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 for various types of equipment. These standards, used by virtually all manufacturers, help to ensure 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 through the years. OPEI-sponsored standards are:

B71.1 - 2003 - Powered Lawn Mowers and Garden Tractors

B71.3 - 2005 - Snow Throwers

B71.4 - 2004 - Commercial Turf Type Equipment

B71.6 - 2000 - Shredders and Grinders

B71.8 - 1996 (R) - Tillers

B175.1 - 2000 - Chainsaws

B175.2 (R) - 2000 - Blowers

B175.3 - 2003 - Trimmers and Brushcutters

B175.4 - 2006 - Cut-Off Machines

ANSI standards are subject to review every five years. The organization responsible for the standard (in this case, OPEI) must either reapprove the standard, revise the standard, or withdraw the standard. Some outdoor power equipment standards undergo revision more frequently than every five years because of changes in technology, receipt of new data relating to injuries, or other reasons to ensure that the equipment is state-of-the-art.

Standards Maintenance

OPEI standards are under periodic review. Suggestions for improvement of these standards will be 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 the OPEI Standard Development Procedures, click here. If you have any questions, please contact OPEI at 703-549-7600.

OPEI member companies spend millions of dollars each year to participate in standards-related meetings and to conduct testing and research necessary to support these efforts.

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 ISO and IEC membership together with management 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 participation in those technical areas of work where U.S. interests have indicated support. Each participation is implemented by the selection/establishment of U.S. technical advisory groups (U.S. TAGs) for ISO technical committees or subcommittees.

To assure that positions presented to ISO are representative of U.S. interests, a mechanism must exist for the development and coordination of such positions. These procedures provide such a mechanism. Reference should also be made to Annex B, "Criteria for Development and Coordination of U.S. Positions in the International Standardization Activities of the ISO and IEC" included in these procedures.

ANSI nomally looks to the body that develops national standards in a 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. TAGs for specific ISO activities. Where no national standards group exists, or is available to serve, or where several separate national standards groups exist, special bodies will be established for this purpose to serve as U.S. TAGs.

The makeup of U.S. TAGs may include participants from companies, technical and trade organizations, government agencies, and individuals. (Source: ANSI Procedures for U.S. Participation in the international standards activities of ISO; Edition: January 2004; Issure Date: May 3, 2004, Foreword)

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 of activities.

For more information on how to become a member of the US TAG TC 23 SC 13 - Powered Lawn and Garden Equipment and US TAG TC 23 SC 17 - Tractors and Machinery for Agriculture and Forestry/Manually Portable Forest Machinery, please contact OPEI/US TAG Administrator at 703-549-7600 or at kwoods@opei.org.