The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Inc.

OPEI Sponsored Safety Standards

The outdoor power equipment industry, working through the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has developed numerous voluntary standards, used by virtually all manufactures, help to ensue that major hazards associated with the use of the equipment are addressed.

The first standard, which applied to lawnmowers, was published in 1960, with subsequent revisions and changes made throughout the years. OPEI has since published the following standards:

B71.1-2003 - American National Standard for Consumer Turf Equipment - Walk-Behind Mowers and Ride-On Machines with Mowers - Safety Specifications

B71.10-2008 - American National standard for Small Off-Road Ground Supported Outdoor Power Equipment - Gasoline Fuel Systems - Performance Specifications and Test Procedures

B71.3-2005 - American National Standard for Snow Throwers - Safety Specifications

B71.4-2004 - American National Standard for Commercial Turf Equipment - Safety Specifications

B71.6-2000 - American National Standard for Powered Shredder/Grinders, Shredder/ Baggers, Chippers and Walk-Behind Chipper/ Vacuums - Safety Specifications

B71.8-1996 (R2005) - American National Standard for Outdoor Power Equipment - Walk- Behind Powered Rotary Tillers and Hand Supported Cultivators - Safety Specifications

B175.1-2000 - American National Standard for Power Tools - Gasoline-Powered Chain Saws

B175.2 - 2000(R2005) - American National Standard for Power Tools - Hand-Held and Backpack Gasoline-Engine-Powered Blowers

B175.3-2003 - American National Standard for Outdoor Power Equipment - Grass Trimmers and Brushcutters - Safety Requirements

B175.4-2006 - American National Standard for Outdoor Power Equipment - Portable, Hand-Held, Internal-Combustion-Engine-Driven Cut-Off Machines - Safety Requirements

Standards Maintenance

Suggestions for improvement of these standards are always welcome. They should be sent to:

Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
341 South Patrick Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
PH: 703-549-7600
FX: 703-549-7604
E-MAIL: kwoods@opei.org

For a copy of OPEI Standard Development Procedures, click here. If you have any questions, please contact OPEI at 703-549-7600.

OPEI makes copies of its standards available to its members at no cost. Non-members may order copies of the standards from the ANSI eStandards Store.

OPEI also makes available to its members copies of its standards that existed prior to the most recent versions. These copies are available in hard copy only as a 4-volume set. Additional copies of the 4-volume set can be purchased through OPEI as follows:

OPEI Members - $200 per set
Non-Members - $ 450 per set

U.S. Technical Advisory Groups To ISO

Participation in international standards activities of interest to members of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) requires membership in two international non-treaty standardization organizations, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). ANSI's membership in these organizations provides U.S. interests with the opportunity to participate in the work of the ISP and IEC membership together with management and leadership. The U.S. National Committee (USNC) is responsible for the interface with IEC, and operates in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the USNC for IEC.

As the U.S. member body of ISO, ANSI is responsible for participants in those technical areas of work where U.S. interests have indicated support. Each participation is implemented by selection/establishment of the U.S. technical advisory groups (U.S. TAG's) for ISO technical committees or subcommittees.

The makeup of U.S. TAG's may include participants from companies, technical and trade organizations, government agencies, and individuals.

Membership shall be open to all U.S. national interested parties who indicate that they are directly and materially affected by the activity of the U.S. TAG, after being informed concerning U.S. TAG working procedures and scope activities.

For more information on how to become a member of the U.S. TAG TC 23 SC 13 - or the US TAG 23 SC 17, please contact the U.S. TAG Administrator at 703-549-7600 or at kwoods@opei.org.

Participation in international standards activities of interest to members of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) requires membership in two international non-treaty standardization organizations: the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). ANSI's membership in these organizations provides OPEI with the opportunity to participate in the work of the ISP and IEC membership together with management leadership. As a member body of ISO, ANSI is responsible for participation in these technical areas of work where U.S. interests have indicated support.

ANSI normally looks to the body that develops national standards in particular standards area to determine the U.S. position in a similar international standardization activity such national consensus bodies are designated by ANSI as U.S. Technical Advisory Groups (TAG's) for specific ISO activities. U.S. TAG's are administered by a U.S. TAG Administrator. OPEI serves as the U.S. TAG Administrator for two U.S. TAG's: ISP Technical Committee (TC) 23/Sub-Committee (SC) 13, Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry - Powered lawn and garden equipment, and ISP TC 23/SC 17, Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry - Manually portable forest machinery.

A U.S. TAG's functions include, but are not limited to:

Determining the U.S. position on ISO draft international standard, draft technical report, committee drafts, ISO questionnaires, draft reports of meetings, etc.
Providing adequate U.S. representation to ISO technical committee or sub-committee meetings, designate heads of delegations and members of delegations, and ensure compliance with the ANSI Guide for U.S. Delegates to ISO/IEC Meetings, including the Head of Delegation Report.
Determining U.S. positions on agenda items of ISO technical committee of sub-committee meetings and advise the U.S. delegation of any flexibility it may have on these positions.
Nominating U.S. technical experts to serve on ISO working groups.