Standardization News

ASTM International’s consumer products committee (F15) has approved a new standard that will help evaluate the potential safety of market umbrellas. Such umbrellas are commonly used as protection against rain, sun, or other potential weather in many commercial settings, including theme and water parks, hotels, restaurants, and bars, and are also found in the backyards of many private homes.  

The new standard (F3512) establishes procedures designed for testing and rating the wind safety and durability performance characteristics of market umbrellas. The test methods described in the standard are suitable for both end users and manufacturers to evaluate and rate performance of both the umbrellas and base mountingcomponents.  

According to ASTM International market umbrellas subcommittee chairperson Ben Favret, an improperly designed, installed, or maintained market umbrella can be broken, dislodged, or become airborne due to wind and weather. 

“Ensuring safety and delivering an exceptional customer experience were the motivating issues for the manufacturers, users, retailers, community organizations who developed this standard,” says Favret, CEO, Performance Excellence Development. “The implementation of this standard will help to prevent injuries and is essential to sustainable development of properly designed market umbrellas.”  

The market umbrella subcommittee will be developing additional proposed standards that will cover selection, use, and maintenance for users, as well as installation, care, and maintenance instructions for manufacturers. The subcommittee also plans to develop safety standards for beach umbrellas. 

ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. JOIN ASTM. 

To purchase standards, contact ASTM International customer relations (tel +1.877.909.ASTM; sales@astm.org).

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