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Regulatory
AN UPDATE FROM ASTM

Committees Refine Language & Standards PRINOTH & LEICA GEOSYSTEMS
ADD ACCURACY

BY EARL SALINE, NSAA DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAMMING, & MIKE LANE, NSAA DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL SERVICES

ASTM, THE GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER in the development Committee F27 On Snow Sliding TO YOUR PLANNING.
and delivery of voluntary consensus standards, oversees more & Water Sports
than 12,000 ASTM standards used throughout the world to This committee last met in July 2018, with the next meeting
improve product quality, enhance health and safety, strengthen to be held at Snowbird, Utah, this January 25, after NSAA’s
market access and trade, and build consumer confidence. Winter Conference and Tradeshow. F27’s scope includes
More than 140 ASTM technical standards-writing com- snowsports equipment, shop practices, and freestyle terrain.
mittees oversee various categories of industries, with different
standards in different stages of development at any given time. F27.70 Freestyle Terrain Jump Features
NSAA actively participates in those committees whose work This subcommittee continues to focus on testing of jump mea-
affects ski area operations and works to keep ski areas apprised surement techniques to identify the best method for the widest
of these developments. Here is the most recent update. (For audience to accurately measure jump features. NSAA, several
more information about ASTM and previous updates, visit ski areas, and others actively participate in this group, which
http://www.nsaa.org/safety-programs/astm-updates.) will conduct a measurement session on January 24 at Snowbird.

Committee F24 On Amusement Rides F27.50 Shop Practices (Retail & Rental)
& Devices Another notice regarding potentially incompatible combina-
The most recent meetings for this committee were in tions of boots and bindings was included in the Early Winter
October 2018. Work continues on the Adventure Attractions 2018 issue of the Journal. NSAA continues to warn areas
standards under F24.61 and the F2959 standard that addresses about this issue because of the potential for serious injury
the design, construction, and operation of zip lines, aerial to employees and consumers. The issues with incompatible
adventure courses, and ropes courses. equipment include the following:
In a previous update we mentioned the importance • The incompatibility can become a potential work comp
for areas to understand that there is a difference between issue for employees that utilize alpine touring (AT)
the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) equipment as part of their work. These include patrol-
standards and the ASTM standards. The Professional Rope lers, instructors, and any other ski area employees that
Course Association (PRCA) is yet another standard you ski as part of their work.
may have heard of. Consult your AHJ to determine which • Manufacturers may be promoting the fact that their
standard will be used for your project in the planning, equipment is “certified” compliant with European
building, and inspection processes. Please note, the USDA standards. Testing conducted by European agencies that
Forest Service uses the ASTM standards exclusively. “certify” the equipment as compatible is not consistent
Since the February 2018 meeting, ASTM has proposed with ASTM testing and standards.
removing exclusionary language from the F2959 standard, • This creates confusion for shop personnel and consumers
which limited the application of the ASTM standard to com- about which equipment is designed to work together.
mercial operations. Because of resistance to removing this
language and misunderstanding of the impact removing these It is recommended that areas consider the potential risk
exclusions will have, ASTM convened a small task group at to the employee and the area when adopting or reviewing
the October meeting to find ways of harmonizing the ASTM policies allowing the use of AT equipment. Consult with REDEFINING EFFICIENCY & PRECISION.
standards with the other standards. The goal in this harmo- your equipment representatives for the most up-to-date • Most accurate system on the market
nization effort is to identify where these standards currently product compatibility information, and your legal counsel • Polygon mesh rendering for precise terrain reading
align and gaps in the ASTM standard that can be addressed. for appropriate language for any releases you obtain. • Five measuring points: 3 on the blade and 2 on the vehicle
NSAA is a part of this harmonization task group as well as For more information about any of these topics, please • State-of-the-art in-cab monitor providing live feed
other working groups to improve the standard. contact NSAA at nsaa@nsaa.org. • Allows savings of up to 15% on operation costs

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64 | NSAA JOURNAL | WINTER 2019