British Standards can be used beyond 2010

The BCSA has issued a memo to all members regarding a marketing circular being promoted by the British Standards Institute (BSI), that states four steel standards will be withdrawn in March 2010.

“The circular suggests that British Standards cannot be used after that date and that all designs must be in accordance with the Eurocodes,” said Dr David Moore, BCSA Director of Engineering. “Such a view is incorrect.”

The BSI is a member of the Committee of European Normalisation (CEN) and as such has an obligation to withdraw national standards that conflict with Eurocodes by the end of March 2010. However, this doesn’t mean national standards cannot be used.

The four standards in question are: BS 4076 1989 Specification for steel chimneys; BS 5950 Series structural use of steelwork in building; BS 5400 Series steel, concrete and composite bridges and BS 8100 Series lattice towers and masts.

Dr Moore explained that in a letter to Nigel Farage MEP dated 15 May 2007, Angela Smith MP (the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State) said that Approved Document A is a guidance giving acceptable methods of compliance with the Building Regulations. However, the list of documents contained within Part A is not exhaustive and, in effect, any established method of safety design can be adopted provided it has a proven history for safe design. Therefore, although our existing National Standards will not be referenced beyond 2010, it does not necessarily mean they cannot be used in the short term.

“BSI has a policy of reviewing national standards every five years. Therefore the four standards will be reviewed before 2010, to give them at least another five years of life to 2015,” said Dr Moore.