GNBS In Focus Issue 03

MAY-JUNE 2021

ISSUE 03

GNBS in Focus THE GUYANA NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS' BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER

VERIFICATION OF BREATHALYSERS USED BY ENFORCEMENT BODIES AND WORKPLACES The GNBS continues to ensure quality in law enforcement and work places. The latest service, verification of breathalysers seeks to do just this.

GNBS CERTIFIES MAX HANOMAN MEDICAL CENTRE LABORATORY The Laboratory, on May 13, 2021 received certification for the first time from the GNBS

GNBS HOSTS SUCCESSFUL

for conforming to the requirements of the GYS 170 Standard, General Requirements

BLOOD DRIVE

for the Operation of a Laboratory.

A total of 25 persons, primarily staff of the GNBS, showed up to donate blood on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 during a Blood Drive facilitated by the Marketing Department in collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS). .

WWW.GNBSGY.ORG

GNBS IN FOCUS

Executive Director’s (Ag) Message – World Metrology Day Can you imagine what would have happened if we could not quantify things? It would be a nightmare!

As the world reels from the prevailing pandemic, it has

become

more

important

to

have

accurate

measurements to track body temperatures, produce reliable protective gears, and develop and prescribe vaccines.

Today,

emphasis

is

placed

on

the

importance

Ms.Ramrattie Karan Executive Director (Ag)

of

measurements as we observe World Metrology Day 2021. The theme “Measurement for Health,” is chosen this year to create awareness of the important role measurements play in health, and the wellbeing of every one of us.

the National Institute for Measurements in Guyana, by virtue of its mandate to enforce the Weights and Measures Act 1981.

devices

used

at

hospitals,

clinics

and

health centres to ensure accuracy. Our Laboratory also

calibrate

all

weighing

balances,

masses, thermometers and other instruments used in medical

laboratories

to

maintain

accurate

and

traceable of measurements. Meanwhile, the COVID19 pandemic has led to the GNBS offering calibration of

infrared

thermometers

used

to

test

body

temperature.

Ultimately, the verification and calibration services offered by the GNBS to institutions and laboratories within the health sector allow for accurate diagnosis and treatment for citizens.

The GNBS wishes you a meaningful World Metrology Day 2021!

01

George DeFreitas

Editorial Contributors Lloyd David

Relating to health, the GNBS verifies all weighing and

Technicians

Omesh Balmacoon Bibi Khatoon

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is

measuring

Photo credits

Bibi Khatoon

Concept & Design Omesh Balmacoon

GNBS IN FOCUS

Table of Contents 13

03

03

16

Max Hanoman Medical Centre Certified

01

Executive Director's (Ag) Message- World Metrology Day

04

GNBS Has Capacity to

05

GNBS 2021 Training Courses

08

GNBS Business Development Department

Provide Verification of

Streamlined to better Meet Business

Breathalysers

Needs 09

13

290 Cases of Cigarettes Destroyed for Non-compliance in Lethem, Region #9

Marketing Team Hosts Successful Blood Drive

10

Police Trained on Requirements for Tyres

11

Inspectors Trained in Using ASYCUDA

12

Meet the GNBS Team

15

Awareness Session on Monitoring Cellphones, Electrical Appliances

16

GNBS Completes

17

Upcoming Events

18

GNBS Social

First Half Weights and Measures Activities

02

GNBS IN FOCUS

MAX HANOMAN MEDICAL CENTRE LABORATORY CERTIFIED Max Hanoman Medical Centre Laboratory on

Director, Dr. Carlin Alexie Hanoman by Head

May 13, 2021 received certification for the

of Certification Services of the GNBS, Ms.

first time from the GNBS for conforming to

Andrea

the requirements of the GYS 170 Standard,

Laboratory

General Requirements for the Operation of a

Wilson

Laboratory. The coveted certificate, which is

Certification,

valid

confidence and provide quality and reliable

for

two

years,

and

a

plaque

formally handed over to the Laboratory

03

were

results.

Mendonca Quality

among

in

the

presence

Manager,

other

Mr.

of

Lendan

employees.

laboratories

give

the

With users

GNBS IN FOCUS

GNBS HAS CAPACITY TO PROVIDE VERIFICATION OF BREATHALYSERS USED

BY ENFORCEMENT BODIES AND WORKPLACES As the institution responsible for measurements in

Guyana,

the

GNBS

has

long

been

sought

after by these stakeholders to build capacity to verify breathalysers used by the Guyana Police Force, other companies and organisations. In May,

the

Legal

Metrology

Department

has

finally built capacity to conduct the verification service and is offering a 25 percent discount for the first three months.

