Nov., 1952 How National Sanitation Foundation Standards Are Developed W. D. TIEDEMAN, M.C.E., F.A.P.H.A. Resident Lecturer, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, and Director, Testing Laboratory, National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, Mich. THE need has long been recognized for agreement as to the minimum basic requirements in the construction of equipment used in the broad field of sanitation in order to promote public health and cleanliness. This has been particularly acute in food service equipment of all types because of the rapid growth of the food industry and the ever-increasing use of mechanical equipment. Such agreement is necessary first within the family of public health officials and then between those officials and industry, including manufacturers as well as purchasers and users. By joint effort the National Sanitation Foundation and committees representing other national organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the Public Health Service, the International Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians, the National Association of Sanitarians, the Conference of State Sanitary Engineers, and the Conference of Municipal Public Health Engineers, have developed what is believed to be a practical method for standardizing requirements for equipment as well as for testing and approving equipment which meets such standards. Work was started in the field of food service equipment, and a description of the procedure involved should be of general interest as it sets the pattern for future standards. The first tangible result is the newly published National Sanitation Foundation Standard for Soda Fountain and Luncheonette Equipment. What shall we consider to be the [14201 minimum requirements in the construction of food service equipment necessary to protect the public health and make it easy to maintain reasonable cleanliness? The question has never been easy to answer. Some states and cities have assigned technical personnel to research and testing. Others, lacking in resources, have relied upon the individual judgment of health officials. Many state and local officials have sought specific help from the PHS, an organization which, alone, is not in a position to provide all of the information desired. Since most decisions as to what is acceptable in equipment have been based upon opinion or at best upon general criteria without the benefit of adequate research or standards, it is not surprising that sanitation of equipment has become a controversial issue. Industries manufacturing equipment have found it almost impossible to market a single product throughout the country. They have been constantly besieged with complaints, calling for adjustments and changes. The food service industry as the user has been forced to discard equipment not meeting local standards, resulting in economic loss and inefficiency. These conditions have become intolerable, both to health officials and to the industries concerned. The consuming public has paid and continues to pay for inefficiency in terms of higher cost of food, inefficient service, and extravagant use of health personnel resulting in less public health protection.
DEVELOPMENT OF SANITARY STANDARDS Vol. 42 1421 In the recognition and solution of similar problems in the milk industry, the International Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians, the manufacturers of dairy equipment, and the PHS pioneered in establishing the 3-A Sanitary Standards. This undertaking was begun in 1933 and has accomplished many worth-while objectives. It was natural that the IAMFS Committee on Food Sanitation should take the initiative by suggesting the formation of a joint committee, in collaboration with the NSF, for the purpose of establishing food sanitation standards. In June of 1948 about 400 leaders in the field of health and industry met in Ann Arbor to consider mutual food sanitation problems at the First National Sanitation Clinic. Outstanding among the recommendations was that pointing to the need for a National Sanitation Foundation Testing Laboratory with a reputation for unimpeachable integrity. In accepting the challenge to establish such a laboratory, it was necessary that the Foundation actively support the development of standards as the basis for the testing and approval of equipment. JOINT COMMITTEE ON FOOD EQUIPMENT STANDARDS ESTABLISHED At the invitation of the Foundation, representatives from six national professional sanitation organizations met in Ann Arbor in June, 1949, and approved the idea of a Joint Committee on Food Equipment Standards. Following agreement on the principles of organization, an interim committee developed procedures which have been approved by the Joint Committee and the Council of Public Health Consultants of the Foundation. These procedures recognize that nationally accepted sanitation standards for food equipment are essential and that representatives of industry and public health sanitation should work together toward their achievement. Some of the more important provisions of the Joint Committee procedures are: I. Membership of the committee shall consist of: 1. A representative of the Public Health Service. 2. The chairman or a member of the appropriate committee of each of the following organizations: International Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians National Association of Sanitarians Engineering Section, American Public Health Association Conference of State Sanitary Engineers Conference of Municipal Public Health Engineers 3. A secretary appointed by the National 4. A public health sanitation delegate at large who is a member of the Council of Consultants of the National 5. Delegates of such additional national organizations as may be recommended by the committee and ap-, proved by the Council of Public Health Consultants of the National II. Officers consist of a chairman elected by members of the committee and a secretary appointed and employed by the NSF. III. The NSF, with the advice of its Industrial Advisory Board, encourages that branch of industry or business most directly concerned with any particular standard that is to be developed to appoint or form a "task committee" to draft such a standard. This committee or its representative or representatives is then invited to participate in the committee sessions at which the standard affecting their interests is considered. IV. Projects for preparing standards may be recommended by industry, committee members, members of the Council
