American National Standards Institute

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) empowers its members and constituents to strengthen the U.S. marketplace position in the global economy while helping to assure the safety and health of consumers and the protection of the environment.

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As Clear as Glass

For a change, look at glass (or plastic), not through it. In small lettering, you might see some letters and numbers. Markings like “ANSI Z97.1-2015” and “American National Standard Z97.1-2015” denote compliance with testing requirements that assure the glazing materials used in buildings are safe.

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Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)

It's not always easy to know where piping systems go or contain, so piping & instrumentation diagrams show the interconnection of process equipment. Standard symbols can be found in ANSI/ISA 5.1-2024. These drawings can represent:

-centrifugal pumps

-vacuum pumps

-gear pumps

-controllers

-controller valves

-pressure indicator control

-converters

-condensors

-furnaces

-boilers

-motors

-reducers

-separators

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CAUTION, DANGER, WARNING

Recognize this symbol? ANSI Z535.4, the American National Standard for product safety signs and symbols, defines it as the safety alert symbol, and this specific color scheme can be accompanied with the signal words CAUTION, DANGER, or WARNING.

You might also see the symbol in different colors. Following the standard, there is also:

-safety white triangle, safety red exclamation mark, safety red background: for use with DANGER

-safety black triangle, safety orange exclamation mark: for use with WARNING

-safety black triangle, safety yellow exclamation mark: for use with CAUTION

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What Goes Into a Table of Specifications?

Since it can be hard to decide what questions to include on a final exam, certification courses can create a table of specifications.

This two-way chart identifies the format and content of the assessment, using the learning objectives and the instructional content as a guide.

Creating a table of specifications is a three-part process:

-List the general learning objectives across the top of the table

-List the high-level content areas down the left side of the table

-Determine what proportion of the test items should be devoted to each objective and each content area

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You can prevent 90% of eye injuries with the correct eye protection

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Did you know that 3 billion sq ft of ceramic tile is installed annually in the US?

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Laser is an acronym

Did you know that the word laser is an acronym? It stands for:

Light

Amplification

by

Stimulated

Emission

of

Radiation

And it's an acronym because you pronounce it like a word. If you only pronounced the letters, then it would be an initialism (like ATM). But there are some hybrid acronym-initialisms (like JPEG).

Lasers as a concept trace back to "heat rays" in War of the Worlds, which H.G. Wells published 19 years before Einstein theorized the phenomenon of "stimulated emission."

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Hardhats can trace origins to:

-The Boar's Tusk Helmet in Bronze Age Mycenae (~17th Century BCE)

-The Medieval Kettle Hat

-Worker hats smeared with tar and dried in the sun (~1900)

-An industrial hardhat allegedly created by Franz Kafka for the Kingdom of Bohemia (1912)

-The Brodie Helmet (or doughboy helmet in the US) used by soldiers in WWI

-The Hard Boiled Hat, the official first industrial hardhat invented and put on the market by E.W. Bullard (1919)

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84% of workers who suffer head injuries aren't wearing head protection

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Demolish, Don't Destroy

Demolition might sound antithetical to construction, but the two function together well. To make way for new construction work on existing structures, demolition is often necessary. Although it is the opposite of construction, worker safety in demolition remains top of mind.

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House Flies:

-Are 6-7 mm long

-Live 15-20 days

-Can lay up to 500 eggs in 3-4 days

-Breed in manure

-Can travel up to 2 miles

-First make contact with their legs before tasting

-Need sugar to survive

-Are known carriers of E. coli, salmonella, and other bacteria and pathogens

House Flies and Food Safety - ANAB Blog

How house flies are hazardous to food safety: this blog post outlines how the house fly (Musca domestica) house spreads bacteria and disease

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Without Standards, Would You Be Able to:

Turn on the Lights?

Operate Your Toaster?

Put Out a Fire?

Close a Window?

Start Your Car?

Drive to Work?