The

Bureau

recently

procured

a

Breathalyzer

Test Bench, which is capable of verifying a wide range of breathalyzers and multiple at the same time. Breathalyzers require regular verification to ensure accuracy is maintained. On average, the verification process takes about two hours and a verification certificate would be provided to stakeholders for each equipment verified.

04

GNBS IN FOCUS

GNBS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT STREAMLINED TO BETTER MEET BUSINESS NEEDS The GNBS has taken some critical steps to align

the

services

Development

of

its

Department

Business to

meet

stakeholders’ needs. The Department’s goal is to provide technical support in the areas of

Management

offer

key

System

Standards

management

tools

that

and aid

business efficiency.

With a cadre of knowledgeable, competent and reliable Technical Officers, companies and businesses can now take advantage of new and customized training programmes of

the

Department.

Stakeholders

specifically

trained

Management

System

Management, Determining Control

of

on

Principles,

&

Documented

be

Quality

Procedure Internal

can

Risk

Writing,

External

Issues,

Information

and

ISO 9001:2015 Mandatory Documents and Records.

For

Accreditation

to

those

considering

international

standards,

the Business Development Department also provides

technical

Assessment testing,

support

Bodies

inspection

to

(CABs) and

Conformity involved

in

certification

activities.

08

GNBS IN FOCUS

290 CASES OF CIGARETTES DESTROYED FOR NON-COMPLIANCE IN LETHEM, REGION #9 The

Product

Compliance

Department

of

the

Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS)

in

ordered the destruction of 290 cases (290,000

Meanwhile,

packs) of imported cigarettes in Lethem Region

vigilant

9. The cigarettes, which were branded US Mild 1

noncomplying

and

other outlying areas.

imported

by

a

city

business,

were

compliance

at

the

Inspectors

to

ensure

of

there

cigarettes

GNBS

not

a

sale

in

remain

the

and

to

inspections,

the

monitors

National

Domestic

quality

Standards

of

Body

Electrical/Electronic

GNBS detected the sale of the cigarettes in the

Appliances,

Lethem area and the product was subsequently

Textiles,

examine

Safety Matches, New and Used Tyres, Gas Stoves,

for

compliance

with

the

Tobacco

Weighing

and

city

of

the GNBS Inspector stationed in the Region.

the

labelling

will

prevalence

products to ensure consumer protection. In addition Cigarettes,

the

on

importation.

The

surveillance

monitors

the is

of

last Thursday, May 13, 2021, in the presence of

routine

GNBS

time

destroyed in an inferno at the Lethem dumpsite

During

Garments,

Measuring

Furniture, Christmas tree and Decorative Lighting

and marking requirements.

Outfits, Cellular Phones and Gold Jewellery.

was

seized

by

the

GNBS and was prohibited from sale in Guyana.

After a prolonged period of storage, a decision was taken by the distributor in conjunction with the GNBS to destroy the item.

In

light

of

this

seizure

and

destruction,

the

GNBS strongly urges importers and dealers of cigarettes to become familiar with the Tobacco

fittings,

Devices, Helmets,

product to be not in compliance with labelling

product

and

Safety

Electrical

non-complying

Equipment

and

Footwear,

Regulations of 2018. The examination found the

As a result, the aforementioned quantity of the

09

Regulations to ensure imported cigarettes are fully

PVC

Pipes,

GNBS IN FOCUS

POLICE TRAINED ON REQUIREMENTS FOR TYRES The GNBS in May continued sharing its knowledge with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on the requirements for tyres. The presentation was made during the Force’s Core Course Training Programme; which is geared to enhance

the

competency

of

Traffic

Ranks

across

Guyana during their routine assessment of vehicular tyres.

GNBS IN FOCUS

INSPECTORS TRAINED IN USING ASYCUDA Inspectors

of

Department application

the

Product

completed of

the

a

Compliance

training

Automated

on

System

Services

the for

use

and

Customs

Data (ASYCUDA). The programme was developed by the

United

Nations

Standardisation implementation

of of

to

foster

trade

procedures,

along

international

norms

by

the

with

the

and

best

practices. Xuxa Chan and Elisabeth Persaud, Custom Officers of Guyana Revenue Authority facilitated the training, which was necessary to build competency and improve monitoring performance of GNBS Inspectors.

