BSI standards: how to find the right one quickly

To make the most of your BSI membership, you should be able to find standards quickly and easily. In order to do this, it is necessary to understand a few things about standards and your options in how to access and manage them.

Let’s look at what you need to know to be able to find the standards you want.

What are the different types of standards?

The identifier (name) of a standard gives you important information about that standard. All standards set out criteria or principles that let you make assumptions about a particular product, service or practice. However, not all standards are the same.

When you see ‘BS’ at the start of a standard identifier, this means it is a British Standard. European standards adopted for the British context start with ‘BS EN’, while international standards might include the prefix ‘ISO’ for the International Standards Organization or IEC for International Electrotechnical Commission.

Next comes a number that helps identify the specific document. If it is part of a series, a number will indicate this – for example BS 1234-1:2020 would be a British Standard, Part 1 of a multi-part series with the identifier 1234, published in 2020.

You might also wish to use documents that are not full standards, such as Published Documents (PDs) or Publicly Available Specifications (PASs). PASs are created when a private sponsor wishes to record a particular approach to a process, service or product but there is insufficient consensus to create a full standard. PASs often form the basis for developing a future standard.

BSI has also recently introduced Flex standards, which are iterative documents that can be produced quickly to record best practice in a fast-moving area. Flex standards are reviewed and amended frequently, helping to ensure that they keep pace with change.

How can you find standards?

There is no single best way to access standards, as this depends on the particular characteristics of each organization.

Using BSOL

If your organization uses multiple standards across different departments, British Standards Online (BSOL) might be the best way to access standards. BSOL acts as a standards management system, providing access for multiple users across multiple sites.

BSOL can be accessed using a subscription to pre-built modules, or through building your own personalized collection. This helps to reduce cost, and as standards are automatically updated, you can be sure you’re always using the most up-to-date guidance.

Using the Standards Development Portal

Standards are produced with input from experts on technical committees, who see the document through various stages of development to ensure that the final version represents a consensus view. As the UK National Standards Body (NSB), BSI has an important role in facilitating the development of new standards.

You can see standards that are under development on the Standards Development Portal, with details of proposed and draft standards. You can contribute to the development of standards within the portal – for example by suggesting changes to content proposals, commenting on drafts and proposing amendments.

Contributing to the development of standards can be rewarding and informative, helping you to learn about change in your industry and use your expertise to ensure that new standards are of the best possible quality. You might even choose to become a committee member yourself.

Using the BSI online shop

Individual standards can be bought online from the BSI shop. If you know the identifier of the standard in question, you can input those details or browse by popularity, goal (for example reducing cost), sector or subject (for example data protection).

It is also possible to search the shop using a keyword then refine the search using filters to select particular sectors, categories, publishers or the status of the standard (for example current or withdrawn). It is important to know the status of each standard as they are regularly reviewed and updated. Withdrawn standards can be useful – for example if you need to know what standard applied when a system was designed or a building was completed.

You can order standards in either hard copy (print) or soft copy (PDF) format, and a discount is applied for BSI members. Hard copies are posted to you; soft copies are available for immediate download for 8 days following the purchase.

Once you become familiar with the different options for identifying and accessing standards, it is quick and easy to find documents. Why not explore your options and find what suits you best?