ISA considers standards compliance program

ISA—the Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society is studying the feasibility of a new program to document compliance with specific ISA standards. The society presently serves the professional development and personnel certification needs of its members with multiple credentialing options for individuals.

By Staff May 1, 2005

ISA—the Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society is studying the feasibility of a new program to document compliance with specific ISA standards. The society presently serves the professional development and personnel certification needs of its members with multiple credentialing options for individuals. A compliance program could help assure end-users and interested stakeholders that an eligible entity has conformed to the specific requirements of a particular ISA standard. Developing a standard compliance program would give ISA a new role in determining conformity assessment in addition to the society’s existing standards development role.

“Through compliance to ISA standards, users can have greater confidence that both software and hardware products, as well as implementation methods and solutions are helping them achieve the full benefits of automation. ISA is inviting input from users, vendors, and government agencies as we collect information on this proposed program,” says Ian Verhappen, ISA’s standards and practices VP.

A consultant will help ISA evaluate potential interest and the overall feasibility of the standard certification concept. Various ISA constituents will be contacted in coming months to provide input on this important issue by means of online surveys, telephone interviews, or as part of a focus group. Questions about this feasibility study can be e-mailed to Lois Ferson, ISA’s standards and technical publications manager, at lferson@isa.org .