American National Standards Institute - ANSI

What would we do without standards? And who sets them?

Whether it’s the impact resistance rating for safety glasses, plugs for electric appliances or the size of a light bulb socket, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has been working to have standards established for over 90 years. A non-government, private membership organization, ANSI does not actually set the standards. Rather they “coordinate and administer” with volunteer agencies both in the U.S. and overseas.

Members that actually set the standards include over 1,000 U.S. businesses, professional societies, trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, institutes, and consumer and labor groups, all working together to help to assure the safety and health of consumers and the protection of the environment. So the next time you are putting in a new sink and all the parts fit together with your pipes, you can thank ANSI.