Demand for Training in Quality Management Systems QMS Growing
The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards has seen increased interest in ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems training.
The SLBS recently concluded training in QMS for public and private sector employees as part of efforts to raise awareness and promote implementation of the standard. Participants expressed satisfaction with the programme which is seeing more companies inquiring about training opportunities for their employees.
ISO 45001 2018 Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems
The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards has issued for comment draft national standard ISO 45001 Occupational Health and safety management systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use.
In the process leading to the adoption of standards, the comments of stakeholders and the general public are solicited to identify and address areas of concern and to ensure that consensus on these standards is achieved.
Standards Officer Jillian King gives a basic overview of what the standard addresses.
The comment period was opened in June and will run until Monday 13th August 2018.
Head of the Standards Development Department Tzarmallah Joseph explains the process for comment using the comment template.
ISO Supports Region to Strengthen Public Policy Outcomes with Standards
The International Standards Organization (ISO) and the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards hosted a Regional Workshop on Standards in Support of Public Policies in May 2018.
Participants from the English and Spanish speaking Caribbean and Kenya benefited from ISO's Action Plan for Developing Countries 2016-2020. ISO is implementing a five point plan aimed at improving developing countries' opportunities for economic growth and access to world markets and helping to achieve sustainable development through standardization.
ISO expects that as a result of focused attention on standardization, governments can harness the effectiveness of standards in supporting public policy and the development and operation of a robust National Quality Infrastructure.
The standards in support of public policies respond to a need to build the capacity of regulators and policy makers to understand the role of standards in public policy, raise awareness and promote the application of good practices and to provide a roadmap of key steps towards strengthening the cooperation between National Standards Bodies (NSB) and regulators.
SLBS hosts Workshop for World Accreditation Day
The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards marked World Accreditation Day on June 9th with a focus on promoting accreditation to make the world safer.
The SLBS hosted a halfday workshop for laboratory personnel on ISO/IEC 17025:2017 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”. The standard targets organizations that produce testing and calibration results excluding medical laboratories.
The SLBS as the National Accreditation Focal point has spearheaded a number of efforts to advance accreditation and its uses to regulators and users, to encourage good practice, and build consumer confidence that organizations are conforming to exacting requirements based on international standards.
Head of the Certification Department Dr. Xanthe Dubussion was the lead presenter at the workshop.
Saint Lucia makes its mark on World Metrology Celebrations
For the third year running the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards has maintained the lead in the observance of World Metrology Day in the English speaking Caribbean.
Saint Lucia and Cuba were the only Caribbean countries to present activities to commemorate the observance which was held on May 20th under the theme for “Constant Evolution of the International System of Units.”
This year the SLBS took its message to two secondary schools in the South of the island for a presentation of "Physics in Metrology" to students of Physics in form 4.
Metrology and the use of the metric system of measurement is part of the Physics CSEC Syllabus and the presentation to students is aimed at inspiring the next generation of metrologists, physicists, engineers and encourage interest in science as a whole.
SLBS promotes Compliance to Labelling Standards
The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards is promoting actively training in the implementation of key standards for various sectors of the economy.
A second wave of participants for training in labeling was held for graphic artist, distributors, retailers and agro-processors to provide a clear and detailed understanding of the requirements of the compulsory labeling standards for food and goods that must be met in order to be sold in Saint Lucia.
The Compliance Department of the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards maintains a robust regime of market surveillance which targets the labels of goods offered for sale for compliance to the standards.
Standards Officer Sheena Roserie spoke of what is offered in the programme.
News from our Affiliates
The food industry is in permanent evolution. It requires a standard like BS EN ISO 22000:2018 Food safety management systems to provide guidance for any organization in the food chain to produce food that’s safe for consumers to eat.
The fully revised standard, now available to buy, will help make sure your customers have adequate controls in place at every step of the way to avoid food safety hazards.
The key revisions include:
- The introduction of ISO’s High Level Structure, allowing them to align your food safety management system with your organization’s other management system standards, such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and the new ISO 45001
- Greater focus on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle; clarification of critical control points (CCPs), operational prerequisite programmes (OPRPs) and prerequisite programmes (PRPs)
- Adoption of risk-based thinking at organizational as well as at operational levels through HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points)
- Improvements to the operational requirements structure
In addition, BS EN ISO 22000:2018 supports Goal 2 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, by reducing food hazards and improving food safety to ensure access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food.
If your customers are involved directly or indirectly in the food chain, they should buy BS EN ISO 22000:2018 to tackle food safety hazards.
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