ANSI Z133

K

KCGuy

Location
KCMo
Folks,
The revised ANSI Z-133 standards are due to be posted for general discussion in a month. Anybody know what's changed? (Or proposed to be changed?)
 
There are many small changes that no one will discuss. They involve wordsmithing, not a change in the standard. There are other changes that might have significant impact on our work. The addition of the crane issues will be a big one. From what I remember though, there shouldn;t be too much to wrangle about in the way the crane practices are written.

There will be some issues that will generate discussions. I talked with Peggy Curid at the ISA this week. Her goal is to have the proposed changes posted sometime this week. When they are up, I'll start a seperate thread about the proposed changes.

What everyone needs to know is that this is our opportunity to give the Z committee feedback. This is about as close to a democratic process for regulations as we can expect. If there is a proposed change that generates lots of volume the committee will consider the input. In addition to reading the proposed changes and chatting with the crew and talking about it on the forums, you'll need to give the ISA feedback. The ISA is the secretariat for the Z so all feedback is registered with them. The Z committee will be meeting at ISA in Nashville. If anyone is interested in sitting in on the meeting let me know, I will let you know where/when the meetings is scheduled. Right now, I'm not a voting member of the committee.
 
Tom,
I sit on the Standards Committee of the Midwestern Chapter. We developed this committee because too oten we were hit with de facto rules and regulations (e.g. ANSI standards, Best Practices Publications, et al), for which and with which we had no input.
It initially started over the ANSI Z60.1 standards (ANLA). Since then, it's become the "Standards" committee. We read and react only.
I have to admit that ISA has done an extraordinary job of "agreeing with us"... hee-hee. In other words, we have no complaints... but the ISA reps sit on many other committees, and we have a hell of a time finding out what these committees are doing.
We pays our dues, we wants our input, ya know?
Heretofore, we have been satisfied with ISA reps and their input, but what ever happened to the democratic process? We only send out a newsletter three or four times a year. How do we best communicate to our members the changes anticipated?
I know... the members all receive the ISA magazines. But small businessmen receive so much data that there has to be some sort of criteria for selection.
I do not recall voting for folks who represented me concerning the ancillary ANSI standards. Do you? Did you?
We all have two months (60 days) to comment upon new standards... what about those who don't have access to the net via work (City of KCMO Certified Arborists)...
What about those who happened to miss that article? Are they no longer important? Do their views not count?
We are now a muti-national force. We should act like one.
Are we now going to say (as it appears), "... we have recently re-written the rules upon which your business operates, and here they are...", or should we not say, "... we are in the process of updating the rules upon which your business operates, you have X MONTHS to provide input"...
Just a B, itch, I know...
 
KC,

I'm not clear about what you mean about being on a local Z committee. I've never heard of that before. Can you tell me how that ties together with the Z committee that meets in the DC area, Baltimore the last few times, twice a year?

The way that I've stayed in touch with the goings-on is to be on the mailing list from the ISA. If you want to be on the list, get hold of Peggy Curid at ISA.

The process is what it is. Communication is via the net because that is the best way to keep in touch. If people want to be connected they would need to make the effort I guess. I don't know what you mean by:

"what about those who don't have access to the net via work (City of KCMO Certified Arborists)..."

Everyone has access to the net. Libraries have connections or maybe they would have to go to a friend's house. Like any process it might not be perfect but it does work. You're here and in the loop. You can be the water-carrier to your team. When I find out about the Z posting to the web I'll let the staff at the Rocky Mtn. Chapter and the Minnesota Chapter know so that they can email blast the membership. What if a person isn't an ISA/ TCIA member? How do they find out? Make an effort just like you do. This is hardly a secret process you can agree. Much like the election process, it's the responsibility of the populace to make an effort to stay in touch.

Membership on the Z committee isn't really a representative process. If a person wants to be a member they show up at a meeting, make an application and the standing committee votes to accept. The process actually takes two meetings which means a year lead time. I don't know of anyone not being voted in. This is actually becoming a problem because the committee has gotten to be quite large. ANSI doesn't allow any committee to limit membership though as long as the person is qualified. And that standard is pretty broad. Anyone can attend the Z meetings and make comments but the voting priveledge is limited. There have been some pretty hot debates at any of the meetings that I've attended.

I'm really looking forward to the discussion that might develop about the revisions. Stay tuned, don't change the Bat Channel.
 
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