Standard cross-reference table

Common mistakes, and what to ask for

The commonest mistake in looking for equivalence is carrying the table into the contract. A cross-reference table is a tool for understanding.

A sentence in a contract equating two standards leaves it unclear which text governs when a dispute arises. The contract rests on one standard, and the table only explains what that standard asks.

The second mistake is confusing the retroreflector standard with the body standard. The text governing the body does not govern the retroreflective material; they are separate documents, separate measurements and separate reports.

A product conforming on the body says nothing about its reflector.

One sentence removes most of the uncertainty when asking for a quotation. To which standard is the product made, and which class does it meet under which report?

A supplier who cannot answer that in writing has not had it measured. Their quotation cannot be judged on the same scale as the others.

A third field belongs in the specification: when the measurement was taken. A report obtained years ago does not describe today’s product if the line or the raw material has changed.

The date of the report matters as much as the class.

The year of the standard belongs in the specification too. A standard with the same number is revised over the years and class definitions can change.

Without the version, the two sides may be reading different texts.

A cross-reference table does a third job: by showing where each standard is silent it reveals the gaps in a specification.

Where a standard is silent the supplier is free, and that space is filled by the buyer.

Standards information is gathered before entering the tender. A document asked for at quotation stage is far easier to obtain than one asked for after signature. A post-signature request usually turns into delay.

Finally, a standard is not a guarantee of quality. That a product is made to a given standard shows it meets what that standard measures. Everything the standard does not measure remains the buyer’s question.