National Standards Organisations or Bodies are institutions either private or public that are set up in countries to produce standards and regulate the quality of goods that are manufactured and imported. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), like other Standards Institutions worldwide, intends to play a pivotal role in the progression of National Development in 2020 and beyond.
Usually, the priority areas of a Standards Body depend entirely upon local conditions including health, environments on ongoing development. Priority is also established based on stakeholder requirements. These stakeholders include policy makers, regulators, the private sector and consumers.
Key on its agenda for 2020 is the development of national standards relating to electrical products, building and construction, petroleum and the environment. These standards are geared to enhance the quality and durability of products, reduction of environmental pollution and improve safety and the structures of buildings.
For standards implementation, the GNBS will continue to offer its Consultancy Services to a number of local companies and businesses based on international management system standards. These standards include the ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management System, ISO 22000:2018 Standard – Food Safety Management System – ISO 17025:2017 Standard – General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories and the ISO 14001:2015 Standard – Environment Management System. With competency built in 2019, the GNBS will also support companies and individuals desirous of implementing the ISO 45001:2018 Standard – Occupational Safety and Health Management System.
Since 2017, the GNBS has seen a steady increase in demand for its calibration and testing services and it been making major strides to meet this demand. For calibration, local companies continue to submit their measuring instruments for calibration in the areas of mass length, volume and temperature. The GNBS intends to expand the range of services it offers to include the calibration of digital multi-meters, Torque Wrenches used in the airline industry, temperature enclosures, incubators, ovens and coolers, steam and water operated pressure gauges, and Infra-red thermometers. Meanwhile, for testing the GNBS plans to expand concrete block testing and gold testing services.
The monitoring of quality and labelling requirements of products at the ports of entry, warehouses and store outlets will continue at stores and outlets during the New Year. As of February 01, 2020, stakeholders would see the monitoring of an additional 31 electrical products. The GNBS is building internal capacity to ensure only quality products are imported and locally manufactured for sale to consumers.
As the National Metrology (Measurement) Institution, the GNBS will ensure the verification (Stamping) of all weighing and measuring devices used in commercial trade continues in 2020. Inspectors are currently undertaking the mobile stamping of devices for the first half of the year at markets and other strategic locations, countrywide. Vendors and shopkeepers are urged to see press for details to know when the GNBS team will be in their area. Consumers should ensure that they buy from verified measuring scales masses and measures.
Finally, the GNBS has a new role to play in the Oil and Gas Sector, which is to verify the calibration of the custody transfer meters. Inspectors are undergoing training to support the Department of Energy in the monitoring the quantity of crude extracted from Guyana’s offshore oil reserves.
