News & Press

WIA Standards Corner

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:03:00 GMT

Standards development activities will continue to advance in early 2026 with several important opportunities for engagement. ISO meetings will be held February 9–13, 2026, in Orlando, Florida, as a hybrid event allowing both in-person and virtual participation. The meetings will focus on ISO 19085 Parts -14, -12, -17, -8, and -4, with one part discussed each day in that sequence. These sessions will provide stakeholders the opportunity to contribute to ongoing technical discussions and revisions within the series.

In addition, a survey on the usage of standards was recently distributed to individuals identified as having an interest in standards development, including active participants in the ANSI Accredited Standards Committee O1 (ASC O1) and the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to ISO/TC 39/SC 4. The feedback gathered will help inform future standards priorities and engagement efforts. To review the survey results and provide an overview of opportunities to participate in these committees, a webinar has been scheduled for February 17, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Those interested in participating in any of these committees or future surveys are encouraged to contact Allison Forsythe at allison@woodindustry.org.

Stay Updated on Woodworking Machinery Safety Standards!

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 13:53:00 GMT

American National Standards

The Accredited Standard Committee O1 (ASC O1) continues to work on revising and updating ANSI O1.1-2013 (R2023) Woodworking Machinery Safety Requirements, ie. “the umbrella standard.” The committee is currently exploring options to convert photographs of woodworking machines referenced in the standard to line drawings to use as supporting illustrations.

The ASC O1 is also actively working on the first draft of the O1.1-7 draft standard on table saws. This is one of the machine-specific draft standards that the group plans to develop including:

O1.1-2 Safety Requirements for Gang Rip Saws
O1.1-5 Safety Requirements for Straight-Line Rip Saws
O1.1-6 Safety Requirements for Edgebanders
O1.1-7 Safety Requirements for Table Saws

Click here to learn more about the work of the ASC O1

Call for ASC O1 Participation

The ASC O1 continuously strives for balance across all interest categories and is currently seeking new members to represent the Distributor/Importer/Retailer interest category on the consensus body, defined as “One that imports, distributes and/or markets a commodity at either wholesale and/or retail prices.” If you are interested in participating in the development of American National Standards for industrial woodworking machinery, please complete the application.

ISO Standards

WIA is the administrator of the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which provides U.S. input into woodworking machinery safety standards being proposed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 39/SC 4 has been reviewing and submitting votes on to represent the U.S. viewpoint on the following draft international standards since their in-person meeting at WIC 2024:

ISO FDIS 19085-4 Vertical panel circular sawing machines
ISO FDIS 19085-5 Dimension saws
ISO FDIS 19085-8 Wide belt sanding machines and surface treating machines
ISO/AWI 19085-20 Horizontal cutting cross-cut sawing machines with one saw unit (radial arm saws)
ISO/AWI 19085-21 Double blade circular sawing machines for cross-cutting with integrated feed
ISO/FDIS 19085-7 Surface planing, thickness planing and combined surface/thickness planing machines
ISO/FDIS 19085-9 Circular saw benches (with and without sliding table)
ISO/FDIS 19085-11 Combined machines

There are currently no open ballots, however the ISO/TC 39/SC 4 is preparing for its annual in person working group and plenary meetings in Milan, Italy in late October 2024. Working Group 1 will be discussing Part 1: Common Requirements and Working Group 2 will be discussing Part 10: Building site/contractor saws.

Click here to learn more about the work of the U.S. TAG to ISO /TC 39/SC 4

Call for Subject Matter Experts

The U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 39/SC 4 is seeking Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to review draft international standards, provide technical comments and advise the TAG to represent the U.S. viewpoint on ballots related to the draft.

The TAG is actively searching for a SME for Part 21: Double blade circular sawing machines for cross-cutting with integrated feed.

If you or a colleague are interested in participating as a SME for Part 21 (or any of the other parts), please contact Nikki Augsburger at nikki@woodindustry.org.

