History and Creation of British Standards
– BSI Group established in 1901 by the Engineering Standards Committee
– Initially aimed to standardize steel sections for British manufacturers
– Expanded to cover various aspects of engineering, including quality systems and safety
– Led by James Mansergh
– Goal was to make British manufacturers more efficient and competitive
– BSI Group does not directly produce British Standards
– Standards work within BSI is decentralized
– BSI establishes a Standards Board
– Sector boards are set up within the Standards Board
– Technical committees within sector boards approve British Standards
British Standards and their Status
– British Standards titled as ‘British Standard XXXX[-P]:YYYY’
– XXXX represents the standard number
– P represents the part number (if applicable)
– YYYY represents the year the standard came into effect
– BSI Group currently has over 27,000 active standards
– Standards undergo continuous review and development
– Status keywords include Confirmed, Current, Draft for public comment, Obsolescent, Partially replaced, Proposed for confirmation, Proposed for obsolescence, Proposed for withdrawal, Revised, Superseded, Under review, Withdrawn, Work in hand
– Each keyword indicates the status and stage of the standard
Examples of British Standards
– BS 0: Standard for standards, specifying development and drafting of standards
– BS 1: Lists of rolled sections for structural purposes
– BS 2: Specification and sections of tramway rails and fishplates
– BS 3: Report on influence of gauge length and section of test bar on the percentage of elongation
– BS 4: Specification for structural steel sections
– BS 7: Dimensions of copper conductors insulated annealed, for electric power and light
– BS 45: Report on Dimensions for Sparking Plugs (for Internal Combustion Engines)
– BS 86: Report on Dimensions of Magnetos for Aircraft Purposes
– BS 153: Specification for Steel Girder Bridges
– BS 308: Deleted standard for engineering drawing conventions, absorbed into BS 8888
British Standards for Specific Applications
– British Standards for Industrial and Commercial Applications
– BS 4142: Methods for rating and assessing industrial and commercial sound
– BS 4293: Residual current-operated circuit-breakers
– BS 4343: Industrial electrical power connectors
– BS 4573: Specification for 2-pin reversible plugs and shaver socket-outlets
– BS 4960: Weighing instruments for domestic cookery
– British Standards for Construction and Building
– BS 5252: Colour-coordination in building construction
– BS 5400: Steel, concrete, and composite bridges
– BS 5499: Graphical symbols and signs in building construction
– BS 5544: Anti-bandit glazing resistant to manual attack
– BS 5837: Protection of trees during construction work
– British Standards for Electrical Installations and Safety
– BS 6312: Telephone plugs and sockets
– BS 6651: Code of practice for protection of structures against lightning
– BS 7671: Requirements for Electrical Installations (IEE Wiring Regulations)
– BS 7919: Electric cables rated up to 450/750 V for industrial environments
– BS 8233: Guidance on sound insulation and noise reduction in buildings
– British Standards for Information Security and Management
– BS 5750: Quality management (ancestor of ISO 9000)
– BS 7799: Information security (ancestor of ISO/IEC 27000)
– BS 7909: Code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment
– BS 7925: Software testing
– BS 7971: Protective clothing and equipment for use in violent situations
– British Standards for Various Industries and Applications
– BS 5950: Structural steel
– BS 5993: Cricket balls
– BS 6008: Preparation of tea liquor for sensory tests
– BS 7901: Recovery vehicles and vehicle recovery equipment
– BS 8888: Engineering drawing and technical product specification
Miscellaneous Facts
– BSI Group currently has over 27,000 active standards
– BS 308 is a deleted standard for engineering drawing conventions, absorbed into BS 8888
– British Standards undergo continuous review and development
– Each keyword indicates the status and stage of the standard Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Standards
British Standards (BS) are the standards produced by the BSI Group which is incorporated under a royal charter and which is formally designated as the national standards body (NSB) for the UK. The BSI Group produces British Standards under the authority of the charter, which lays down as one of the BSI's objectives to:
Set up standards of quality for goods and services, and prepare and promote the general adoption of British Standards and schedules in connection therewith and from time to time to revise, alter and amend such standards and schedules as experience and circumstances require.
— BSI Royal Charter, Faller and Graham
Formally, as stated in a 2002 memorandum of understanding between the BSI and the United Kingdom Government, British Standards are defined as:
"British Standards" means formal consensus standards as set out in BS 0-1 paragraph 3.2 and based upon the principles of standardisation recognised inter alia in European standardisation policy.
— Memorandum of Understanding Between the United Kingdom Government and the British Standards Institution in Respect of its Activities as the United Kingdom's National Standards Body, United Kingdom Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills
Products and services which BSI certifies as having met the requirements of specific standards within designated schemes are awarded the Kitemark.
