4,800 imported light switches destroyed by Standards Bureau

4,800 imported light switches were destroyed by the Product Monitoring Department of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). The Bureau said that these switches were “inadequately labelled and lacked the required certification mark.” The switches were imported by a company that was not named. The items were inspected since November 2020, they were found to not be in compliance with standard requirements.

The absence of the requisite certification mark and labelling was among the issues identified by GNBS. It said too that the importer was failed to provide the Bureau with an authentic test certificate indicating that the light switches meet quality requirements.  GNBS said that the necessary steps were taken to destroy the substandard items.

GNBS is encouraging importers and dealers to purchase a copy of the relevant national standards from the GNBS to familiarize themselves with the requirements as it said this will allow them to buy products that are in compliance to labelling and quality specifications.

GNBS said that that it started monitoring of a number of electrical fittings and equipment based on the requirements of thirty-one mandatory national standards since last February.  These electrical products include decorative lighting products, lamp holders, armoured cables, panel board, knife switches, conduit, tubing, and cable fittings, surge protective devices, moulded-case circuit breakers among others.