Global InformationAmerican National Standards Institute information
 | This article needs to be updated. (July 2020) |
 | |
| Abbreviation | ANSI |
|---|---|
| Formation | October 19, 1918[1] |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) private |
| Purpose | National standards |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. 38°54′14″N 77°02′35″W / 38.90389°N 77.04306°W |
Membership | 125,000 companies and 3.5 million professionals[2] |
Official language | English |
President and CEO | Joe Bhatia |
| Website | ansi |
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI /ˈænsi/ AN-see) is a private nonprofit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States.[3] The organization also coordinates U.S. standards with international standards so that American products can be used worldwide.
ANSI accredits standards that are developed by representatives of other standards organizations, government agencies, consumer groups, companies, and others. These standards ensure that the characteristics and performance of products are consistent, that people use the same definitions and terms, and that products are tested the same way. ANSI also accredits organizations that carry out product or personnel certification in accordance with requirements defined in international standards.[4]
The organization's headquarters are in Washington, D.C. ANSI's operations office is located in New York City. The ANSI annual operating budget is funded by the sale of publications, membership dues and fees, accreditation services, fee-based programs, and international standards programs.
Many ANSI regulations are incorporated by reference into United States federal statutes (i.e. by OSHA regulations referring to individual ANSI specifications). ANSI does not make these standards publicly available, and charges money for access to these documents; it further claims that it is copyright infringement for them to be provided to the public by others free of charge. These assertions have been the subject of criticism and litigation.[5][6][7]
- ^ "Minutes". American Engineering Standards Committee (AESC): 1. October 19, 1918.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
membershipwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ RFC 4949
- ^ ANSI 2009 Annual Report
- ^ American National Standards Institute (February 13, 2017). "U.S. District Court Rules in Favor of Copyright Protection for Standards Incorporated by Reference into Federal Regulations".
- ^ Mike Masnick (July 7, 2016). "Standards Body Whines That People Who Want Free Access To The Law Probably Also Want 'Free Sex'". Techdirt.
- ^ Trey Barrineau (September 13, 2016). "Court Hears Crucial Case Over Access to Standards". The USGlass News Network.