[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 188 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50582-50583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24107]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket No: 960726209-6209-01]


Consensus Standards Organization Under the Fastener Quality Act

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Fastener Quality Act (Act) (Pub. L. 101-592) as amended by 
Public Law 104-113 requires that certain fasteners sold in commerce 
conform to the standards and specifications to which they are 
represented to be manufactured. For the purposes of the Act, the 
fasteners covered by the Act are those manufactured in accordance with 
the standards and specifications published by a consensus standards 
organization or by a government agency. This announcement provides a 
provisional list of ``consensus standards organizations,'' and seeks 
comments on this list from interested organizations and individuals. 
Specifically, NIST is interested in receiving comments on: (1) Why any 
of the U.S., foreign national, or international organizations listed in 
this notice should not be defined as ``consensus standards 
organizations''; and (2) if there are additional U.S., foreign 
national, or international organizations which produce standards for 
the manufacture or alteration of fasteners, as those terms are defined 
in the Act and regulations, that should be defined as ``consensus 
standards organizations.'' Following the comment period, NIST will 
publish a final list in the Federal Register.

DATES: Comments will be accepted until December 10, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Subhas G. Malghan, NIST, Building 820, 
Room 316, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Tel. No. 301-975-4500. Telefax 301-
975-2183. E-Mail M[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with section 3(2) of the Act, 
NIST reserves the right to add or delete organizations from its list of 
``consensus standards organizations'' at any time, based upon decision 
criteria contained in this notice. Prior to amending the list, NIST 
will notify affected organizations and provide an opportunity for 
comment. As defined in the Act, the American Society for Testing and 
Materials (ASTM), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Society of Automotive 
Engineers (SAE) are ``consensus standards organizations.'' According to 
an industry source, nearly 95% of the commercial fasteners in the US 
and Canada are manufactured using standards and specifications 
developed by ASME, ASTM, and SAE. Therefore, any US or foreign 
standards-setting organization that wants to be recognized under the 
Act and regulations, has to meet the same criteria as these 
organizations to be included in the list of ``consensus standards 
organization.''

A. United States ``Consensus Standards Organizations''

    The Act defines ``consensus standards organizations'' as ASTM, 
ANSI, ASME, and SAE, or any other consensus standards-setting 
organization determined by the Secretary of Commerce to have comparable 
knowledge, expertise, and concern for health and safety in the field 
for which such organization purports to set standards. According to 
this definition, the following nineteen organizations have been 
provisionally determined by NIST to be ``consensus standards 
organizations'' within the meaning of Section 3(2) of the Act, as 
amended; and listed below in alphabetical order.

1. American Architectural Manufacturers Association, AAMA
2. American Boilers Manufacturers Association, ABMA
3. American Concrete Institute, ACI
4. American Gas Association, AGA
5. Aerospace Industries Association of America Inc., AIA/NAS

[[Page 50583]]

6. American National Standards Institute, ANSI
7. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME
8. American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM
9. Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association Inc., BHMA
10. Brick Institute of America, BIA
11. Cooling Tower Institute, CTI
12. Door & Hardware Institute, DHI
13. International Staple, Nail & Tool Association, ISANTA
14. National Electrical Manufacturers Association, NEMA
15. National Fluid Power Association, NFPA
16. National Particleboard Association, NPA
17. Society of Automotive Engineers International, SAE
18. Steel Tank Institute, STI
19. Underwriters Laboratories Inc., UL

B. Foreign and International ``Consensus Standards Organizations''

    The Act permits the sale in the United States of fasteners 
manufactured in accordance with standards and specifications published 
by a foreign, regional, or international ``consensus standards 
organization'' or by a government agency of a foreign country. In 
accordance with the above definition of consensus standards 
organizations, NIST has provisionally determined within the meaning of 
Section 3(2) of the Act, as amended, that the following are ``consensus 
standards organizations'' in foreign and international arena. These 
organizations are listed below in alphabetical order.

1. Association Europeene des Constructeurs de Materiel Aerospatial 
(AECMA)
2. Association Francaise de Normalisation (AFNOR)
3. British Standards Institution (BSI)
4. Civil Aviation Authority Airworthiness Division (CAA)
5. European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
6. British Defense Standards (MOD) UK
7. Deutsches Institut fur Normung e. V. (DIN)
8. European Community (EC)
9. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the 
National Member Bodies of ISO
10. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
11. Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC)
12. Verband Deutscher Electrotechniker, e.V. (VDE)
13. National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)

    Dated: September 16, 1996.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 96-24107 Filed 9-20-96; 8:45 am]
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