Eat at a Restaurant?

Travel to Outer Space?

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10 things you should know about the Oldowan Industry

It was the very first standard practice ever.

It was the first form of technology.

It began 2.6 million years ago in Tanzania (at the start of the Old Stone Age)

It involved striking a core (a rock) with a hammerstone (another rock). The core would break, leaving behind flakes, choppers, and scrapers.

The flakes, choppers, and scrapers were used essentially as Stone Age knives, cutting flesh from bone to prepare meals.

The Oldowan Industry spread throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe.

It was used by various human ancestors, including Homo ergaster and Homo habilis.

It was largely replaced by the Acheulian Industry 1.8 million years ago, which was characterized by hand axes.

We know about it through archaeological evidence uncovered throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, such as hammerstones with battering along their surfaces, and flakes that came from the same core.

Even though the Acheulian Industry was more advanced, some places still used Oldowan techniques up to 250,000 years ago.

The First Standard - The ANSI Blog

The first standardized practice was the Oldowan Industry, in which Homo habilis used stone tools to create cutting instruments.

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A Quick History of Elevators

You might not think about elevators much, but they've been getting people to where they need to go for a long time, and standards have been making sure that we reach those destinations safely.

The most concise history of elevators possible:

Archimedes invented the first elevator in 236 BCE.

The Romans used elevators in the Colosseum for lions and other animals to emerge from below the floor.

In 1743, King Louis XV had the "Flying Chair" in his palace in Versailles, which is considered the first passenger elevator.

The Industrial Revolution sped up the development of elevators with hydraulics and later steam power.

In 1854, Elisha Otis and his sons debuted an elevator that didn't drop if its cable snapped.

The advent of electricity saw passenger elevators (and taller buildings) in the early 1900s.

In 1921, ASME A17.1 was first published, and, with the help of periodic updates, this elevator code has kept us safe ever since.

A Brief History of Elevators

History of elevators and safety developments, covering Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, the Industrial Revolution, and the Modern World.

ASMEA17CSAB442019-2400977-Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators-This Code covers the design, construction, operation, inspection, testing

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You insert a coin or bill or swipe your card, and you get a dispensed soda or other item. But things are more complicated on the inside of vending machines.

The standard for vending machines, NSF/ANSI 25-2021, calls for materials to resist wear, but also penetration by vermin and the effects of foods, heat, cleaning compounds, sanitizers, and other substances that may contact the materials during use.

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Did you know that ANSI holds a complimentary orientation webinar each month?

On the first Friday of each month, join ANSI membership staff at 12pm EST for a free interactive presentation featuring a Q&A session. By attending a membership Orientation Webinar, you will learn about:

Ways to build valuable connections in your field

The impact of standards on your business

The role of US Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) and the qualifications needed to serve on a tag

Which technical areas are working in collaboratives and how you can be a part of the action

Exclusive discounts on standards, car rentals, shipping, and more

Register now:https://www.ansi.org/membership/overview-webinar

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Innovation Through Standards in the New Normal

The upcoming ANSI Company Member Forum (CMF) will be themed "Innovation Through Standards in the New Normal." Held on October 22 during World Standards Week, this event, held remotely via WebEx, will feature have an open discussion workshop where attendees share best practices and challenges they’re facing as a result of the pandemic, and how the standards landscape is impacted.

Don’t miss out on this chance to collaborate with colleagues to identify industry-wide challenges, and network among the standardization community. Register now! https://Ansi.link/CMF20

What is a Company Member Forum (CMF)?

Each CMF acts as a venue for ANSI members from across the expanse of U.S. industry to examine issues tied to national and global standards, as well as conformity assessment developments. Past sessions have given attendees the opportunity to learn more about China standards reform, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, sustainability and the circular economy, the effect of standards on 5G, and blockchain, as well as topics related to standards management.

Register for the upcoming WebEx event here: https://Ansi.link/CMF20