Date: July 30th 2021.
The Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) hosted a virtual Stakeholder Consultation on the draft compulsory National Standard for Ready-mixed concrete on Friday 30th July, 2021.
The consultation highlighted the key requirements of the draft standard, PCTTCS 16 Ready-mix Concrete – Compulsory Requirements, and allowed stakeholders including; producers, contractors, design firms, property developers, regulatory agencies and members of the public to provide feedback on the draft standard. The feedback will be used as a key input into the standards development process to finalize the draft standard as a compulsory standard.
PCTTCS 16 applies to the production and supply of ready-mixed concrete for buildings and civil engineering structures cast on site. The standard applies to ready-mixed concrete delivered to the purchaser in unhardened, plastic state. The standard also outlines the mechanism to demonstrate compliance to these requirements and includes measures to be taken in the event of non-compliance. The standard was developed in order to protect public and industrial health, welfare and safety, and to ensure that buildings and infrastructure built using ready-mixed concrete perform as expected under normal and extreme loading conditions.
The Standard is intended for use by:
- Producers and distributors of ready-mixed concrete to assist in manufacturing concrete which satisfy minimum requirements and demonstrates compliance in this regard;
- Regulatory agencies – as a basis for assessing locally manufactured ready-mixed concrete within an established regulatory or legal framework; and
- Conformity assessment bodies – as a basis for conformity assessment activities including inspection, testing and certification activities.
TTBS has the authority under the Standards Act Ch. 83.03 to propose that certain standards be made compulsory if they serve one or more of the following objectives:
- Protect the consumer or user against danger to health or safety;
- Protect public or industrial health, welfare or safety;
- Ensure acceptable quality in products, and
- Require adequate information to be given to the consumer or user.
Due to the widespread use and critical nature of ready-mixed concrete structures and the need for quality, safety and consumer protection, TTBS will recommend that this standard be accorded compulsory status by the Minister of Trade and Industry. Upon completion of the standard development process, TTBS will ensure that ready-mixed concrete producers achieve compliance to the standard through a mandatory conformity assessment program undertaken by the TTBS’ Certification Division to verify compliance to the minimum requirements outlined in the standard. Therefore, this standard is the first step to the overall regulation of the ready-mixed concrete industry.
The feedback from the consultation will be utilized to ensure that the finalized compulsory National Standard is practical and implementable. It is expected that the standard will be completed by December, 2021.
During the consultation, Mr. Derek Luk Pat, Executive Director TTBS, thanked stakeholders for working alongside TTBS and further added that, “the development and enforcement of this and other standards for the construction sector is part of the Bureau’s mandate to develop, enforce and promote standards for the protection of public health, welfare and safety and the protection of the environment. Consequently, we expect that the implementation of this standard will result in improved concrete quality, thereby resulting in safer buildings, bridges and infrastructure, while reducing the time and cost expended in remediating or recasting unsuitable concrete.”
The updating and development of compulsory standards is a critical part of TTBS’ Strategic Plan, under its National Standardization Strategy, and forms part of TTBS’ mandate under the Standards Act No. 18 of 1997 as the National Standards Body and National Quality Certifying Body. TTBS remains committed to fulfill its mandate to ensure compliance of products covered by national compulsory standards within Trinidad and Tobago. Against this backdrop, TTBS remains committed to promoting sustainable development through the formulation, promotion, and application of standards.
-ENDS-
For further information, please contact:
- Mr Kirk Bhajan Mr Darryl Thomson
- PR Assistant Standard Officer III
- Marketing Unit, TTBS Standardization Division, TTBS
- Email: kirk.bhajan@ttbs.org.tt Email: darryl.thomson@ttbs.org.tt