2009-09-02

Call for interest: Proposal for a new work item proposal on Asset Management

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is seeking feedback on the development of three new international standards on Asset Management, submitted by the British Standards Institution (BSI) to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The purpose of Asset Management is defined by BSI as being the "systematic and coordinated activities and practices through which an organization optimally and sustainably manages its assets and asset systems, their associated performance, risks and expenditures over their life cycles for the purpose of achieving its organizational strategic plan". The management of physical assets is linked to the management of other asset types, such as life cycle management. The international standards would address these other asset types.

The BSI proposal recommends that a family of 3 standards should be prepared.

a) Asset management – Overview, principles and terminology

b) Asset management – Requirements

c) Asset management – Guidelines on the application of ISO number ??? (where ??? represents the number of the proposed "Requirements" standard)

• Proposed Scope of (a) Asset Management:
• an overview of the asset management family of standards;
• an introduction to asset management;
• a description of the underlying principles of asset management and examples of the application of asset management principles;
• a brief description of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) methodology and its application within the asset management standards; and
• details of the terms and definitions for use in the asset management family of standards.

Proposed Scope of (b) Asset Management-Requirements:

• establish an asset management system to optimally and sustainably manage its physical assets over their life cycles or over a defined long-term period;
• implement, maintain and improve the management of its assets;
• assure itself of conformity with its stated asset management policy and strategy;
• demonstrate conformity with this International Standard by

1) making a self-determination and self-declaration, or
2) seeking confirmation of its conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or
3) seeking confirmation of its self-declaration by a party external to the organization, or
4) seeking certification/registration of its asset management system by an external organization.

Proposed Scope of (c) Asset Management-Guidelines on the application:

• provides guidance on the establishment, implementation, maintenance and improvement of an asset management system and its coordination with other management systems.
• aid understanding and implementation by means of examples and illustrations.

As the official Canadian member of ISO, the Standards Council of Canada is seeking feedback on ISO’s proposal from Canadian experts. All responses submitted to SCC will be considered and used to generate a Canadian position on this proposal. Experts are invited to consider the following when formulating a response:

• Is the proposed scope relevant and does it use appropriate terminology, or is the scope too broad or too specific?
• Will the development of this proposed standard impact your sector negatively or positively and why?
• Will the development of this proposed standard benefit your sector or will it pose challenges?
• If this field of technical activity is regulated, will the proposed development of this standard complement it or not?

The deadline for submission is November 2, 2009.

For more information, or to submit comments including support for or opposition to the proposal, please contact Lynne Gibbens, Senior Program Officer ISO via email, [email protected] or by telephone +1 613 238 3222 ext. 452.