The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) oversees the development and implementation of voluntary consensus standards in the United States. The organization grants industry associations, such as MHI, status as an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer (ASD), thereby authorizing it to create standards. This includes standards developed by MHI’s industry groups, such as the Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA). While ANSI doesn’t create the standards, it does ensure that the development process is open, balanced, fair, transparent, and involves stakeholder consensus. This assures users of ProGMA ANSI Standards — including product owners, users, designers, purchasers, or specifiers — that the contents are relevant and applicable to their situation.

Two published ProGMA ANSI Standards — and a third one currently under development — address the design, construction, and testing of specific types of protective guarding equipment, explained Pat Davison, Director of Standards at MHI. Davison works with MHI’s industry groups as a technical advisor for ANSI standard development.

“The ANSI standards created by the members of ProGMA establish consistent test methods to evaluate performance characteristics of certain protective guarding solutions,” he said. “Previously, no standardized test methodologies existed to assess how these guarding products respond to an impact. That made it extremely difficult for buyers to compare similar products from different manufacturers.”

ProGMA ANSI Standards Available

ProGMA currently publishes two ANSI standards:

ANSI MH31.1 Steel Mesh Containment Panels Used in Pallet Rack and Vertical Storage System Applications: Performance and Testing Requirements

This standard covers steel mesh containment panels. Also called rack safety panels, rack guarding, or rack back, the panels attach to the uprights, backs, and sides of industrial storage systems. When secured properly, the panels contain items falling from overhead storage positions. This reduces the chance of a falling product striking a worker or equipment at floor level. The panels also secure and guard automation used within the racking, like automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS).

ANSI MH31.1 provides guidance about design, operating, and testing practices to assess the degree of deflection a panel might sustain under a quantifiable impact load. It also details performance criteria and operational requirements. This information helps users determine the optimal way to deploy steel mesh containment panels in their operations.

ANSI MH31.2 Test Method for Crash Testing Industrial Guardrail Barriers and Barrier Posts

This standard applies to steel and/or polymer bollards, industrial facility protection guardrail, and industrial pedestrian guardrail. Mounted directly on ground-level concrete, industrial guardrails safeguard personnel, products, and property. In a warehouse or manufacturing operation, they create a barrier between motorized vehicle traffic and pedestrians in designated walkways. Operations also install them around critical equipment, rack structures, automated machinery, and facility features — such as columns, corners, walls, electrical or ventilation equipment, and more — to protect against impacts.

ANSI MHI31.2 describes a test method to determine the impact rating designation of a specific guardrail product. The test setup meets a specific gross vehicle weight (ranging from 9,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds). It also offers a choice of three travel speeds prior to impact: 3.0, 5.0 or 7.0 miles per hour. The test results show the degree of impact protection the product will provide based on the vehicle speed. They also indicate the optimal spacing between the protective guardrail and the item it safeguards to avoid contact.

Standards Development Process Ensures Relevance

Creating a new standard is a time-consuming and thorough process, Davison noted. That should inspire confidence among protective guarding equipment users about its relevance to their application.

Draft Developed First

“First, representatives from the different manufacturers of the product in question work together to draft a document that establishes the parameters the standard will include,” he said. “Before it can become an ANSI standard, it must undergo review and gain consensus from multiple interest groups. That is, persons the standard would affect.”

With the ProGMA standards, Davison continued, there are six different interest groups. They include manufacturers, users, distributors or integrators, laboratories or researchers, government or regulatory bodies, and general interest.

Reviewers Must Reach Consensus

“At the onset of the approval process, the authors of the proposed standard create a consensus body of reviewers representing each interest category. To ensure fair and equal representation, no single category can exceed one-third of the total consensus team,” he explained. “For example, if 10 manufacturer representatives participate, then there must be at least 30 others in the consensus body from the different interest groups for balance.”

The reviewers examine the standard draft and provide comments and insights. They also propose revisions. The draft team integrates the recommendations, and the review process repeats until consensus is reached.

“With the ProGMA ANSI Standards, the reviewers consider their relevance in a real-world application. They’re looking for common denominators across user groups or potential purchasers,” added Davison. “They’re asking, ‘does this test method reflect reality?’ or ‘will the performance claim resulting from the test be useful in making an informed purchasing decision?’”

Formal Standard Review Required Every Five Years

Finally, to ensure an ANSI standard remains relevant and up-to-date, ANSI requires its authors to formally review it every five years.

“The edits could reflect a new technology, share a more accurate testing methodology, clarify uncertain language, or include an alternative procedure,” Davison continued. “Regardless, the consensus body again reviews any proposed updates, then grants its approval.”

New ProGMA ANSI Standard for Topple Protection Barriers in Development

ProGMA members are deep in the process of developing a third ANSI standard to establish a standard testing methodology for topple protection barriers. Installed around floor-stacked pallet loads — which can reach heights in excess of 20 feet — these barriers resemble a tall fence. Their purpose is to prevent falling stacked items from encroaching into pedestrian walkways or areas with other products or machinery.

Davison said the new standard will apply to barriers made of steel and of polymer. “The standard outlines a testing process that simulates the effect of a load resting on the barrier for a specific length of time,” he explained. “The results will demonstrate the barrier’s ability to remain in place, and to return to its original position after the load is removed.”

The consensus body has already reviewed the first draft of the topple protection barrier standard and provided comments, Davison said. “The draft will likely go through one or two more reviews before it’s finalized. I expect it to be published by the end of this year.”

Get Additional Insights into Protective Guarding Solutions

ProGMA members are available to review and advise on potential guarding solutions for a variety of industrial applications. Further, they further offer a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), a Protective Guarding Search Tool, and a Protective Guarding Checklist to help ensure compliance and safety throughout key facility areas. Visit ProGMA’s website for more information.