Setting the Standards: WIA's Crucial Role in Woodworking Safety Standards

Wed, 15 May 2024 20:39:00 GMT

WIA is heavily involved in standards development, both at the U.S. and international levels:

WIA is an ANSI-accredited Standards Developer and serves as the Secretariat for the Accredited Standards Committee O1 (ASC O1), the consensus body that works to develop standards for the safe design, installation and use of woodworking and accessory equipment, used in industrial and commercial applications, having a total connected power of 3.7kw (5hp) or greater, or having 3-phase wiring.
Learn more about the work of the ASC O1
WIA is the ANSI-accredited U.S. TAG Administrator to ISO/TC 39/SC 4. This ISO subcommittee (SC) is responsible for the ISO 19085 series of International Standards which provides technical safety requirements for the design and construction of woodworking machinery. The U.S. TAG reviews draft international standards and supports the U.S. viewpoint on international standards for the industry.
Learn more about the work of the U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 39/SC 4

How You Can Help
Both the ASC O1 and the U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 39/SC 4 are actively seeking Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to help write American National Standards and review draft international standards. Current needs include:

Gang Rip Saws
Straight-Line Rip Saws
Edgebanders
Table Saws
Double blade circular sawing machines for cross-cutting with integrated feed
Single blade automatic and semi-automatic up-cutting cross-cut sawing machines

If you or a colleague would be interested in participating as a Subject Matter Expert for these or any other specific machines, please contact Nikki Augsburger at nikki@woodindusry.org.

Call for ASC O1 Consensus Body Members

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 14:54:00 GMT

The Accredited Standards Committee O1 (ASC O1) is seeking new members to represent specific interest categories on the Committee. The (ASC O1) is an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer and is the consensus body that works to develop the O1.1 standards for the safe design, installation and use of woodworking and accessory equipment, used in industrial and commercial applications, having a total connected power of 3.7kw (5hp) or greater, or having 3-phase wiring.

In order to achieve/maintain balance on the consensus body, they are actively seeking new members to represent the following interest categories:

Government Agency - A permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions.
Insurance - A company, organization or industry that provides coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril.
Integrator - An entity that designs, provides, manufactures or assembles a machine, its associated machines or equipment, the safeguarding, control interfaces, interconnections or the control system into a machinery system.
Labor - An organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. Labor, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labor contracts (collective bargaining) with employers. This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies. The agreements negotiated by the union leaders are binding on the rank and file members and the employer, and in some cases, on other non-member workers.
Student - non-voting member who meets at least one of the following qualifications regarding a curriculum determined by the committee at the time of membership application to be an educational program relevant to the scope of the Committee’s responsibilities:

Is or credibly plans to be actively enrolled full time for at least two semesters/quarters of the current school year, or
Has graduated from the program within the last two years.

If you are interested in applying to participate under one of these categories, please complete the Application and return to Nikki Augsburger, ASC O1 Secretariat at nikki@wmmma.org. Or if you know of someone who would be interested in participating under one of these interest categories, please ask them to complete the Application and return to Nikki Augsburger at the aforementioned email address, or you can send the name and contact info to Nikki who will reach out on the ASC O1’s behalf. All applications are must be reviewed and approved by the ASC O1 members.

To learn more about the work of the ASC O1, visit https://wmma.org/page/ASCO1

Technical Standards Committee (May 2023)

Mon, 8 May 2023 16:42:00 GMT

AI/Robotics Update
A new advisory committee was established by the Biden administration, the National Artificial Intelligence Research Task Force (NAIRRTF). The purpose is to give recommendations to the NAIRR (National AI Research Resource) and to submit reports to Congress regarding overview, security and technical abilities of AI.

There is a movement regarding AI being “trustworthy.” An example of this concern/movement is that The National Institute of Standards (NIST) has recently launched its Trustworthy Responsible AI Resource Center (TRARC). This is to offer a resource to organizations with trustworthy development and use of AI technology. The framework initiated by NIST is referred to as AI RMF 1.0 and is available for review from NIST.

Another aspect of trustworthy AI is being cautioned by insights offered through universities. The basic concern is that current parameters for AI development do not address true trustworthy AI use and development as it focuses too much on a narrow window of use and operation, but rather should consider the entire potential for hazards from a complete overview of all possible interactions and interfaces.

Other concerns for AI and Robotics being safe and trustworthy have been raised with the development and design of mobile and collaborative robotics, especially those utilizing AI programming. The traditional physical safety zone and restricted zones around robotics no longer exist when the robotics are mobile and designed to be autonomous and interactive with humans, other machines, and technology interface scenarios. Thus, how to insure all interactions and operations have safe and fail-safe conditions for all conceivable interactions and operations.

Another concern in the AI algorithm development stage that has been heard about in the news lately is AI being utilized for writing papers and research work. The challenge currently is that AI programming has a “guessing” factor built into the “learning” mode of AI. Thus when writing a paper or being asked for research information the AI could offer incorrect data as the AI can be guessing the answer while it is learning. And the information the AI passes along may not be “reliable” information. Thus, it is being proposed (demanded by some) that proof-checking be required or an updated version of how AI “learns” or researches to assure accuracy in its responses.