1422 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH N\ov., 1952 CHART I. OR.ANIZATION CHART NATIONAL SANITATION FOUNDATION PRO6RAM FOR STANDARDIZING, TESING AND APPROVIN6 EQUIPMENT aa..*i -LNCS CLINICS U. S. ECLSiNITTU COMMITTEE OF INDUSTRY COMMITtE OF COMMITTEE OF COMMITT;E PUILIC HEALTH Of AMERICAI MILK INTEPNATIONA1 MIlL TASK NATIONAL ASSN. (JNFREE N STATE CONF.M SERVICE MUOI(IPAI HEALTH ASSN. OF LEFMWOSN. COMMITTEE OF SANITAPIME$ SANITARY EINl P"lltE HEALTH ENOT AONATIONAL SANITATION- FOUNDATION of Consultants, or others, but must be approved by the Foundation in accordance with its policy of assigning priorities before action is taken. V. The committee secretary encourages industry task committees to prepare preliminary standards for submission in writing to committee members in advance of committee meetings. Revised drafts are prepared as necessary until all groups are in agreement, arrived at in meetings or by mail. VI. It is assumed that by their appointment each committee member is authorized to perform all of the functions outlined in the by-laws. While it is generally not possible for him to seek approval of the full executive committee of his organization before standards are approved, it is recognized that he will consult with his committee or key members of his organization. Results are reported to the membership, usually at annual meetings, and action taken to accept the committee reports. VII. Following approval of standards by the Joint Committee the final draft is submitted to the Council of Consultants of the Foundation for approval, publication and use by industry and control officials, and in awarding the National Sanitation Foundation seal of approval. VIII. Cooperation of users of equipment in this program is invited when such users are organized and interested. Chart I shows the organization of the program. JOINT COMMITTEE OPERATION In the fall of 1950 the Joint Committee on Food Equipment Standards first met at the Foundation headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich. Committee representatives and their affiliations were as follows: C. W. Clark, National Association of Sanitarians A. H. Fletcher, Conference of State Sanitary Engineers A. W. Fuchs, Public Health Service M. A. Hilbert, Conference of Municipal Public Health Engineers W. D. Tiedeman, Engineering Section, American Public Health Association C. W. Weber, International Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians
Vol. 42 DEVELOPMENT OF SANITARY STANDARDS 1423 Task Committee representatives were: G. S. Blakeslee, Dishwasher Machine Manufacturers A. W. Forbriger, Food Service Equipment Industry, Inc. C. J. Palmer, Soda Fountain Manufacturers Association Stanley Knight, Soda Fountain Manufacturers Association Dr. W. L. Mallmann acted as a consultant on formulation of dishwashing machine standards; C. L. Senn as a consultant on soda fountains, and Walter F. Snyder as representative of the National Mr. Senn was elected chairman of the Joint Committee on Food Equipment Standards and Walter D. Tiedeman was appointed secretary. As indicated by the industries represented at the initial meeting, the first standards to be considered were those on dishwashing machines, food service equipment, and soda fountains. These industries had long shown an interest in standards and had previously completed several necessary preliminary steps in standards development.1-4 In the course of developing each set of standards, at least two meetings are held between the Joint Committee and the Industry Task Committee; four to five drafts of each proposed set of standards are circulated and studied, and the secretary averages from three to four meetings with industry task committees. The first standard published is that for Soda Fountain and Luncheonette Equipment. Closely following will be the Standard for Food Service Equipment and the Standard for Spray Type Dishwashing Machines. The dishwashing machine standard, based largely on research conducted since 1944, has been delayed pending further study sponsored by the Foundation, which is conducted by Dr. W. L. Mallmann at Michigan State College. In recognition of the next step beyond standards development, the Foundation executive committees of the Council of Public Health Consultants and Industrial Advisory Board met in June, 1952, to complete plans for a testing laboratory and a seal of approval.* WHO BENEFITS AND WHY? Business, industry, health officials, and the general public will share in the benefits of reasonable food equipment standards which are properly administered and are subject to revision with time so as not to stand in the way of progress. In 1950 the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers recognized in a resolution the "ever-increasing complexities of problems of the environment" and that "states are obviously unable to engage in extensive research in these matters" and recommended expanded research by the Public Health Service and establishment of a sanitation testing laboratory by the National Sanitation Foundation. In 1951 the American Public Health Association, through its Governing Council, adopted a resolution pointing to the need for standards in certain phases of sanitation programs as a means of measuring public health accomplishment and "Resolved that the U. S. Public Health Service and the National Sanitation Foundation be requested to expand their programs toward developing standards for the various phases of sanitation." In answer to the objectives and needs of industries and professional health organizations, the Foundation has provided facilities for cooperative effort and methods for arriving at acceptable sanitation standards for the food service in- * Plans for this activity had long been in the planning stage by a committee of the Council of Public Health Consultants under the chairmanship of L. J. Peterson, administrative director of the Idaho Department of Public Health. Procedures established for the organization and operation of the testing laboratory are available upon request to the NSF.
