'Does it fit, will it work and can Standards help?' – key consumer concerns at heart of international workshop

Does it fit, will it work and can Standards help?' was the subject of a workshop organised by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) committee on consumer policy (COPOLCO), in New Delhi, India, on 26 May 2009. Over 100 participants from consumer associations, public authorities, businesses, and from the national Standards bodies of some 30 countries, met to discuss how consensus-based international Standards can help meet consumer needs for interoperability of goods and services.

Asking questions like, 'why can't I install my new software properly', or 'why do I need so many different remote control devices', the workshop looked at:

• how international Standards can help achieve consumer expectations for cost savings, longer product life, greater convenience, and reduced waste
• areas where lack of interoperability poses safety risks to consumers and restricts their access to a full range of goods and services, fair prices, and information.

First step for ISO Standard on recall of unsafe products

The first meeting of the ISO project committee that will develop an international Standard providing a code of good practice for establishing, implementing, and managing efficient, flexible, and responsive consumer product recall programmes including corrective actions, took place in May 2009, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Project Committee (PC) 240, Product recall, agreed a publication target of 2012 for the new Standard (ISO 10393). ISO/PC 240 also agreed to harmonise efforts with other ISO committees developing Standards for consumer product safety (ISO/PC 243), anti-counterfeiting (ISO/PC 246), and combating fraud (ISO/TC 247).

Solaria Standard committee wins Standards Australia's 'outstanding committee award'

Summarised from 'Standards Rewards – Standards Awards 2008' article in Up magazine, Volume 12, 2009

In Australia, more than 8000 committee members contribute their time and effort to develop Standards. A handful of dedicated committee members have been recognised by Standards Australia in the 2008 Standards Awards for their meritorious involvement in the development of Australian and international Standards.

CS-064, the joint Standards Australia and New Zealand committee for solaria, was presented with the Outstanding Committee Award. Under the guidance of Craig Sinclair, Chair of the Committee, a major revision of the Standard for Solaria for cosmetic purposes was conducted and a new edition released in just 10 months.

NEW AMENDMENT

Free to download from our website: www.standards.co.nz
Or hard copy available at $29.95+GST (Members), $37.44+GST (Retail)

Amendment 1 to AS/NZS 1067:2003 Sunglasses and fashion spectacles

Applies to Clauses 1.1, 1.6.1, 1.6.2, 1.6.3, 1.6.4, 1.6.5, 2.3.3, 2.4.2.2, 3.4.1, 4.1.1 (Item (b)), 4.1.5, 4.1.6 (new) and Appendix C.