The WMMA Technical Standards Committee has been monitoring/discussing information about AI and robotics as it continues to develop due to the potential impacts and implications for woodworking machinery and standards development.

The Robotics Industries Association has these standards for robotics currently available from ANSI; ISO 10218 parts 1 & 2, RIA R15.06 & RIA R15.08.

ASC O1 September Update

Wed, 7 Sep 2022 19:31:00 GMT

It was refreshing to have an in-person ASC O1 meeting in Charlotte North Carolina this July after the hiatus. Always nice to meet and work face-to-face with new and long-term committee members. This was a hybrid meeting with other members joining via Zoom and thus very productive and effective.

A significant focus of this meeting was the continuation of O1.1. Within this, standards relating to a table saw were discussed. UL 987 has moved away from standards for table saws. However, many of those standards are well thought through and current. Thus the committee is researching adopting some of these standards into a stand-alone table saw standard for ASC O1 rather than having the table saw handled within the general machine standards.

B11.1-2020 was adopted as training requirements for employers to implement. This was good and inclusive regarding proper and safe training.

Remote control machines were discussed regarding safely operating/starting machines from remote locations (not within view of the machine). The challenge is to make sure these machines can be operated/started from remote locations without safety issues for personnel in the vicinity of the machine (operators, maintenance, observers, etc.) being operated.

An interesting topic of discussion was how ISO and ANSI standards are developed and the differing backgrounds of each system. For example, ANSI standards are designed to offer a safe machine and operating conditions while giving preference to performance design instead of specifying how to build or design a machine. ANSI does not want to stifle innovation by limiting or dictating machine parameters, rather it wants to promote forward thinking in design, applications, safety, etc. The other aspect to consider is that the ANSI consensus standard process differs from the international, government-based approach to standards development, governmental regulations, and legal liabilities as compared to most other countries. This needs to be taken into consideration when developing or adopting standards from other sources.

Four machine standards are currently in “draft phase” and include; gang rip saws, straight-line rip saws, edge banders and table saws. If you have input or expertise with any of these machines, we encourage you to get involved in the process, either as a subject matter expert or apply to join the ASC O1 committee by contacting ASC O1 Secretariat Nikki Augsburger at nikki@wmma.org.

Also, the most recent meeting of the US TAG (Technical Advisory Group) was an in-person meeting at WIC in May with an overview of TC39/SC4 activity.

ASC O1 February Update

Tue, 1 Feb 2022 18:29:48 GMT

The ASC O1 Committee has been busy on several fronts:

The diversity of committee members (background, experience, perspective, industry, etc.) has always been one of the benchmarks of an effective and fair committee and thus fair and effective standards. In order for the ASC O1 Committee to remain diverse, the membership of the committee has been reviewed and interest categories (of committee members) have been updated to better reflect what the committee makeup should consist of to be as diverse as possible. With this updated diversity the committee is actively seeking membership to round-out the categories to maintain balance from all concerned categories. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a member in any of the following categories (User/Industrial/Commercial, Importer/Distributor/Retailer, Safety Professional, Government Agency, Insurance, Labor, Testing Laboratory, Integrator or Student), please reach out to us at Nikki Augsburger at nikki@wmma.org.

Click here to learn more about each Interest Category.
Another committee task has been the harmonization of UL987. UL (Underwriters Laboratory) has removed tables saws under 5 HP from UL987. However, there is pertinent and relevant information and references within which pertain to other machines and applications. To prevent a gap, the committee has been discussing methods to preserve information in the O1.1 standard.
There are a significant number of standards currently in review and ready to review, update, harmonize, etc. In an effort to maintain a timely input and maintain flow of these standards the ASC O1 Committee members have recently agreed to meet twice monthly whenever possible. Previously the committee was meeting once a month. This added meeting time will help process all the input, decisions and information and keep the process moving forward in a timely manner.

Standards Corner - Accredited Standards Committee O1 (ASC O1)

Thu, 2 Dec 2021 03:19:22 GMT

Here is another example of how the WMMA and the Accredited Standards Committee O1 (ASC O1) is looking out for the best interests of its members and for machine operators.

Virtually all woodworking machines and tools make a sound (or “noise”) when turned ON and also when operating. Noise pollution (sound, noise level of machines, etc.) is a potential hazard to operators of any equipment. How a machine or tool is designed and how it is used along with many environmental factors combine to create a final dB level for the operator and nearby co-workers. If the sound level is above a safety threshold, it needs to be addressed. Thus, a standard comes into play.

