New Qatar construction specifications supported by ASTM product
ASTM standards used around the world cover areas like quality and safety
The Qatar Construction Specifications 2014 (QCS 2014) is set to launch in November, according to ASTM International.
QCS 2014, a voluntary set of technical regulations for Qatar’s construction sector, was supported by ASTM, a not-for-profit global organisation that specialises in the development and delivery of international standards.
There are approximately 13,000 ASTM standards used around the world to improve product quality, enhance safety, facilitate market access and trade, and build consumer confidence.
“We are about to launch the new product to the country which will enable QCS 2014 and all the referenced ASTM standards to be accessible from a single online platform. The original agreement was signed in June 2015 and we have been building the product by working closely with Qatari entities like the Ministry of Environment and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal),” said Nick Ecart, director for the Middle East and Africa at ASTM International, in an interview with Qatar Peninsula.
“We will launch the product at the second conference on QCS 2014 which is being held at The Torch Doha on November 16,” he added.
Developed by 30,000 of the world’s top technical experts and business professionals, ASTM’s test methods, specifications, classifications, guides and practices are used by organisations in Qatar and the rest of the GCC to minimise risk and enhance compliance with the latest quality standards and improve the level of safety, reliability and quality in the construction sector, Ecart said.
“ASTM standards have been [used] in the GCC region for a very long time… most foreign and national companies working in Qatar [have been] following ASTM standards for many years. Now, through ASTM Compass, ASTM is working together with the Qatar government to expand the availability of ASTM standards and make access much easier,” he said.
“The idea is to make our standards available to more end users and support Qatar in its attempt to enhance the quality standards of the country’s construction sector.”
