How to read a standard. And understand it better.

Confused about standards? Our Knowledge Team spends all day, every day helping BSI members find answers to their questions.

Some common themes emerge along the way. Here are some of the most asked questions you might be too shy to ask. And our answers too, of course.

1. Do the words ‘shall’ and ‘should’ mean the same thing in a standard?

Shall and should are not used interchangeably in standardization documents – the choice of wording has an important implication for how the document should be read. Where ‘shall’ is used, this indicates a requirement that must be followed. This is also known as a normative element of a specification.

On the other hand, where ‘should’ is used, this indicates that a recommendation is being made, also known as an informative element. Somewhat confusingly, in a standard ‘should’ is a normative element of a code of practice, but it is also used as an informative element of a standard.

To summarize:

Shall

• Specification requirement must be followed (normative)

Should

• Code of practice requirement must be followed (normative)
• Standard element is provided for guidance (informative)

2. What’s the difference between normative and informative references?

A reference is an external source that is related to a particular standard. References can be normative or informative.

•  A normative reference means you cannot apply the standard correctly without utilizing the referenced source.
• An informative reference contains material that can help provide additional information or guidance, which is useful but not indispensable.

3. Are amendments and corrigenda the same thing?

• An amendment and a corrigendum are both post-publication changes to a document, but they are made for different reasons.
• An amendment is a change that is made to bring a section of a standard up to date, based on a decision made by a committee. A corrigendum is a correction to fix something that is wrong in a document, such as a misprint or typing error.

If you are a PLUS (Private List Updating Service) customer, you can obtain corrigenda without charge whereas amended standards will cost the name as a new publication.

4. How can you tell what has changed in a new edition of a standard?

Revised ISO, IEC, CEN and CENELEC standards are often changed in fundamental ways and therefore a highlighted version of the revised text would not be useful, as there would be too many changes.

Where an amendment or corrigendum is made, these are tagged and highlighted in a text.

You can also ask the Knowledge Centre team to help you identify changes in a standard. They can also clarify the status of standards and their amendments.

5. Is it ok to photocopy standards?

BSI’s work is largely funded through selling standards - we cannot authorize the copying of standards and this is likely to infringe copyright law. Towards the end of each standard, there is a section setting out general copyright rules, which typically means copying is prohibited.

If you need additional copies of a standard, they are available via the BSI online shop. If you need to buy more than 100 copies of a standard, you qualify for a bulk purchase discount.

6. Are British Standards available in other languages?

If you would like to obtain a British Standard in another language, it’s worth asking the BSI Knowledge Centre team whether it has been translated into the desired language.

If you wish to produce a translation of a standard, you will need permission from the BSI copyright team. BSI may be able to help you find a translator through existing suppliers, although this is not guaranteed to be the most cost-effective option.

7. Can I use the BSI logo?

Like any organization, BSI has strict rules over how our logo is used. With written approval, trademarks such as the BSI Kitemark or Assurance Marks may be used. Find out more about using BSI branding or email brand@bsigroup.com for more information.

As a BSI Member, one of the best ways to publicly demonstrate that you’re committed to excellence and best practice is by displaying the new BSI Digital Membership badge. Include it on your website, emails and social channels, and customers and colleagues can click through to see a digital version of your BSI membership certificate. To get your BSI Membership badge, just contact our customer relations team on cservices@bsigroup.com.

If you have a question the Knowledge Centre could help with, just get in touch. The service is included in your membership fee.

Why not find out more about the Knowledge Centre in our FAQs?