1424 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Nov., 1952 dustry. Ultimate benefits of the undertaking will require continued individual and group cooperation on the part of all participants. For example: The development of the system of standards, testing, and seal of approval for a given industry requires a sound understanding by individual industries and sanitarians of the methods by which such standards are developed. Participating industries and health officials themselves will be the monitors which protect the integrity of the seal of approval and at the same time give it the respect and prestige through which maximum benefits will result. A contractual agreement between the Foundation and a manufacturer seeking approval offers a legal basis for enforcing compliance with standards where necessary. Success of the system of sanitation standards and seal of approval will depend upon the willingness of additional industries supplying food equipment to proceed with the method which has been made available for the development of standards. Industries interested in developing sanitation standards for their products should be advised of the following procedure: 1. Representatives of the industry or association of industries should contact the Foundation's Executive Director, Walter F. Snyder, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, giving details of the product on which officials may base an estimate of the cost involved and establish a priority. 2. An industry task committee must be formed composed of members thoroughly familiar with every aspect of the particular product involved. 3. Working with the secretary of the Joint Committee on Food Equipment Standards, the Industry Task Committee should prepare tentative standards which will be mailed to members of the Joint Committee. 4. Joint Committee members will meet with the Industry Task Committee and consider the standards. 5. Any research required to supply additional information on which to base satisfactory standards will be arranged by the Joint Committee secretary and must be financed by the industries involved. 6. Drafts of the proposed standards will be revised and resubmitted to the Joint Committee and Task Committee until agreement is reached. An additional meeting or meetings may be necessary. 7. Following final approval by the Joint Committee, standards will be submitted to the Foundation's Council of Public Health Consultants and, if approved, will be printed as National Sanitation Foundation standards and used as a basis for awarding the NSF seal of approval. Progress in establishing this program has been necessarily slow. While considerable acceleration is to be expected, further standardization will not be rapid enough to suit everyone. With the wise application of priorities, the more essential items may be standardized first. As the work progresses equipment affecting health or sanitation other than food service equipment may be included. It is believed that this program, wisely applied and directed, is a practical answer to the long-felt need for uniform public health and sanitation requirements relating to equipment used in food service or other fields affecting health or sanitation. Mutual benefits should be realized by the general public, manufacturers, users, and public health officials. Gradually orderliness, uniformity, and mutual confidence should replace the present chaotic condition in respect to the public health approval of equipment used in the environmental health field, especially food service equipment. REFERENCES 1. Mlallman, W. L., Zaikowski, Leo, Kahler, David, and DeKoning, Paul. A Study of Mechanical Dishwashing. National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Research Bull. No. 1 (Oct. 1), 1947. 2. Mallmann, W. L., and Kahler, David. Studies on Dishwashing. National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Researjh Bull. No. 2 (Aug. 1), 1949. 3. Specifications, Construction and Installation of Soda Fountain and Luncheonette Equipment from a Sanitation Standpoint. Bull. of the Soda Fountain Manufacturers Association, Chicago, Ill. 4. The First National Sanitation Clinic. Bull. of the National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, Mich.