NEWS!
National Forum Dec 6, 2019
Location: Super Club Breezes Hotel, Cable Beach, New Providence Date: 6th December 2019 Topic: Standards…
ZOOM Meeting: Food Vendors Seminar - September 3, 2020
The Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) is the agency responsible for coordinating the…

The Standards Development Department

Standards Development Department is responsible for the preparation, promotion, and maintenance of standards in relation to goods, services, and processes.

Standards Development – is demand driven.

  • Drive:
  • Industry
  • Market
  • Customer
  • Environmental and/or Social Issues

Standards – developed by a group of stakeholders i.e. a Technical Committee.

Standards Development Process

Within The Bahamas, BBSQ mandated to prepare, promote and implement standards for all goods, services, practices and processes used or produced locally, in order to protect the health and safety of consumers, and the environment and develops standards through a process, which usually involves the following stages:

  • Proposal Stage - Identifying the need to set a standard
  • Preparatory Stage
  • Defining the scope of the standard (e.g. the technical, environmental or safety specifications which need to be set) or if regional or international standards
  • Determine if international standards or regional standards already exist that can be adopted, adapted or if a standard has to be developed
  • Committee Stage -Consulting with other interested parties with a view to achieving a consensus on the adoption, adaption or development of a standard (committee Stage)
  • Enquiry Stage (Stage 40) - The working draft is circulated to all skateholders and the public, who then have 3 months/12 weeks to review and provide comments which are then taken into consideration.
  • Approval and Publication Stages -Publishing the agreed standards for the relevant product or service

Summaries on Standards Already Developed

  • BNSS = Bahamas National Standard - Specification
  • BNSCP = Bahamas National Standard - Code of Practice
  • BNS = Bahamas National Standard
  • CRS = CARICOM Regional Standards
  • ISO = International Organization for Standarization
  • FDBNS = Final Draft Bahamas National Standard
  • DBNS = Draft Bahamas National Standard

Specification for Packaged Water BNSS 1:2014

This national standard specifies requirements for the purity, treatment, bacteriological acceptability, packaging and labelling of all waters that are pre-packaged for sale and used as beverages or in foods. This would include self-serve refill bottled water for sale.

This standard does not apply to water distributed by the public water supply system, to carbonated beverages, soda water or to packaged water sold for purposes other than as a beverage.

This standard should be used in conjunction with BNSCP 1:2014, Code of Hygienic Practice for Packaged Water.

Code of Hygiene Practice for Packaged Water BNSCP 1:2014
This national standard recommends appropriate general techniques for collecting, processing, packaging, storing, transporting, distributing and offering for sale, all bottled or packaged drinking water for direct consumption.
Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene BNSCP 2:2014
This national standard outlines the essential principles of food hygiene within the food chain from primary production to the final consumer, stipulating the acceptable hygienic conditions for producing food that is safe and suitable for consumption.
Labelling of Prepackaged Foods BNS CRS 5:2010

This standard applies to the labelling of all pre-packaged foods to be offered to the consumer or for catering purposes. This standard is not applicable to food:

  1. sold unpackaged, or in an open or uncovered package;
  2. weighed or measured in or counted into the package in the presence of the purchaser;
  3. intended for export only, which comply with the requirements of standards or laws on labelling of the country to which they are being exported;
  4. which is gift-wrapped.
Labelling of Tobacco Products BNS CRS 26:2013
This standard applies to the labelling of individual packages and cartons of tobacco products intended for retail sale in the Caribbean Community.

This standard specifies the information, the method of display of such information, the wording and presentation of health warnings to be included on the labels of retail packages of tobacco products intended to be sold in the Caribbean Community.

This standard does not apply to the labelling of cases of such individual packages irrespective of sizes, provided the cases are not displayed or used at the point of sale.
Specification for Grading and Quality Requirements of Table Eggs BNS CCS 52:2005

This standard establishes specifications for:

  1.grading criteria and grades;
  2.weight classification;
  3.labelling requirements; and
  4.sampling protocols and methods of test.

This standard is applicable to table eggs which are prepackaged, distributed and offered for sale in the retail trade in CARICOM.

This standard also establishes labelling requirements for processed egg products, which are prepackaged, distributed and offered for sale in CARICOM.

Specification for Poultry and Poultry Products BNS CRS 28:2012
This standard specifies requirements for primary processed poultry consisting of carcasses, poultry parts and poultry products for human consumption. It defines and distinguishes between the market classes of poultry.

Requirements for sanitation, plant hygiene, the dressing operation, grading, packaging, labelling and marketing as well as ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of poultry products sold through commercial distribution systems are also established.

This standard does not apply to freshly killed poultry prepared for direct sale to consumers and for which conditions may be prescribed in National Regulations.
Specification for Poultry feed and feed ingredients BNS CRS 29:2011

This standard establishes specifications for nutrient requirements in the rations fed to poultry. It provides guidance on good manufacturing practices for the production of poultry feeds and good on-farm feeding practices. It applies to the production and use of all materials designed for poultry feed and feed ingredients at all levels, whether produced industrially or on farm.

Cement – Specification BNS CRS 54: 2014

This standard specifies requirements for hydraulic cements used primarily in the construction industry. It includes requirements for compressive strength, physical properties, chemical properties, packaging, labelling and the means of determining conformance to these requirements. This Standard applies to Portland and blended cement.

This standard does not apply to ASTM C150M Type IV cement.

General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories BNS ISO/IEC 17025:2005

This document specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of laboratories. This document is applicable to all organizations performing laboratory activities, regardless of the number of personnel. Laboratory customers, regulatory authorities, organizations and schemes using peer-assessment, accreditation bodies, and others use this document in confirming and recognizing the competence of laboratories.

Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and Competence BNS ISO 15189:2012

This standard specifies requirements for quality and competence in medical laboratories. This International Standard can be used by medical laboratories in developing their quality management systems and assessing their own competence. It can also be used for confirming or recognizing the competence of medical laboratories by laboratory customers, regulating authorities and accreditation bodies.

NOTE International, national or regional regulations or requirements may also apply to specific topics covered in this International Standard.

Technical Committee Activities

Technical Committees

Technical Committees (TC) are established for the purpose of preparing standards or other normative documents.

Membership to a TC includes representation from all interested stakeholders, inclusive of the following:

  • industry - consumer groups
  • government organizations - other stakeholders
  • academia

Once established, Technical Committees (TC’s) meet on a scheduled basis to discuss and reach decisions specific to its scope of work, through a cooperative consensus process.

Current List of Developed Technical Committees by the BBSQ

  1. Technical Committee (6) Building & Building Products (NON- ACTIVE)
  1. Technical Committee (7) Spirit and Brewery Products (NON-ACTIVE)
  1. Technical Committee (4) Tobacco and Tobacco Products (ACTIVE)
  1. Technical Committee (9) Management System (Active until COVID 19)
  1. Technical Committee (10) Tourism and Related Services (Active until COVID19)
  1. Technical Committee (11) Electro-Technical and Energy Efficiency (Active until COVID 19)
  1. Technical Committee (12) Road Vehicles (NON – ACTIVE)
  1. Technical Committee (13) Conformity Assessment (NON- ACTIVE)
  1. Technical Committee (14) Environmental Management & Protection (ACTIVE)
  1. Technical Committee (15) Food and Food Products (ACTIVE)