This website provides access to meeting announcements, meeting minutes, reference documents and working drafts of standards for each working group involved in developing wheelchair seating standards under the auspices of ANSI/RESNA and ISO.

Background

In June 1998, RESNA's Technical Guidelines Committee authorized the formation of the Standards Subcommittee on Wheelchair and Related Seating and four interrelated working groups to begin work on voluntary wheelchair seating standards. Three working groups are focused on issues related directly to industry standards on wheelchair seating: Terms and Definitions for postural measurement (WG-TD), Tissue Integrity/Pressure Management (WG-PM), and Postural Support Devices (WG-PS). The fourth group deals with seating for use in motor vehicles (WG-MV) and is monitored within the Transportation Safety Standards /SOWHAT website.

Anyone can participate in one or more working groups. However, voting on draft standards is limited to those who have attended or otherwise participated in working group meetings, and are thereby designated as "active" participants. The ANSI/RESNA operating guidelines, that governs the conduct of ANSI- designated working groups, are available for viewing through a link on the ANSI/RESNA page.

International Collaboration

The ANSI/RESNA Standards Subcommittee on Wheelchairs has a 20 year history of active participation in respective committees of the International Standards Organization (ISO). In October 1998, four identical new work items on wheelchair seating were approved by ISO/TC-173/SC-1. A new ISO working group, WG11-Wheelchair Seating, was formed (Geoff Bardsley, Convenor). The work item on seating for transportation was assigned to WG-6 (Aleid Hekstra, Convenor). Since the initial working drafts for each part were identical for both ANSI/RESNA and ISO, this created a unique opportunity for enhanced harmonization between the U.S. and international efforts. This website is, in part, dedicated to serve that purpose.

Generally, the ANSI/RESNA working groups actively participate within the ISO groups in an effort to support the development of international standards. This approach optimizes access to very limited world-wide research resources, as well as creates an industry-wide standard that facilitates export and import of new products across borders without regulatory barriers. For example, the FDA in the U.S. accepts ISO wheelchair tests as verification of 501K compliance. Once the ISO seating standards are finalized, the ANSI/RESNA group will decide whether to adopt the developed standards as a U.S. national standards. The ANSI/RESNA committees and working groups convene at least once a year at the annual RESNA conference in order to coordinate national activities and decision-making. The ISO WG11 group meets 2-3 times per year to develop the draft standards.

Participation

Those interested in becoming RESNA working group members, active or email only, should contact Allen Siekman (allen@beneficialdesigns.com). Those interested in becoming ISO WG11 participants should contact Geoff Bardsley (geoff@tortc.tuht.scot.uhs.uk).

More Background Information