A NUMBER of local companies on Thursday were trained and encouraged to have the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) verify and calibrate their measurement devices to ensure accuracy in their field of work.

The GNBS held a metrology training session on the ‘Introduction to the Science of Measurements’ at the Exhibition site in Sophia.
There, clients and potential clients were made aware that devices which are calibrated by the primary standards of the GNBS will then become accurate to international standards, enabling companies to widen their reach.

Some of the many in attendance were the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL)
According to Public Relations Officer (PRO), Lloyd David, compared to previous years, more organisations are coming on board and Thursday’s training saw even more participants than catered for.

“We’re seeing a significant increase in the amount of devices submitted by industries for calibration by the GNBS. We believe that a lot of companies today are recognising the need to have their devices calibrated in their operation,” he said, adding:
“When dealing with sensitive operations like a medical lab where the results are critical, having the right measurement is important. You can’t take chances because you can inaccurately diagnose a patient. You can even [fail to] store your solutions, medications…at a particular temperature.”

After a period of use, measuring equipment tends to become inaccurate and as such, based on the frequency of use, the GNBS determines how often it should be calibrated. The GNBS also presents a Calibration Certificate which stipulates any necessary adjustments that must be taken into consideration when in use.
Verification and adjustment, however, deals with modifying the instrument to bring it up to the necessary or previous standard and is conducted by the Legal Metrology Department of the GNBS.

With the services the GNBS provides, industries have the opportunity to avoid re-purchasing equipment, the opportunity to prevent wastage and save by having these services provided locally at a minimal cost rather than internationally.
“Industries don’t want to waste because remember there is profit and loss. So they don’t want to have to dump a whole tank of molasses or something because somebody put too much or too little of a particular solution,” he said, adding:

“We are trying to understand their needs, especially those who have instruments that need calibration that we cannot calibrate…we are identifying these gaps and we’re filling those gaps yearly so as to meet those needs.”
Meanwhile, GNBS Laboratory Technician, Vishnu Matbadal, spoke to the participants about the contribution of metrology organisations to assure citizens’ rights, fair trade, health, safety and quality of life.

Speaking to this newspaper, he said that persons should ensure they look for temperature gauges or thermostats in the refrigerators of meat vendors in order to protect themselves and ensure that the temperature is correct for storage.
He also asked the public to be vigilant for vendors who utilise kilogram (kg) scales to measure pound weights, providing customers with an average estimate instead of the correct weight of goods and saving in the process.

“They have it verified but they’re not using it correctly. Sometimes the scale is kg and they would normally use pound weights on it… it would also be helpful for people to look out for these things when they go and buy,” he said.

Over the last few weeks, the GNBS has been visiting several companies, interacting with them and determining whether their instruments are in need of calibration or verification.
GNBS is the authoritative body in Guyana responsible for the development of standards through a consultative and transparent process which conforms to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) requirements and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).