October 12, 2007, Newsletter Issue #84: Standards for Jack Stand Equipment

Tip of the Week

Whether you are buying a 12-ton jack stand, 6-ton jack stand or 3-ton jack stand, you will see that material handling equipment such as jack stands can meet standards set by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). But what does that mean exactly?

According to ASME, standards set for equipment promote safety, reliability, productivity and efficiency. Standards can run from a few paragraphs to hundreds of pages, and are written by experts with knowledge and expertise in a particular field who sit on many committees. Standards are considered voluntary because they serve as guidelines, but do not of themselves have the force of law. ASME cannot force any manufacturer, inspector, or installer to follow ASME standards. Their use is voluntary. Standards become mandatory when they have been incorporated into a business contract or incorporated into regulations. So why have standards?

Standards are a vehicle of communication for producers and usersThey serve as a common language, defining quality and establishing safety criteriaCosts are lower if procedures are standardizedTraining is simplifiedInterchangeability. It is not uncommon for a consumer to buy a nut in California for a bolt purchased in New Jersey

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