Work Item Registration—New Internet-Based Tracking System Allows Worldwide Access to ASTM Work Items in Progress

摘要

How does a quality expert in China, a businessman in Venezuela, a Japanese steel manufacturer, a Brazilian defense contractor, or a U.S. construction engineer locate a draft of a new standard or a revision that is under consideration by an ASTM technical committee? If a stakeholder wants information about a new activity, what means does ASTM International have to support this request? What if a system could be developed to enable our global stakeholders to help themselves to this information? ASTM is pleased to announce a new system designed to initiate, develop, and track draft standards and revisions before and during balloting. Naturally, ASTM has always tracked its Work Items in-house. The only time, however, that a standard in development could be found by the general public on our Web site was when it reached the balloting stage and was posted on ASTM's Society Review Ballot pages. Information about standards work in stages other than Society Review was unavailable for public review. This new system will provide for registration of revisions and new standards upon inception so they may be tracked even before they go to ballot. Now, anyone who wants to know whether ASTM is developing or revising a specific standard will be able to perform a search for keywords, sign up for an e-mail advisory service that provides notification of new Work Items in their area of interest, and view a committee's jurisdiction for the item in question.