How to find standards in the Library
A standard is a "a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose" (ISO: 2015).
Any standard is a collective work, drawn up by a committee of manufacturers, users, research organizations, government departments and consumers working together.
We use standards to achieve a level of safety, quality and consistency in products and processes.
Finding standards
- Standards available in the Library
- Obtaining standards not available in the Library
- Standards organisations
- Searching for standards
British Standards Online (BSOL)
Includes British Standards, ISO standards and Eurocodes. Imperial staff and students can purchase print versions at the subscriber price. FileOpen plugin is required to download standards. FileOpen is already installed on all Imperial PCs.
International
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) - covers all fields except electrical and electronic engineering
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) - for electrotechnical devices
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - for telecommunications and telegraphy
European
CEN European Committee for Standardization
CENELEC European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute
National
BSI (British Standards Institution)
These sites will help you search for standards information. There is usually a charge for obtaining the full text of a standard.