Standards Authority Pushes For Compliance With Lifts Requirements

The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has urged persons and institutions that installed lifts/hoists to comply with the standard requirements.

A statement issued by the GSA and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) cautioned that failure to comply with the legal provisions might attract the prescribed legal sanctions.

It said the GSA was set up by the Standard Authority Act, NRCD 173; adding that, the Authority was also the Custodian of Weights and Measures and Inspectors of weighing and measuring devices, under the Weights and Measures Decree, 1975, (N.R.C.D. 326).

It said section 11 of NRCD 326 provides that: 'Subject to provision of this section, every weight, measure and instrument for weighing or measuring for use in trade or industry shall be verified and stamped by an inspector with a stamp of verification and the inspector shall issue a certificate of verification.'

'A certificate of verification issued under subsection (1) shall remain in force for such period as may be prescribed and shall during that period authorize the use of weight, measure or instrument for weighing or measuring in any part of Ghana unless it is unjust.

'Any person who has in his possession for use in trade or industry, any weight, measure or instrument for weighing or measuring shall retain in his possession the certificate of verification issued in respect thereof and shall produce the certificate for inspection whenever required.'

The statement said subsection 7 states: 'An inspector shall not verify, stamp, certify or authenticate any weight, measure or instrument for weighing or measure where; it is not in conformity with subsection 9(1) or 9(2) or it presents unusual features which do not conform to such Pattern or Specifications as the Custodian of Weights and Measures may prescribe.'

It said the GSA classifies lifts/hoists as instruments of weighing and hence requires all persons who operate and have installed in their buildings, to comply with the relevant portions of NRCD 326 by having their installed lifts/hoists inspected, verified and a certificate of verification issued.

'And having a working relationship with GSA to inspect, verify, certify and authenticate any such lifts/hoists in their buildings regularly as prescribed by law.'