Links

Looking for a Web site on ISO or standards in general? Here are some sites that the Quality Progress staff and readers found.

www.ams.usda.gov/standards/stanfrfv.htm
Ever wonder what the standards are for the grades of globe artichokes in the United States? Have a walnut that needs classifying? This site, run by the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides complete PDF versions of USDA fruit and vegetable quality standards. More than 100 standards cover fresh market fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables for processing, and nuts and specialty crops.

www.ansi.org
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) site provides access to information on the ANSI Federation and the latest national and international standards related activities. It includes events, membership, databases and an online reference library.

www.iso.org/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage
This site represents the International Organization for Standardization, known as ISO, and provides information on ISO 9000, ISO 14000 and more than 13,000 international standards for business, government and society. Press releases, news, events, speeches and presentations are all available on the site to keep users current.

www.ISOft14000.com
Information related to ISO 14000 assessment and certification is provided on this site. There are links to databases; lists of consultants, certified companies and registrars; a bookstore; and a news page.

www.niso.org/index.html
The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) develops standards for libraries, bibliographic and information services, and publishers. So far, NISO has published 34 standards, all of which can be downloaded in full from this site. The site also includes drafts of standards in development by NISO, a calendar of events, links to other standards organizations and information on NISO membership.

www.powerstandards.com/tutor.htm
This page, part of the Power Standards Laboratory website, provides extensive information on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) electric power standards. Most of the information is in the form of detailed minutes from IEEE meetings. An especially useful resource is the power quality terminology glossary.

www.praxiom.com
This site, called “ISO Translated Into Plain English,” delivers exactly what it promises through a comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand, definition list and a simple theoretical overview of the ISO 9000 series. Praxiom Research Group discusses ISO 9001, 9002 and 9003 requirements, as well as ISO 9000, 9004, 10011 and 10013 guidelines. Users can also review a quality system development plan, which Praxiom says will help companies implement ISO 9000.

www.pji.com/freeinfo.htm
Perry Johnson Inc. is a consulting and training organization specializing in ISO 9000. While its website promotes its paid services, it also includes helpful free information. Visit this link to order free videos and booklets on various standards. This page brings up a big form but you don’t have to fill it out to explore the site. Instead, just click on the "standards" link to view summaries of several quality methods, including ISO 9000, Six Sigma, hazard analysis and critical control points and current good manufacturing practices.

www.qaaudits.com
Concise information on recent standard changes, including those relating to AS9000/AS9100, ISO 9000:2000 and TL 9000, is offered on this commercial site. There are several links to standards related quality sites.

www.rabnet.com
The Registrar Accreditation Board's (RAB) homepage offers searchable databases of auditors, training courses and accredited registrars. Users can download free criteria and application packages for several certifications, including RAB environmental auditor, quality management systems (QMS) auditor and QMS internal auditor and International Auditor and Training Certification Association QMS auditor. Other features include the latest news from RAB and the conformity assessment community, sections devoted to quality and environmental management systems programs and a website feedback form.

standardsgroup.asq.org/news/psi/index.html
The Product Support Initiative (PSI) is an effort launched by the authors of the ISO 9001:2000 standard to measure user satisfaction, with the goal of continually improving the standard. It revolves around an online survey that every ISO 9001:2000 registered organization is encouraged to fill out. Visit this site for information on PSI and a link to the survey. Questions give the opportunity for feedback on which parts of the standard are the most useful, which are the most difficult, the audit experience and more.

And ASQ’s Resource Directory, can help you locate companies that provide quality programs and services.