Practical tips for standards development work

Participation on standards committees at national, European and international level is an opportunity to join in actively shaping standards, and thus to promote safe working conditions. Occupational safety and health needs committed experts to ensure that OSH requirements are considered early – and effectively – in the standardisation process.

Standardisation processes follow clearly defined steps. Beginning with the idea and formulation of a preliminary proposal, they progress through the draft standard phase to final voting and publication of the standard in its final form (see figure). Purposeful and effective action requires familiarity with the individual steps of the standardisation process and the opportunities to influence it at each stage. The same applies to the various functions within standardisation: delegates in European and international meetings present the positions agreed in the national mirror committee. Conversely, experts in working groups present their own professional opinion and are not bound to the national position. The technical work in the committees is organised and overseen by committee chairs and project managers, and at European and international level by convenors, secretariats and project directors.

Participants must also be familiar with the various types of document of the standards organisations at national, European and international level, and be able to assess their suitability for the subject matter that is to be addressed. Not all document types are suitable for requirements in the sphere of occupational safety and health, for example (for more information, see Standardisation policy - Fast-track standardisation documents and the KAN position paper on fast-track standards documents).

Shaping content through active involvement

Work on the standards committee offers the greatest scope for influencing the standard, as this is where the priorities of the technical work are defined and comments discussed. Active involvement in drafting the text provides an opportunity for safety and health concerns to be presented – at the source, so to speak. Clearly formulated factual arguments increase the prospects of a contributor’s own position being adopted at national level, and also being considered in the subsequent stage in discussions at European and international level.

Standards are produced first and foremost by the precise formulation of texts. Effective participation requires documents to be read thoroughly and desired amendments to be formulated clearly. Comments should be reasoned explicitly and comprehensibly, and should always include a suggestion for alternative wording. The requirements in standards must be suitable for application, unambiguous, and verifiable. Standards should reflect the state of the art; their purpose is not to promote competition. Advertising, covert preference for certain products or statements that raise antitrust issues must be avoided under all circumstances. If possible, participants should work continually in the standards committee for a longer period (or at least for the duration of a standardisation project) in order to foster a spirit of cooperation. The objective should always be for a consensus to be reached between all parties involved; recourse should be made to voting only in exceptional cases.

Should efforts to assert OSH interests by committee work and comments during the public enquiry be unsuccessful, the option exists in Germany of invoking the unanimous vote (more information on the unanimous vote (in German)). If the criteria for the unanimous vote are met, DIN is not able to adopt a position that conflicts with that of the occupational safety and health representatives. This means, for example, that DIN cannot support a standard at European level when the OSH representatives have adopted a unanimous position against the standard in question.

Networking often yields success

Standardisation work never takes place in a vacuum. Representatives present the perspectives of their organisations or companies. It is advantageous for them to reach agreement internally, both on technical content and on issues of strategy. This yields consistent positions that strengthen the case they make on the committee and avoid conflicts in subsequent stages.

Consensus-building is also of key importance at European and international level. Different cultures, technical approaches and national interests converge. A respectful attitude makes it easier to find allies and develop solutions together. Consequently:

• Show a willingness to compromise, without sacrificing key safety requirements.
• Make your points objectively and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
• Ensure that your contributions are clear, neutral and well reasoned.

Standardisation work is teamwork. Technical alliances – at both national and international level – make for a more compelling case. Informal discussions, bilateral agreements and pooling of experience between working groups are conducive to constructive solutions being found to tricky technical issues. Reliable partnerships are of great benefit, particularly for complex occupational safety and health issues.