Revising a Binational or Trinational Standard

1
Revising a Binational or Trinational Standard

• Sonya Bird
• Underwriters Laboratories

2
Revising a binational or trinational standard

• SDO Commitment for Amendments
• Process of Revising a Standard
• Role of THC in Revision Process
• Establishing a Game Plan
• To cycle or not to cycle?
• Revision Needs

3
Revising a Binational or Trinational Standard

• SDO Commitment to Amendments
• Amendments to this standard will be made only
  after processing according to the Standards
  writing procedures of ANCE, CSA, and UL.

4
Process for Revising a Standard

• Similar to standards-development process
• Proposals must be coordinated among SDOs
• Proposals processed through each SDO process
• Resolutions to comments must be coordinated among
  SDOs and resulting modifications to proposal made
  jointly
• Procedures include flowcharts for the process

5
Role of THC in Revision Process

• THC helps
• Bridge differences among countries
• Provide historical perspective to bi/trinational
  standard
• Identify proposed revisions
• Maintain momentum regarding updates
• Coordinate revisions,by acting as a task group
• Study technical issues
• Note that the THC is NOT a VETO Body.

6
Establish a Game Plan

• Upon publication of a harmonized standard, THC
  should
• Identify any outstanding items needing resolution
• Establish a plan of attack for addressing the
  outstanding items and others identified
• Identify the intended role of the THC for the
  particular standard
• Consider if additional membership on THC is
  needed, due to size, changing responsibilities,
  etc.

7
Revision Cycles A Management Option

• Several THCs have elected to use revision cycles
  to manage the revision work for their standards.
  
• A typical revision cycle runs for 3 years for the
  majority of standards with revision cycles. A
  two-year cycle is possible for very active
  standards.

8
Sample Revision Cycle

• 1/1/05
• 5/1/05
• 6/1/05
• 10/1/05
• 1/1/06
• 5/1/06
• 8/1/06
• 1/1/08

• Proposal Due Date
• THC Coordinates Proposals
• SDOs begin formal review process
• THC meets to discuss comments
• SDOs continue with review process
• THC meets to discuss comments
• SDOs finalize standard and publish
• Proposal Due Date

9
To Cycle or Not to Cycle?

• Revision Cycles
• Establish a defined period for submittal of
  proposals
• Consolidates the proposals into fewer bulletins
• Allows the THC, the SDOs, and others involved the
  opportunity to plan

• Revisions w/out Cycles
• Allow for proposals to be submitted at will
• May result in quicker processing of a single
  proposal

10
Revision Needs

• Anyone may submit a proposal to be considered for
  a harmonized standard. The proposal should
  clearly indicate
• The changes being suggested, using legislative
  text (strike-out and underline)
• The justification or rationale for the change
• Supporting data
• Proposals may be submitted to any of the
  participating SDOs.

11
Revisions Summary

• The most important aspects of the revision
  process include
• Identification of role of THC
• Open communication among THC and SDOS
• Establishment of, and adherence to, schedules
• THC, and chair in particular, responsible for due
  consideration