ECP455

Standards and Regulations

Fall 2018
STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS

 A standard is defined as a document established by consensus

and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common

and repeated use, guidelines or characteristics for activities or

their results

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DEFINITION

 Technical specification or other document available to the public,

draw up the cooperation and consensus or general approval of all

interests affected by it, based on the consolidated results of science,

technology and experience aimed at the promotion of optimum

community benefit and approved by a body recognized on the

national, regional or international (ISO definition)

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MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

 Standards take the form of a written document approved by a

recognized body

 This document is available to the public

 It is drawn up by a method requiring the approval of all interests

concerned and to the benefit of all

 It is intended for repeated or continuous application

 Its application is not normally mandatory

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STANDARDS ARE VARIED

 Make thing happen (e.g. services)

 Essential to clarify contractual relations

 Exists for things such as a light bulb, apples

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STANDARDS

 Standards are a collective work of committees:

• Manufacturers

• Users

• Government

• Consumers

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WHO NEEDS STANDARDS?

 Essential for trade, they assure any business offering products,

service or process is:

• Cost-effective and time efficient

• Commercially viable

• Credible

• Safe

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WHAT VALUE ARE THE STANDARDS TO BUSINESS?

 Customer Satisfaction
 Cost and time effectiveness
 Legal Compliance
 Better Management
 Trust
 Ease of business – export…

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TYPES OF STANDARDS

 PERFORMANCE Standards: Tests that simulate the performance

of a product under the actual service conditions (fuel economy,
energy efficiency)

 SAFETY Standards: Assure that the product is save from shock,

fire and mechanical hazards

 PERSPECTIVE Standards: These identify product characteristics

such as material thickness or steel storage containers for flammable
and combustible liquids

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TYPES OF STANDARDS

 DESIGN Standards: These identify specific design or technical

characteristics of a product

 MANAGEMENT Standards: These set out standards for quality

management (ISO 9000) or environmental management system
(ISO 14000)

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STANDARDS COUNCIL OF CANADA

 The National Standards System (NSS) is the system for

developing, promoting and implementing standards in Canada.
 The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) coordinates the NSS.
 The SCC is a Federal Crown Corporation (FCC).
 It accredits more than 250 organizations involved in:
• Standards development
• Product or service certification
• Testing and management systems registration

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STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS (SDO)

 There are 4 SDOs in Canada: CSA, ULC, CGSB, and BNQ

 They organize standards development, testing, certification, and

management system registration

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STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS (SDO)

1. Canadian Standards Association (CSA):

• Founded in 1919, the CSA is the largest and oldest SDO in

Canada

• Private sector, not-for-profit

• 1800 Standards in 37 technology areas

2. Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada (ULC):

• Established in 1920

• Private sector, not-for-profit

• 240 Standards

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STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS (SDO)

3. Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB):

• Government sector

• Cover areas related to the Canadian federal government

4. Bureau de Normalisation du Québec (BNQ):

• Government sector

• Cover areas related to the Quebec provincial government

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CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES

 Monitoring and verifying compliance with standard:

• Certification

• Testing

• Management system registration

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TESTING ORGANIZATION

 Determines whether a product or service meets the appropriate

standard

 200 accredited Testing Organizations

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REGULATIONS

 “An authoritative rule dealing with details or procedures (safety,

etc..)”

 “A rule or order issued by an executive authority or regulatory

agency of a government and having a force of law”

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INCORPORATING STANDARDS & REGULATIONS

 Standard may include all of the requirements of the regulation (eg.

Canadian Environment Protection Act)

 Regulation may include a standard that addresses part of a

behavior to be controlled (eg. Health Canada)

 Directly into statutes

 Reference into statutes

 Reproduced directly into regulations

 Used as guidelines

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STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

 Standards development organizations (SDOs) may develop a

standard in response to a request from anyone concerned.

 In deciding whether to develop a standard, the SDO first determines

whether an international standard exists and it satisfies the domestic
need.

 It then ensures that the various stakeholders can provide the

necessary funding.

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COMPARISON OF STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS
STANDARDS
• Standards Development process
• SDOs facilitate the development of standards in
response to requests from stakeholders
• SDOs seek consensus from all parties
• National Standard of Canada are automatically
reviewed and updated at least once every five
years
• Certification organizations, testing organizations
and management systems registration
organizations conduct conformity assessment
• Conformity Assessment
REGULATIONS
• Regulatory Development Process
• Government takes the lead in developing
regulations
• Government consult interested parties but do not
necessarily seek consensus
• Treasury Board requires regular reviews of
regulations to ensure their ongoing relevance and
currency
• Government enforce their regulations themselves
or at least remain accountable for enforcement
when they rely on others to carry it out
• Compliance Assurance
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ACCREDITATION OF CALIBRATION AND TESTING
LABORATORIES

 The SCC accredits labs on the basis of their ability to perform tests

in accordance with recognized standards and to adequately

document their findings.

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PRODUCT OR SERVICE CERTIFICATION

 Certification Organizations (COs) carry out tests to verify that a

product, product component or process meet the requirements of
the relevant standard.

 The CO then certifies products or services as conforming to the

standard and authorizes the manufacturer to use the CO’s logo.

 COs themselves are accredited by the SCC.

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USING VOLUNTARY STANDARDS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO
REGULATION

 Governments might be interested in promoting the development or

use of a standard for reasons other than wanting to incorporate it
into regulation.

 For example, governments can use voluntary standards to elaborate

or complement existing regulations.

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CONCLUSION

 Standards and standards-based conformity assessment processes

are important tools that government regulators can use in various
ways as alternatives to regulations, to supplement or provide
guidance to regulatory requirements or as part of regulations.

 Similarly, regulatory compliance assurance regimes can rely on all

or some of the standards-based conformity assessment processes:
using accredited labs for testing and calibration, accredited
certification organizations and management systems registrars.

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