Being aware of the potential for noise levels above an acceptable level allows operators and owners the ability to prevent hearing damage by taking preemptive safety measures. What the ASC O1 does for machine manufacturers and operators is to identify potential hazards (noise levels in this case) and alert the appropriate party or parties of the responsibility to identify the hazard and take corrective measures.

This helps to make a fair and safe “standard” as different perspectives and histories (backgrounds) come together in the committee. The goal is to make the standards fair and accurate for manufacturers by leveling the playing field without demanding the impossible, while remaining competitive in a global market. It also aims to make the machine safe for operators and businesses and explains who has to confirm which aspects to maintain this safety.

This is another benefit of what the ASC O1 is involved in and how it “looks after” operators and manufactures of woodworking machines.

Membership Development Committee Update

Mon, 1 Nov 2021 22:01:47 GMT

The Membership Development Committee (MDC) is responsible for the WMMA’s membership recruitment and engagement. The committee met at the recent Fall regional meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. It was the first face-to-face meeting in two years and the committee members were excited to see each other. The committee discussed its planning for the coming year and has put several programs in place to enhance the value of membership to help retain current members and recruit new ones.

Discussion centered around:

Enhanced member communications through The Cutting Edge eNewsletter
Enhanced WMMA website
More member engagement initiatives such as the CEO Roundtable and Sales Training Program
A comprehensive survey of members to better understand their needs
A compensation survey that will be conducted to provide aggregate information for member companies

The committee also discussed ongoing recruitment efforts including those focused on lapsed members and prospective members. While there is strength in numbers, the committee is also focused on encouraging member companies to become active in the WMMA by attending the Wood Industry Conference (WIC), our Fall Regional Meetings, serving on a committee, or participating in other activities that are planned throughout the year.

Standards Corner - Technical Standards Committee

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 19:56:44 GMT

One of the many benefits of the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA) is for the Technical Standards Committee to review and update U.S. standards. These updates help to better reflect current safety and manufacturing considerations and to maintain competitive manufacturing in a U.S. and global environment.

For example, when harmonizing (adapting/adopting) to international standards, the committee reviews not only for safety (of machine operation) but also how it affects manufacturing and manufacturing possibilities in the United States. Other countries view manufacturing differently as their laws and legal systems can function quite differently. Just blindly accepting a standard written for other countries can put U.S. manufacturing at a significant disadvantage to the point of even leaving the U.S. machines unavailable to export, or worse, not being able to market in the U.S. even though the machines are safe to operate but do not meet a blindly accepted international standard. This is where the WMMA has American manufacturing interest.

If you know of American manufacturers who are not members of WMMA, please invite them to join WMMA and perhaps participate as a member and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) of the Technical Standards Committee. Anyone interested in helping to assure a safe and viable manufacturing base in the United States is welcome to apply for committee membership.

About the Technical Standards Committee

The role of the Technical Standards Committee is to monitor the world standards arena, educate WMMA members on the impact of specific standards on their business and watchdog to protect WMMA member interest in both U.S. and International Markets. The Technical Standards Committee also oversees the Accredited Standards Committee O1.

ASC O1 works to develop standards for the safe design, installation and use of woodworking and accessory equipment, used in industrial and commercial applications, having a total connected power of 3.7kw (5hp) or greater, or having 3-phase wiring. WMMA is an ANSI-Accredited Standards Developer and serves as the Secretariat for the ASC O1.

Here is a quick look at some of the standards the Technical Standards Committee/ASC O1 are currently working on:

Standard Name	Status
O1.1 Woodworking Machinery Safety Requirements (2013)	Revision draft in progress
O1.1-1 Safety Requirements for Fixed Angle Jump Saws (2015)	Public comment for re-affirmation in progress Obtain an electronic copy and send comments to nikki@wmma.org
O1.1-2 Safety Requirements for Gang Rip Saws	New draft in progress
O1.1-3 Safety Requirements for CNC Machining Centers (2014)	Public comment for re-affirmation in progress Obtain an electronic copy and send comments to nikki@wmma.org
O1.1-4 Safety Requirements for Shapers (2015)	Public comment for re-affirmation in progress Obtain an electronic copy and send comments to nikki@wmma.org
O1.1-5 Safety Requirements for Straight-Line Rip Saws	New draft in progress
O1.1-6 Safety Requirements for Edgebanders	New draft in progress