Table of Contents CHAPTER 1
Embrace the Standard Embrace—verb—em·brace \im-ˈbrās\—to take up especially readily or gladly.
ABYC EDU-4 On-Water Recreational Boating Skills–Instruction was created in part using public grant funding; therefore, it belongs to the public. All are encouraged to embrace the standard as their own and use them to the maximum possible benefit. The more educators use the standards, the more our waterways can be safe and fun for all boaters.
What are American National Standards?
American National Standards (ANS) are documents established to provide rules, guidelines, or characteristics for products, services, activities in which people engage, or the results produced by those activities. They provide a common frame of reference for standardizing the work of many different people in order to create a baseline level of consistency and quality.
ANSs are voluntary consensus standards that have been developed using the Essential Requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). 1
“ANSI facilitates the development of American National Standards (ANSs) by accrediting the procedures of Standards Development Organizations (SDOs). These groups work cooperatively to develop voluntary national consensus standards. Accreditation by ANSI signifies that the procedures used by the standards body in connection with the development of American National Standards meet the Institute’s essential requirements for openness, balance, consensus and due process.” 2
“In order to maintain ANSI accreditation, standards developers are required to consistently adhere to a set of requirements or procedures known as the ‘ANSI Essential Requirements’ that govern the consensus development process. Due process is the key to ensuring that ANSs are developed in an environment that is equitable, accessible and responsive to the requirements of various stakeholders. The open and fair ANS process ensures all interested and affected parties have an opportunity to participate in a standard’s development. It also serves and protects public interest since standards developers accredited by ANSI must meet the Institute’s requirements for openness, balance, consensus, and other due process safeguards.” 3
“That is why American National Standards are usually referred to as ‘open’ standards. In this sense, ‘open’ refers to a process used by a recognized body for developing and approving a standard. The Institute’s definition of openness has many elements, but basically refers to a collaborative, non-dominant, balanced and consensus-based approval process. The content of these standards may relate to products, processes, services, systems or personnel.” 4
Why were recreational boating skills standards developed?
The mission of the National Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Program of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) is to ensure the public has safe, secure, and enjoyable recreational boating experiences by implementing programs that minimize loss of life, personal injury, and property damage while cooperating with environmental and national security efforts. 5
1.
https://www.ansi.org/essentialrequirements 2. ANSI website:
https://www.ansi.org/about_ansi/introduction/introduction?menuid=1 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid.
5. Source: A Report on the Strategic Plan of the National Recreational Boating Safety Program 2012-1016;
http://uscgboating.org/content/strategic-plan.php
1 This Technical Support Document was produced in part through USCG grant funds to develop National On-Water Skills Standards. ©2022 United States Sailing Association. Facilitated by Think First Serve.
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