standards

Standard

A Standard is a technical document detailing the requirements necessary to ensure that a material, product, service, or procedure is fit for the purpose it was intended. These requirements could include design, material, performance, manufacturing and testing requirements, including packaging and labeling.

Generally national standards are in two forms and these are Voluntary and Mandatory. Voluntary standards are put in place for business best practice so that there is a level of uniformity and acceptability of the quality and safety of a product. It is also important to note that voluntary standards are not enforced by law or regulation.

However, mandatory standards are what here are referred to as Compulsory Standards. Compulsory Standards contain mandatory specifications or minimum requirements that products must meet before they are supplied. Manufacturers of goods must ensure they follow a standard relating to their product of choice before it is introduced on the market to prevent or reduce the risk of injury or harm to a person or the environment.