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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Technical Advice => Topic started by: Thomas Brookes on November 23, 2008, 11:32:30 AM
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Anyone sat on a British Standards Technical committee?
How does it work?
What happens at the meetings?
What is the time commitment?
Are the meetings held at BS Hq?
How many people are on a technical committee.?
And finally can a individual make a difference?
If anyone knows the answers, but does not want to discuss in open forum please email me.
Thanks
Tom
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The following comments are based on my experiences on FSM/24 up until mid-1997 so may be slightly out of date.
The appointment of someone to a BSI Committee is usually because the organisation you work for has been invited to supply a representative. Occasionally former members who have left the organisation they represented to go elsewhere or have retired are invited back because of their experience.
Each Standard has a 'top' committee which finally approves BSs and oversees the work of the sub-committees which may be set up to write particular parts of a standard. The top committee also liaises with CEN and ISO on international standards and appoints representatives from the BSI committee to give the UK's view at CEN and ISO meetings.
There is a full-time BSI staff member who is the Committee secretary. They are responsible for calling meetings, issuing the Agenda and all the paperwork, taking the Minutes and circulating them and reminding the Chairman if things are not being done correctly in meetings. Paperwork can be extensive - each separate item is individually numbered for easier reference before, during and after the meeting. It was not uncommon for the papers to form a pile 2 to 3inches (50-75mm) high when placed on my desk!
Most BSI Meetings are for a day. Time commitment varies and depends much on the needs of your organisation for internal consultation and reporting back. While representing Fire Research, I reckoned on two to three days to read through the documents, consult anybody else I needed to, a day for the meeting and another day to report back to colleagues as I felt necessary. Meetings were 3 or 4 times a year
The meetings are mostly held at BSI HQ which is almost literally on top of Gunnersbury station. This is particularly convenient for the BSI staff as they are then close to the paperwork. But if for some reason members agree to hold the meeting elsewhere, then they can do so.
The size of a committee varies depending on the organisations who are represented. BSI tries to get a balance between the trade supplying the items under consideration and users and official bodies who might get involved with such items. The one I was on had abut 3 dozen members but it was rare to get every single one along to a meeting.
Yes - individuals can make a difference. Very trite example - we were looking at proposed ISO standards for hosereels which included a test on water flow through the hose. The one for 'layflat' type hose (as opposed to the round rubber hose we use in the UK) completely failed to mention that you would need to unwind the 'layflat' hose completely from the reel to carry out this test - and I was able to point this out with a subsequent alteration to the standard before it was published.
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Thanks John,
I have recently been asked to sit on a technical committee and do not want to go into it blind. Any other information greatly apriciated
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Thanks John,
I have recently been asked to sit on one and do not want to go into it blind.
there is a very immature joke in that somewhere,,,,
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Sorted it thanks Graeme
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Sorted it thanks Graeme
Awake at this time !
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You will usually find the Secretary and Chairman most accommodating for new members and the Secretary can often give help by phone or e-mail before or after meetings. Most members of the committee will appreciate you need a little time to work your way in and the meetings are usually conducted clearly by the chairman - well, the ones I went to were! You may find out you already know other committee members and it helps to sit next to someone you know for your first meeting or two as they will be able to give you a steer from time to time.
I was sorry to leave the Committee I'd been on - it was sometimes tedious but more often had both interest and the potential for getting to know others in the fire safety community.
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Thanks John,
I might contact you a bit nearer the time for a chat if thats ok.
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Tom;
Please let's know, how it looks like ones you get there! :)
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I have sat on BS committees continuously since 1976, with a short break between 1978 and 1982. I spend a lot of time thinking about Joanna Lumley between listening to whats going on. I remember a fire brigade rep who used to sit on a committee in the 1980s. He used to spend all his time drawing spaceships. They were lovely spaceships, with multi coloured flames coming out of the exhaust, highly detailed and positive works of art. He never used to say anything unless the word fire brigade were uttered, at which point he would spring into life, parking his spaceship momentarily, mainly to say something inane , like we wont accept that. Have fun.
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Thanks Colin,
Not quite what I was hoping for but thanks anyway.
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You dont like Joanna Lumley????????
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In her younger days Oh yes.
Its going to be a nightmare now, i will be at the first meeting and guess what im going to be thinking Purdy in the New Avengers.
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Yes I find that always works when CEN committee reports are being received.
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Does the ceremony begin before or after the funny handshakes?
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I was hoping for nipple tweeking
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I think there might be a horrible misunderstanding! :'( ;D
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BSI used to run training courses for new members. I found them quite useful, I think they may now be horrible web based things.
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I have sat on BS committees continuously since 1976, with a short break between 1978 and 1982. I spend a lot of time thinking about Joanna Lumley between listening to whats going on. I remember a fire brigade rep who used to sit on a committee in the 1980s. He used to spend all his time drawing spaceships. They were lovely spaceships, with multi coloured flames coming out of the exhaust, highly detailed and positive works of art. He never used to say anything unless the word fire brigade were uttered, at which point he would spring into life, parking his spaceship momentarily, mainly to say something inane , like we wont accept that. Have fun.
Are we now expected to take BSs seriously? I always thought they were riddled with contradictions and statements seemingly plucked out of the air. Now I know why.
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I had best go buy some coloured pens and a New Avengers book.
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Which one are you joining Thomas? Can you say?
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Im not sure if I can say or not, ill check and let you know.
Thats why I was asking for the low down on what happens, Ive been asked to sit on 4 committees for one of the bodies I am a member of.
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Hello Colin,
Sat on first committee FSH 12-3 weds last week, your apollogies were noted, where can i get a Joanna Lumley picture book from.
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Welcome to the club. I try and eat as many of the free biscuits as I can.