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Standardization News

First Person
Standards Intersect Policy, Trade, and Outreach
Q. What is the focus of ASTM’s Washington, D.C., office? A. The Washington office works at the intersection of policy, trade, and outreach. Our team — Craig Updyke, Matt Pezzella, and myself — track what the White House, Congress, and federal… more
Industry sectors:
Safety

First Person
Women in Construction Roundtable
Q. Why are ASTM International standards so important to the field of construction? Margaret Farabaugh: I think ASTM standards really affect almost every aspect of construction. There are standards for steel studs, steel joists, decking, roofing,… more
Industry sectors:
Construction

First Person
Educator Roundtable: Teaching Standards
Q. Why do you believe education about standards and standards development is important?  A. Janet Gbur: Standards organizations, ABET [originally the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology], and employers have long recognized a need… more
Industry sectors:
Safety

First Person
The Need for Cannabis Standards
Q. You have long been involved with ASTM and work on committees such as roofing and waterproofing (D08) and rubber and rubber-like materials (D11), which are seemingly unrelated to cannabis. How did you then become chair of the cannabis committee? A… more
Industry sectors:
Cannabis, Medical

First Person
International Product Safety
 Q. What is the role of ICPHSO and why is it needed? What impact does ICPHSO have internationally? A. The International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization, or ICPHSO (pronounced ick-fa-so), is a global nonprofit volunteer… more
Industry sectors:
Consumer Products

First Person
Exoskeletons Power Industry 4.0
Q. You’ve been in an exoskeleton. What was that like? And what did you learn from your company’s exoskeleton debut at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year? A. I started with Sarcos at the very beginning of August 2019. I had my first… more
Industry sectors:
Construction, Safety

First Person
SCC Looks to the Future
Q. What impact is climate change having on Canada’s north? A. In 2011, I visited Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. We could already discuss then with community leaders the extreme challenges that Northern Canada and northern communities were facing… more
Industry sectors:
Safety, Environment

First Person
John Pace: A Life in Standards
There is an old country song, “I Forgot More than You’ll Ever Know,” that has been remade numerous times. When talking about the standards business with John Pace, ASTM International’s senior vice president, it’s easy to hear that classic tune… more
Industry sectors:
Quality

First Person
The Role of Standards in International Trade
Q. What do you see as the role of international standards in trade? A. For me, standards exist in an economy to assure generally recognized levels of safety and interoperability in both products and processes, making it easier for buyers of goods… more
Industry sectors:

First Person
Alan Veith: An ASTM Life
Alan Veith quit what he called his “day job” 28 years ago. But he has never stopped working for ASTM International. In fact, his tenure could very well be a record, though current membership records do not stretch back far enough to confirm. After… more
Industry sectors:
Quality