Standards & Codes

A standard is a "document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose." (ISO, 2013) Standards that are incorporated into law or government regulations are often referred to as codes.

Organizations that develop standards are called standards developing organizations (SDOs) or standards setting organizations (SSOs). This includes organizations, committees, companies, governmental agencies and other groups. There are hundreds of thousands of standards and codes in force worldwide.

Standards apply to everything from Christmas trees to nuclear power stations and children's toys to medical scanners. Standards are why a smartphone made in South Korea will work on a North American cell phone network.

Here are some of the principal resources for locating standards and codes:

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You can also check Omni for print or microfiche copies of standards.  

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