INDUSTRY STANDARDS (IGC, IS, PS AND TS)

The IAPMO Industry Standards undergo a rigorous development and revision procedure with the input from interested stakeholders including manufacturers, city officials, building and plumbing inspectors, and product distributors through our open consensus standards development process. This includes a 20-day public review period, where the draft standard is published on our public review webpage. The standard is presented for review and adoption to the IAPMO’s Standards Review Committee (SRC) members, a standing body of experts in product review and certification, before the industry consensus standard is published. The IAPMO SRC members meet every other month to review proposals for new IAPMO standards and changes to existing standards. The SRC meeting schedule and previous discussion items can be viewed here.

IAPMO develops and maintains standards with the following designations:

• IGC: “IGC” is the designation used for consensus industry standards that cover products not yet addressed by existing standards.
• IS: “IS” is the designation used for consensus industry standards that cover installation practices for plumbing products.
• PS: Like IGCs, these consensus industry standards were also developed to cover innovative products not addressed by existing standards. All newly developed industry product standards are now designated as “IGC.”
• TS: “TS” is the designation used for consensus industry standards that cover trailer and recreational vehicle products.

Historically IGC stood for “Interim Guide Criteria” and was later renamed to “IAPMO Guidance Criteria.” Further, the “PS” designation is no longer used to avoid confusion. The “IS” designation is used for installation standards and the designation of “TS” is used for those standards that cover trailer and recreational vehicles. The policies and procedures requires that after 8 years of the publication of an Industry Standard, an industry standard may be further developed under the ANSI approved development process.

All Industry Standards (IGC, IS, PS, and TS) must adhere to robust and rigorous policies/procedures. These robust and rigorous procedures, along with the need of quality standards that address the safe use of products, have led to codes and regulations requiring compliance to IAPMO Industry Standards such as IGCs and PSs.

IAPMO Industry Standards help resolved many challenges we face today such as drought conditions and leak detection. To help resolve such domestic and global issues, some manufacturers have requested our assistance in creating IGCs for the following applications, some of which are required by the Codes:
- IGC 324 “Alternate Water Source Systems” for graywater applications”
- IGC 330 “Recirculating Shower Systems” for showering applications”
- IGC I15 “Automatic Leak Detection”
- IGC 349 “Electronic Plumbing Supply System Integrity Protection Devices”

When a new and novel product comes to the market, the industry must have confidence that the product will function as intended, but most importantly, it is safe for public use. There are many standards that started out as an Industry Standards and now are a normal part of our lives. Overtime, IAPMO Industry Standards have become widely accepted in various Jurisdictions around the Nation and other parts of the world.

NATIONAL STANDARDS

IAPMO's national standards are developed via an open consensus process, in accordance with the ANSI Essential Requirements: Due process requirements for American National Standards and the IAPMO Policies and Procedures for Consensus Development of American National Standards, and approved by the respective standards committee. ANSI standards go through a 45-day public review and are approved by the Plumbing Standards Committee (PSC).

The Standards Department is also accredited by SCC (Standards Council of Canada) for development Canadian National standards which opens an additional opportunity for propagation of consensus standards through the Standards Department. IAPMO National Standards of Canada (NSC) are developed via an open consensus process in accordance with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Canadian Development, Program Overview and IAPMO PP-2:2019 Policies and Procedures for Development of National Standards of Canada. NSC standards go through a 60-day public review process and are approved the Plumbing Standards Committee (PSC) which has representation from both U.S and Canadian stakeholders.

IAPMO develops and maintains standards with the following National Standards:

• ANSI: IAPMO ANSI standards are consensus standards that cover products and materials that are approved as ANSI and/or NSC standards. Please visit IAPMO ANSI for information on IAPMO ANSI standards. Please visit IAPMO National Standards of Canada (NSC) to get more information on IAPMO NSC standards. IAPMO ANSI standards are designated as “Z.” For example, IAPMO Z601 for scale reduction devices.
• ASSE: ASSE product and professional standards are developed through true industry consensus. This means that experts from all segments of the plumbing and mechanical industries, from across the country, gather to determine the minimum performance and knowledge requirements for products and professionals. Please visit ASSE for more information on ASSE standards.

The dual accreditation (ANSI/CAN) puts IAPMO in a unique position where standards can be developed for both the U.S and Canadian industry. Furthermore, the dual accreditation makes IAPMO part of only a very small group of Standards Development Organizations (SDO) to have such a recognition.

IAPMO is involved in key roles such as being a voting member of the SCC Standards Development Organization Action Committee (SDOAC) and as voting member to the Canadian National model codes for the both plumbing and HVAC. Furthermore, IAPMO’s involvement with ANSI includes the Board of Standards Review (BSR), Executive Committee, and ANSI’s Board of Directors.

SERVING THE INDUSTRY

As technology rapidly improves, the IAPMO Standards Department is ready to meet the needs of the industry. The customer and progressive services offered by IAPMO Standards Department is, by far, the best in the industry. The industry looks to IAPMO for their entire product standard needs. We’re continually open to suggestions and are thinking of new ways to further enhance our services to better serve you — manufacturers, industry, and society.

The country’s improving economy has prompted manufacturers to develop new innovative products and modify their existing products in effort to enhance functional product features. These activities continue to incline in the present.

There has never been a better time to have IAPMO Standards Department develop your product’s standard to help get it tested and certified for enhanced marketing within today’s rapidly emerging market, but it all begins with development of your product’s performance standard. Please browse the IAPMO Standards’ services.

All this is done to confirm that IAPMO’s Standards Department strives to continue development and revision of all its Industry, ANSI, and NSC national standards in a thoroughly consensus and comprehensive manner as possible. I can be reached directly at hugo.aguilar@iapmo.org or by phone at 909-472-4111 for any questions or assistance.