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What are Standards?
Standards are a set of technical definitions and guidelines that function as instructions for designers, manufacturers, operators, or users of equipment.
What are Codes?
Codes are laws or regulations that specify minimum standards to protect health and safety.
What are Technical Regulations?
Technical regulations are a mandatory government requirement that defines the characteristics and/or performance requirements of a product, service or process.
Why are Standards, Codes and Regulations important?
Standards and codes can be national or local.
Codes and Standards in the USA
Within the USA, standards are developed by the federal government as well as professional societies, trade associations and other Standard Development Organizations (SDOs).
The official coordinator of Standard Development Organizations (SDOs) and standards is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Codes and Standards outside the USA
Outside of the USA, standards are also government-based. SDOs exist in most major industrial nations and some are shared between countries.
The largest international SDOs are:
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA)
National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA)
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Systems (ASHRAE)
Standardslearn.com (from ANSI)
The source for enginering specifications, standards, manuals and technical publications.
Product Design and Development by Use the Codes and Standards Toolbox to link to databases and websites that can help with research into Codes and Standards.
