The NPES Product Safety and Technical Standards Advisory Group provides leadership worldwide in the development of industry standards and promotion of product safety. The group coordinates policy and action in the best interests of NPES members and the printing, publishing and converting industry through its Product Safety and Technical Standards Task Forces.

NPES administers 15 ANSI committees, subcommittees and task forces developing safety and technical standards; the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (US TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee 130 (Graphic technology) and six ISO working groups in the areas of prepress digital data exchange and safety of printing equipment.

In the area of product safety, NPES administers consensus standards programs operating under the guidelines of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop standards that promote the safe use of equipment and more uniform competitive conditions worldwide. The Association serves as secretariat to the ANSI-accredited B65 Committee. Members of the Product Safety Task Force also oversee NPES safety programs and work closely with the Government Affairs Committtee in pursuit of federal product liability law reform and other regulatory and legislative activities. In addition, the program provides:

• Information and programs to assist members in producing safe products for the industry

• Recommendations on ways which manufacturers, distributors and customers can work cooperatively to reduce the possibility of personal injury from products used in the graphic arts industry

• Connections to safety-related and standards organizations both domestically and internationally

• Information on product liability and insurance issues