Today, 14 October, is World Standards Day – a celebration of the successes of standardisation and the important role it plays in all of our lives (not just for engineers). While the influence of standardisation in the context of large scale industrial engineering is obvious to EEMUA members - required to conform to standards in their jobs - it’s worth considering their value.
Earlier this year, BSI commissioned the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) to write a report which put a figure on the value of standards to the UK economy – placing it at £8.2bn. Ensuring the quality and reliability of equipment and materials helps minimise waste, increase efficiency and reduce errors. Extrapolate that for all of ISO’s 162 member countries and the amount becomes enormous.
Of course financial value is just part of the story. Safe and environmentally sound practice are two more of the key strands of standardisation. EEMUA Member employees currently represent the Association, and the wider user community, on over 40 Committees within BSI, CEN, IEC, and other standards bodies. The important role of standards to them is clear: ensure consistent, common sense, cost effective and, above all, safe practice is adopted throughout the supply chain.
Standards are one of the key means by which we can all be confident in the integrity of our industrial assets.
