What do the various standards mean?

There are several industry standards that are relevant to life safety equipment, each with their own specific requirements and testing procedures.

• UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme) is an international organization that sets standards for climbing and mountaineering equipment, including safety harnesses, carabiners, and ropes.
• NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) sets standards for firefighting equipment and personal protective equipment, including harnesses, ropes, and other equipment used in rescue operations.
• CE (Conformité Européene) is a European Union standard that indicates that a product has been tested and meets certain safety, health, and environmental protection requirements.
• EN (European Norms) is a set of standards developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) that applies to a wide range of products, including personal protective equipment (PPE) such as harnesses, helmets, and ropes.
• CSA (Canadian Standards Association) is a Canadian standards organization that develops and maintains standards for a wide range of products, including PPE and rescue equipment.
• ANSI (American National Standards Institute) is a U.S. standards organization that develops and maintains standards for a wide range of products, including PPE and rescue equipment.
• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is a U.S. government agency that sets standards for workplace safety, including requirements for fall protection and personal protective equipment.
• AS/NZS (Australian/New Zealand Standards) is a set of standards developed by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand that applies to a wide range of products, including PPE such as harnesses and helmets.
• EAC (Eurasian Conformity) is a standard that applies to products sold in the countries of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia
• EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) is an agency of the European Union with responsibility for civil aviation safety.
• UKCA (United Kingdom Conformity Assessment) is the new UK product marking that will be used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) from 1 January 2022, which replaced CE marking after Brexit.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories) is an American safety consulting and certification company that test and certify products for safety, performance and quality, including personal protective equipment and fall protection equipment.
• NFPA 1983 is an American standard for personal protective equipment for firefighters.
• UL Classified, UL Listed, UL Recognized, UL Verified etc. are certifications that indicate that a product has been tested and met certain safety and performance standards by UL.

These standards are important because they provide a way for manufacturers and users to know that equipment has been tested and certified to meet certain safety requirements and is safe for use. When selecting life safety equipment, it is important to look for equipment that has been tested and certified to meet relevant industry standards, as this will help to ensure that the equipment is safe and reliable.