What’s in a standard? BS, ISO and more, explained…

The BSI Group is responsible for setting the standard of products, procedures and services across 80,000 clients operating in 172 countries. With the company motto of: “Making excellence a habit,” this is no mean feat.

When looking into buying a park or holiday home, some of the technical jargon can be overwhelming at times, but the BSI Group’s standards are in place to make every component of a product safer and to a particular level in quality of construction and function.

The British Standard (BS) number is what you’ll usually read about, but you may come across its international sibling, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) number in some areas of production. The shortened name comes from the Greek "isos," meaning "equal."

BS3632 – Residential Park Homes Specification

The British Standard for our industry was first published in 1963 under the heading of “Specification for permanent residential caravans.” It has since been changed to “residential park home” to avoid ambiguity.

BS3632 details the technical needs and codes of practice for all aspects of park or holiday home design, production and siting. These include: measurements and sizes, fire safety issues, ventilation, preservation, maintenance, water, gas and electrical issues, along with all other areas of construction and habitation safety concerns.

What are the standards all about?

Established in 1901, The British Standards Institution (BSI) was the world's first national standards body. Whether it’s for the steps involved in making a product, providing a service, or ensuring a process is correctly undertaken, the standards are essentially agreed ways of doing something.

National, European and ISO standards are reviewed every five years. The committee (see below) decides whether the standard needs to be withdrawn, confirmed or reconfirmed, amended or revised. This decision will lead to a new proposal for work (see step one).

How are the standards created?

• Anyone can suggest an idea for a new standard, known as a proposal for work.

• All ideas for these new standards are assessed.

• If an idea is approved, then a project is created.

• The committee, made up of people spanning all areas of the industry, drafts the standard.

• The draft is then issued for enquiry.

• The committee considers the comments from the enquiry.

• The updated draft is issued for final approval.

• Once the document passes the final approval stage, it is published.

The committee – who’s involved?

In order to cover all aspects of building and using park and holiday homes when it comes to creating the standards that all manufacturers strive to follow, every corner of the market as to be covered.

Representatives responsible for drafting each revision of BS3632 include the following industry bodies...

• British Holiday & Home Parks Association

• National Caravan Council

• The Camping and Caravanning Club

• The Caravan Club

• Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officer’s Association

• Department for Transport

• Institution of Electrical Engineers

• LP Gas Association

• National Prefabricated Building Association

• Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

For more information visit the BSI Group website.

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