ATLANTA - A special session on national and international safety standards was presented August 20, during the 2014 International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta. The presentation on the joint ISO/ANSI Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was hosted by the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association and the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America.

Targeted for woodworking industry associations representatives, CEOs and chief technical engineers of woodworking companies, educational institutions and other interested parties, the session began with an overview by Mark Craig, WMIA ANSI TAG Chairman; and Jim Laster, WMMA ANSI ASC01 Co-Chair. (A slide show by the presenters gives a sense of the information covered.)

Following that, Craig and Jason Knopes, ANSI Senior Program Manager, explain the purpose and importance of the US/TAG project. Craig said it benefits the entire industry and how it goes beyond the machinery manufacturers, importers and distributors.

Following that, Iuri Betti, ISO/TC 39/SC4 Chairman, explained the role of ISO and give an overview of what is happening in the world regarding woodworking machinery safety standards and the importance of establishing a U.S. Technical Advisory Group. Similar advisory panels are at work in Brasil, Europe, China, Australia, Canada, Turkey and Eurasia.

Then Gianni Ghizzoni, past president of EUMABOIS, and head of the Italian trade organization ACIMALL, explained EUMABOIS' support of machinery standardization. EUMABOIS is an International Association whose role is to help ISO in unifying machinery standards across the entire world.

This was followed by Jack Hyde, WMMA – ANSI ASC 01 Chairman, who explained the work done by his committee in establishing woodworking machinery safety standards in the U.S. Jack also sits on the ISO/ANSI TAG and explained the relationship between the two standards. Among available or developing standards are:

• ANSI 01.1:2013 Woodworking machinery – Safety requirements
• ANSI 01.1-1:2007 Safety Requirements for Fixed Angle Jump saws
• ANSI 01.1-3:2014 Safety Requirements for CNC Machining Center
• ANSI ASCo1 recent activity* ANSI 01.1-2 Safety Requirements for Gang Rip Saws (in progress)
• ANSI 01.1-4 Safety Requirements for CNC Machining Center shapers (in progress)
• ANSI 01.1-5 Safety Requirements for Straight-Line Rip Saws (in progress)

Following that, Dart Meadows, a product liability attorney with Balch & Bingham LLP,  explained how companies can create their own in-house teams to help prevent accidents in the workplace and how to best respond in case an accident does happen. He also spoke about product liability lawsuits, why standards are important, as well as the importance of unified global standards.

Finally, Iuri Betti returned to the podium to explain the current structure and activity of ISO/TC 39 SC4. He also an update on the specific standards in development and the status of current development on each specific standard:
ISO/TC 39 structure
SC4 reactivation
SC4 liaisons
SC4 P-members / O-members
SC4 WGs
SC4 plenary meetings
Aim of SC4 safety standard
WG1 activity
WG2 activity