Here’s a question. Have you ever had a burning question about standards, but don’t know where to turn for a reliable answer?

Well, our team of research professionals at the BSI Member Enquiry Service are on hand to help.

Every day, they answer questions about all kinds of standards-related queries. Here are just a few of them that came up recently.

How do I find the British equivalent to an American standard?

That’s something we hear a lot. In standardization, ‘equivalent’ refers to one standard being a direct adoption of another without modifications. BS standards often cover similar topics as US ones, but they are not automatically equivalent. However, in cases where no direct equivalents exist, related standards on the same topic may be available. If BSI members provide relevant keywords, we can conduct a subject search in our standards reference database to identify any potential British standards on the specific topic.

Why do some standards still refer to a standard that has been withdrawn?

In general, when a standard refers to another standard and notes the date of publication, that means that it’s that particular edition of the standard that needs to be cited. Even if there’s a newer version out. (When no date of publication is specified that means that it’s the current edition that needs to be cited, whichever edition it may be.)

By the way, although withdrawn standards are not recommended for use for new equipment, they need to be retained to provide for the servicing of equipment that is expected to have a long working life, or due to legislative issues. However, it is worth noting that withdrawn standards are no longer maintained by the Technical Committee.

Withdrawn publications are not considered current and do not have standard status. Whether they continue to be used or not is a contractual matter between the parties concerned.

I would like to know what standards are applicable for the products we design and supply, is this something you can help with?

If you are a BSI member, we can conduct a detailed subject search using our standards databases. Just provide us with your BSI membership account number and some key words for your search. We can then send you a list of standards that match the search criteria. In addition, we can supply supporting information such as the content pages and scope of relevant standards from that search.

If you are not a BSI member, you can find standards on your topic by using the search facility on our e-commerce site: BSI Knowledge. You will be able to search for standards on a relevant subject by using keywords and phrases.

We are in the process of expanding our products reach to other markets/domains in the UK so how can we make sure our products comply with all the regulatory standards here?

From 1 January 2021, the relevant Secretary of State ‘designates’ standards for regulatory conformity purposes to meet UK regulation that applies in Great Britain. This replaces the way it used to work via the European Commission’s citation of harmonised European standards in the Official Journal of the European Union. The government ensures that the standards designated for the GB market meet the required levels of safety or energy efficiency.

The UK has stated that it will designate for relevant UK regulations all harmonised European standards that are currently cited in the OJEU from 1 January 2021. You can find the details of designated standards through a listing here.

The government has laid legislation to continue recognition of current EU requirements, including the CE marking (Conformité Européene, or European Conformity marking). The legislation will apply indefinitely for a range of product regulations. This means businesses will have the flexibility to use either the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) or CE marking to sell products in Great Britain (GB).

We want to see a particular detail in a standard. Would it be possible to check for us or, if not, allow a time when we can view the standard?

Yes, BSI members can book a 2-hour online session with us to consult the standard.

The appointments are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and we will need at least 24-hour notice.

If you have a question about finding the right standard for your business, just ask.

Contact us on knowledgecentre@bsigroup.com or +44 20 8996 7004

We're here 09:00am – 17:00pm, Monday – Friday, and we'll aim to reply within 24 hours (UK business hours).

Discover more about BSI Membership

Become a BSI member and you’ll be joining over 11,000 organizations committed to making positive change through standards. You’ll get extra support in implementing standards via a team of research professionals and stay up to date with relevant changes to standards with a monthly spreadsheet. Your personalized Membership certificate and digital Membership badge will help your organization stand out from the competition too. And every member enjoys a 50% saving on British Standards and 50% off subscriptions to BSI Knowledge and BSI Compliance Navigator. Members also get 10% off ISO and other foreign standards. Find out more about BSI Membership here.