As many of you already know, the ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard 003-2015 has been revised and edited to meet the new issues that affect our industry. The official new name is ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard 003-2015. The 003 is the third version accepted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and 2015 is the year it was accepted and published.

As the chairman of the Auto Glass Safety Council™ Standards Committee, I thought that I would explain, in the coming weeks, the wording and meaning behind some of the current changes. I may even try to translate some of the legalese that creeps into the language of a meaningful document like this one.

Let us start with the new scope of our standard. It reads:

New 1.1 Scope

An automotive glass replacement safety standard addressing procedures, education and product performance for motor vehicles falling within the guidelines of FMVSS 208-212.

Old 1.1 Scope

To develop and publish nationally recognized automotive glass replacement safety standards addressing procedures, education and product performance.

As you can see, the main change in the scope is the added reference to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 208-212. FMVSS 208-212 governs passenger vehicles and trucks weighing less than 10,000 pounds. Obviously, we want safe installations in all vehicles on the roadway, not just passenger vehicles. However, we needed the ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard to reflect the fact that safety comes from information provided to us by the carmakers and the adhesive companies that supply the materials.

How do we get that information?

We get this important information through the Federal Safety Standards that govern the carmakers and through the data given to us by our adhesive companies. Adhesive companies and carmakers work together to meet the Federal Safety Standards, providing us with technical data sheets and guidelines for safe drive-away times. So, if we install the glass and deliver the vehicle according to the Federal Standards and the published adhesive data, we must make the scope of our ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard define that clearly and succinctly.

I am frequently asked why the other Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (other that 208-12) aren’t mentioned in the ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard? In fact, they are. However, some of the standards don’t apply to all vehicles and others are addressed but not mentioned by number or regulation. Our Standard covers all of the pertinent federal standards.

For example, FMVSS 216a Roof Crush, does not apply to convertibles, so that particular standard isn’t mentioned in the “Scope” section which is meant to address all vehicles. Others, like FMVSS 111 Rearview Mirrors and 205 Glazing are mentioned in the body of the standard by their regulation numbers. The only other two federal standards that are not cited by name are FMVSS 118 Automatic Moving Panels and 214 Side Impact. These are referred to by specific standard guidelines in the body of the text.

Although they may at times be difficult to find, all of the Federal Safety Standards are addressed in the ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard. Our goal as technicians should be to simply follow the new ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard to ensure glass will be installed correctly and safely for our customers.

To view the full ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS™ Standard, click here.