UNBS cautions on standards

By John Odyek

The Uganda Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has cautioned local manufacturers against thinking that standards were about mere getting product certificates from UNBS.

Products certification involves the issuance of a certificate or mark (or both) to demonstrate that a specific product meets a defined set of requirements such as safety, fitness for use and/or interchangeability characteristics for that product, usually specified in a standard.

"Standards are not about certificates. There are processes to go through before you get a standard," Patricia Ejalu, the UNBS deputy executive director said.

Ejalu said this during a conference on enhancing local participation in the petroleum development.

The function was organized by UNBS in collaboration with the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment.

The function took place at Protea Hotel, Kampala.

Ejalu said certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of a product, person, or an organization.

This confirmation is provided by some form of external review, assessment, or audit.

Certification provides an assurance of conformity to the specifications.

Ejalu said local companies have to meet set standards both local and international in-order to participate in the oil and gas sector.

Ejalu said before a company gets a certificate, the company has to bring sample of products to UNBS for testing.

Ejalu also said the UNBS will also visit the firm where products are manufactured to observe the processes. 

She said many small firms often come to UNBS to be under product certification scheme with product samples and they want certificates for them at once. "Don't come with many products. Start with one product. Once it gets certified then you can know what to do with the other products, "Ejalu said.

She added that UNBS values working in partnership with all stakeholders because this was a sure way to achieve the goals of standards development.

Standards are documents that contain technical and other requirements that products and services have to comply with.

These requirements could include design, material, performance, manufacturing and testing requirements, including packaging and labeling.

The product certification mark is normally found on the product or its packaging and may also appear on a certificate issued by the product certification body.

The mark carries a reference to the number or name of the relevant product standard against which the product has been certified.

UNBS operates a Product Certification Scheme in accordance to the provisions of the Certification Regulations of 1995.

Under this scheme, manufacturers apply for and are granted permits to use the Uganda Standards Certification Mark (The Quality Mark) on their products after demonstrating compliance of their products to the requirements of relevant National standards.

The UNBS Product Certification Scheme aims at providing guarantee of quality, safety and reliability of products to the consumers.

The presence of the UNBS Quality Mark on a product is an assurance of conformity to relevant standards.

The conformity is ensured by regular surveillance of the manufacturer's performance by surprise inspections and testing of samples, drawn both from the market and factory.