The Artnel Henry Standards and Technical Information Centre, the only standards library in Jamaica was established to:

• Provide an information service which supports the standards development and regulatory activities of the Bureau by maintaining a collection of worldwide standards, regulations, journals, texts and other technical information that supplement the work of the organization.
• Provide access to standards and technical information to staff and external clients which include the public and private sector, students especially tertiary, business enterprises large and small, importers and exporters and the man in the street.
• The Technical Information Centre provides access to a comprehensive collection of books, periodicals international, regional and national standards.
• The Centre, housed on the main building of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, provides technical information in standards related fields with fundamental works

The Centre also acts as the local agent for major standards organizations: International Organization for Standardization (ISO), British Standards Institute (BSI), American National Standards Institution (ANSI), and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The centre has online access to all Standards from ISO, Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and ASTM.

The TIC participates in the various educational tours given by BSJ and provides participants with a listing of standards related to their areas of interest.

In addition, bibliographies of selected standards relating to the different industries are compiled and posted to BSJ’s website or sent to relevant personnel or companies.

Opening hours are Mondays to Fridays - 8: 30 am to 4: 30pm

Communication Services/Information Services

The Information Services Department is responsible for disseminating information on standards and standards-related activities. The Department is also responsible for the provision of other communication and marketing services related to the promotion of SLBS’s work. The Information Services Department provides a number of services to its clients in order for them to have easier access to information on standards and related activities.

Procurement of Publications:

Assistance to clients (individuals/corporations) in the procurement of local, regional, national and international standards and other technical publications.

WTO/TBT Enquiry Point:

Supplies WTO and foreign countries with information on compulsory local standards, conformity assessments and technical regulations. Informs local industry and trade of similar developments in other countries. Futher information on the development of this service will be available online in the near future.

Technical Services:

Assistance to individuals and organizations with their research needs in standardization.

Processing of external customer feedback

Further, SLBS has full membership with the following:

1. International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
2. The CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)
3. Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT)
4. Inter-American Metrology System (SIM)

SLBS has also forged partnerships and alliances with other regional and international

Standards bodies such as the:

1. International Electro technical Commission (IEC)
2. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
3. British Standards Institute (BSI).

ABOUT SIC

Established in 1975 the Standards Information Centre (SIC) houses a complete collection of National Standards, ISO Standards, and other Regional and International collections in both print and electronic formats.

SIC SERVICES

To encourage greater use of standards and related services, the Standards Information Centre provides a range of services beneficial to public and private sector organizations as well as individuals. These services include:

• National Standards Database
• Sale of Standards
• Membership Programme
• Standards Updating
• Reference Facility

NATIONAL STANDARDS DATABASE

The SIC maintains a database of all Trinidad and Tobago Standards. The database contains bibliographic information on over eight hundred voluntary and compulsory local standards. These standards have either been developed by TTBS and/or adopted. The content of these standards includes advertising, electrical engineering, environment, quality, packaging, labelling, textiles, footwear, garments, tourism, civil engineering, construction, occupational health and safety and vehicles.

Click here to search the National Standards Database (which is inclusive of Scope of this Standard & Legal Notice of Declaration.

OTHER SERVICES

Sale of Standards

The Sale of Standards involves sourcing and providing National, Regional and International Standards to private and public organizations as well as individuals upon request for a nominal fee.

Reference Facility

UPCOMING SERVICES/FUTURE SERVICES

Membership

The Membership Programme, provides members with special access to global information resources on National, Regional and International Standards, Technology, Quality Management and other related technical issues.

Standards Updating

The Standards Updating Service provides members with up-to-date information to keep their existing standards and related documents current. This service is provided to non-members upon request.

WTO/TBT Enquiry Point

The World Trade Organization (WTO) / Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Enquiry Point supplies WTO and foreign countries with information on compulsory local standards, conformity assessment procedures and technical regulations related to products under the scope of the TBT Agreement. It also informs local industry and trade of similar developments in other countries.

What is the WTO/TBT Enquiry Point?

Trinidad and Tobago as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has established a WTO/TBT (World Trade Organization / Technical Barriers to Trade) Enquiry Point to answer reasonable enquiries from other WTO members, the private sector, trade officials, standards officials, regulators and any other domestic and international stakeholders on any adopted or proposed technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures related to products under the scope of the TBT Agreement (See Article 10).

Who is the WTO/TBT Enquiry Point for Trinidad and Tobago?

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago designated the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) as the National Enquiry Point in 1996 by Cabinet Minute No. 553.

How does the WTO/TBT Enquiry Point operate?

The WTO/TBT Enquiry Point disseminates through the WTO, notifications of proposed local mandatory measures (technical regulations, standards and/or conformity assessment procedures) that may have a significant effect on trade. WTO member countries are allowed sixty (60) days to comment on a proposed measure. All comments received through the Enquiry Point will be taken into consideration and a response will be sent to the WTO member making the comment or enquiry.

*Reminder to also declare National Technical Regulations to notify the WTO on a monthly basis – To begin Jan 2020*

What We Do

• Forward comments received on domestic and foreign measures to the appropriate regulatory agency for consideration;
• Respond to technical enquiries on a variety of topics including: Trinidad and Tobago local standards and technical regulations, CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) standards, international standards and conformity assessment procedures and TBT and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures; and
• Access to standards and regulatory information via the TTBS Standards Information Centre.

• Access to standards and regulatory information via the TTBS Standards Information Centre.

Register for regular TBT updates with ePing

ePing is a free online web service, offered by the World Trade Organization (WTO) that provides private and public stakeholders with up to date information on regulations in export markets around the world, including product requirements and standards.

ePing’s email alert service allows registered users to receive SPS/TBT notifications of particular interest to them based on criteria such as products covered or export markets.

ePing aims to bridge that gap and provide timely information about changes in Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements from trading partners to producers, exporters, governments and other interested users.

ePing is of potential interest to all types of stakeholders, including government agencies, standardizing bodies, producers, exporters, importers, service providers, small and medium-size enterprises, multinationals, international organizations, research institutes, NGOs etc.

To sign-up for ePing go to www.epingalert.org
If you have any questions about ePing Alert please email us at enquirypoint@ttbs.org.tt

How to Submit Comments

Comments can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to the contact information below:

Enquiry Point
Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards
1-2 Century Drive
Trincity Industrial Estate
Macoya, Tunapuna
Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: (868) 662-8827 ext 2531
Fax: (868) 663-4335

Email: enquirypoint@ttbs.org.tt or ttbs@ttbs.org.tt

Additional Resources

• Export Notification – ePing
• Standards For Public Comment
• Standards Work Programme
• National Standards Database
• List of Compulsory Trinidad and Tobago Standards
• Standards Information Centre
• WTO Agreement Series — Technical Barriers to Trade
• TBT Agreement
• Reducing Trade Friction from Standards and Regulations