ANSI Online to publish information on voluntary standards.
Press Release Summary:
ANSI Online will publish, on an ongoing basis, a series of snapshots of the diverse standards initiatives undertaken in the global and national standards arena. The latest selections include BSR/AIHA Z9.11-200x, Laboratory Decommissioning Standard, from ASC Z9, and BSR/CEA 608-E-200x, Line 21 Data Services, from the CEA, which offers a technical guide for using and providing closed captioning and other Line 21 data for the NTSC video signal.
Original Press Release:
Voluntary Standards Cover the Spectrum: from Laboratory Decommissioning to Closed Captioning
In an effort to communicate the vital role that standards play in daily life, ANSI Online will publish, on an ongoing basis, a series of snapshots of the diverse standards initiatives undertaken in the global and national standards arena, many of which are performed by ANSI members and ANSI-accredited standards developers. Two of the latest selections follow:
Laboratory Decommissioning
When laboratories are vacated, all chemical, radioactive and biological materials, sharps and other wastes must be removed and disposed of properly. Commonly referred to as decommissioning, this important process ensures that the laboratory space is safe for its next use.
BSR/AIHA Z9.11-200x, Laboratory Decommissioning Standard, is a new standard from ANSI-Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) Z9 that provides guidance for the decommissioning of all or parts of laboratory facilities.
The new standard offers methodologies to document, monitor, and verify the decommissioning process, including ways to determine acceptable risk given the facility's intended future use. The document also identifies stakeholders and their roles, responsibilities, and relationships, and provides criteria for the development of a decommissioning plan.
ASC Z9 is responsible for the development of health and safety standards for ventilation systems in industrial, manufacturing or construction operations. An ANSI member and accredited standards developer, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) serves as the secretariat for ASC Z9.
Closed Captioning and Other Line 21 Data Services
First used on American television in March 1980, closed captioning has become an invaluable resource for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or learning a new language. As video plays on the screen, text captions are displayed that transcribe speech, music, and other plot-relevant sounds.
Closed captions are encoded into Line 21 of the vertical blanking interval - a part of the television picture. Captions may appear in a number of different styles, including roll-up or scrolling, most commonly used for live events, and pop-on or block, used for most pre-taped television and film programming.
A new standard from ANSI member and accredited standards developer the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) provides a technical guide for using and providing closed captioning and other Line 21 data for the NTSC video signal.
BSR/CEA 608-E-200x, Line 21 Data Services, includes a provision for the encoding and decoding equipment that is used to produce Line 21 data, as well as information for manufacturers of television receivers. The document also serves as a usage guide for the production and distribution of closed captioning and other data services.