11

GNBS IN FOCUS

MEET THE Team members featured in May & June GNBS TEAM Paul Williams, Andrew Kertzious (Top to bottom right)

(Top to bottom left)

Naipaul Sirjue, Keon Rankin

(Top to bottom centre)

Roxanne Bourne, Quincy Troyer, Anjali Lowtan

12

GNBS IN FOCUS

MARKETING TEAM HOSTS SUCCESSFUL BLOOD DRIVE A total of 25 persons, primarily staff of the GNBS, showed up to donate blood on Wednesday, June 16, 2021

during

Marketing National

a

Blood

Drive

Department Blood

in

facilitated

by

the

with

the

(NBTS).

The

collaboration

Transfusion

Services

Drive was held in observance of World Blood Donor Day, 2021 in the Quality Hall of the GNBS. Head of the Marketing Department at the GNBS Mr. Syeid Ibrahim stated that the event was hosted as part of the Bureau’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

initiatives.

“We

want

to

give

back

to

the

community, not just through our mandate or services that we provide but also to help save lives and make a difference to those in need. We also encourage others

to

get

onboard

and

donate

blood,”

Mr.

Ibrahim said.

World Blood Donor Day was held on Monday, June 14, 2021 under the theme “Give blood and keep the world beating.”

13

GNBS IN FOCUS

PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS HELD ON DRAFT PAINT, PESTICIDES STANDARDS The

Standardisation

this

For example, the paint standard will help paint

period held consultations on the Draft Regional

manufacturers and end-users in the appropriate

Paints Standard –DCRS 48:202x Paints- Solvent-

testing

borne

the

coatings-

Regional

Department

Specification

Pesticide

Labelling

–

during

and

the

Standard

Draft

–DCRS

39:202x Pesticides labelling requirements.

GNBS

and

National

Stakeholders

are

currently

contributing to the development of these regional standards. The standards are being developed by CROSQ to provide guidance in the related areas through labelling and quality requirements.

and

application

pesticides

information pesticides, Once

labelling

to

be

standard

included

including

finalized

procedures.

aerosol

and

on and

approved

Meanwhile,

specifies labels

of

the all

insecticides. as

regional

standards by the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), stakeholders can obtain a copy

of

these

and

other

standards

from

our

Standardisation Department.

14

GNBS IN FOCUS

AWARENESS SESSION ON MONITORING CELLPHONES, ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES The Corporate Communications team at the GNBS in

collaboration

Services

with

the

Department

programme

to

held

promote

Product a

live

the

Compliance social

media

requirements

for

importation and sale of cellphones. The 30 minutes programme which was streamed on our Facebook page also looked at the labelling requirements for electrical

appliances

in

order

to

promote

consumer safety. To protect consumers, the GNBS monitors

17

categories

of

items,

which

are

Electrical and Electronic Appliances, Weighing and Measuring Devices, Textiles, Garments, Footwear, Safety Helmets, Safety Matches, Tyres, Gas Stoves, Cigarettes, Playthings, Gold

Pipes,

Decorative

Articles

Fittings.

15

PVC

and

Furniture,

Lighting,

Electrical

Toys

Cellular

and

Phones,

Equipment

and

GNBS IN FOCUS

The Legal Metrology Department of the GNBS during

the

verification

month and

of

June

surveillance

concluded

activities

for

its the

first half of the year 2021. During verification, a significant number of devices including scales, masses, verified

measures during

submission

to

and

mobile the

petrol

pumps

stamping

GNBS

and

or

were

through

Weights

and

Measures Offices countrywide. In spite of the still prevailing pandemic, Inspectors conducted

GNBS COMPLETES 'FIRST HALF' WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACTIVITIES

shop to shop surveillance inspections to ensure that used

devices in

verified

the

inspections

at

for

the

period

proper

manner.

markets

were

not

and

are

Surveillance conducted

during the period.

16

GNBS IN FOCUS

Signing of GNBS, API MOU

Second Half 2021 Mobile Stamping of Devices

CARICOM Day #IAMCARICOM Campaign

Emancipation Day Activities

Business Development New Training Courses 17

GNBS SOCIAL

GNBS IN FOCUS

18

C

EBRATIN L G E

36 YEARS

O

Y F Q T I UAL