practice throughout Europe, bringing benefits to osteopaths and their patients. EN 16686 is expected to be especially valuable in countries where there are no specific regulations regarding the provision of osteopathic healthcare services.

Jonathan Bailey-Teyletche, President of the EFO and Chairman of CEN/TC 414, says: "The European Standard on Osteopathic Healthcare Provision provides a benchmark for the level of training that an osteopath should undertake as well as the level of healthcare that should be provided to osteopathic patients throughout Europe. The Standard requires osteopaths to complete relevant education and training to a specified level, as well as following continuing professional development. In addition, the European Standard sets out that scientific rigour and evidence-informed practice are an important part of an osteopath’s approach to patient treatment and case management."  

For more information about CEN activities in relation to services, please