The appearance of lawns and gardens contributes mightily to pleasant campus atmospherics that, in turn, supports the educational mission, philanthropic goals and brand identity. Playgrounds provide the opportunity for children to practice skills that will ultimately play a role in adult competencies such as the ability to collaborate with others, develop decision making skills, and successfully take on leadership roles, persevere in the face of distractions, and generate creative ideas. Many colleges and universities have botanical gardens that are open for instruction and public enjoyment.
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is one of the first names in standards setting in this domain. The landing page for its standards-setting enterprise is linked below:
Note that OPEI develops its suite according to the ANSI/NIST-ITL Canvass Method.*
OPEI has released the following title for public consultation:
OPEI B175.5-202X (N9) – (Standard) for Outdoor Power Equipment et. al
Canvass Committee response to the first draft is linked below:
Comments are due July 23rd.
We encourage our colleagues in exterior grounds and landscaping units to participate directly as a User interest in the OPEI standards development process. OPEI Standards Staff Contacts are listed on the OPEI Standards landing page. Start with Greg Knott (gknott@opei.org)
Noteworthy: OPEI is also ANSI’s US Technical Advisory Group administrator and the Global Secretariat for ISO TC/23 Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry. This makes sense since the machinery manufacturing has long since been a global industry. The landing page for that committee is linked below:
ISO/TC 23/SC 13 | Powered lawn and garden equipment
We maintain OPEI titles on the standing agenda of our Sport and Bucolia colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [18-155]
Category: Bucolia, Landscaping & Exterior, Sport
Colleagues: Jack Janveja, John Lawter, Richard Robben
