A very standard British summer

• Treat your eyes right with a standard.  Most people know the importance of wearing sunglasses but there is a standard which allows you to select the right ones.  Make sure the shades you pick up conform to BS EN 1836: 2005 – just look out for the CE marking.  For those of you driving to your holiday destination this summer, the standard also specifies the types of lens filters suitable for use when behind the wheel.  Filter 4 lenses, which are unsuitable for this purpose, must carry a warning symbol and the words ‘Not suitable for driving and road use’ in order to meet the standard.
• Hanging out on our British beaches and going for the occasional dip?  A standard on beach safety flags will keep you out of trouble.  It standardises the meaning, function, shape, and colour of the different flags you see on the beach.  Thanks to BS 8504-1:2006 coastal authorities using this standard will know that they should hoist the truncated orange cone to indicate water unsuitable for inflatables or the black and white check to signal a surfing zone.
• If you’re heading to a festival this summer you might have found some useful instructions when you bought your tent, thanks to a standard.  BS EN ISO 5912:2005 states that guidance on choosing your pitch, understanding the wind direction, ventilating and packing of wet tents should accompany tents for sale.
• Next time you’re licking your 99 or Strawberry Mivvi, rest assured that BSI has all aspects of your ice cream covered.  Back in 1973 the Dairying Industry Standards Committee standardised the levels of inks and wax that should be used in packaging, keeping your lolly lickable. 

And on the off-chance that the British weather doesn’t perform this summer, BSI will also help keep you safe with a standard on waterproof clothing and avalanche beacons!

Drawn up by interested parties such as trade and consumer bodies, businesses and government, standards affect many aspects of our daily lives.  For the consumer they make life safer, healthier and easier and develop and maintain best practice.  The advantages for business include improving competitiveness and efficiency.  Standards are voluntary, and embrace and spread best practice.

For further information on any of the above or on BSI British Standards please contact Lucy Fulton on +44 (0)20 8996 7248.

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