LPG stakeholders urged to adhere to standards set for the industry

Acting Director of Commerce in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Margaritta Sherwood (right), shares a light moment with, from left, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Ministry of Science, Energy & Technology, Douet Stennett; Chief Executive Officer, National Compliance and Regulatory Authority, Lorice Edwards Brown, and Director, National Compliance and Regulatory Authority, Orine Henry. Occasion was the second staging of the LPG Awareness and Engagement Session held at the Montego Convention Centre, St. James, on November 27. The session was held to increase the general awareness of the industry players and to emphasise the importance of complying with standards set for liquefied petroleum gas sector.

Acting Director of Commerce in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Margaritta Sherwood, is urging stakeholders in the liquefied petroleum gas industry to adhere to the standards which are set for the industry.

She noted that in order to ensure the health and safety of the consuming public they must be aware of the requirements and be in compliance with the three standards, which have been developed for the sector by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica and the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority.

Representing the Chief Technical Director in the Ministry, Monique Gibbs, at the Montego leg of the Awareness and Engagement Session for the LPG Monitoring Programme at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on November 27, Miss Sherwood said that “we have to ensure that we have a safe and effective LPG industry and the protection of our consumers. It is imperative that the established regulations, codes and standards be enforced and additional programmes be established to improve the operations of filling plants”.

Miss Sherwood said that some of the current practices being used in the industry are illegal, unethical and unsafe.

“Where these practices exist, they are putting people at risk, jeopardizing the reputation of the LPG industry and threatening the long-term prospects for the industry. Therefore, we have to ensure closer monitoring and surveillance of the industry in accordance with standards that will protect the integrity of the industry,” she said.

She added that in order to protect the industry, we must also ensure that the relevant codes and standards are in place to protect not only our consumers, but also the reputation of the marketing companies and our distributors.

“Meeting standards in this industry is not optional. The adherence to standards will certainly make our companies, industries and our economies more competitive,” Miss Sherwood added.

The standards are the JS 41:2014 Inspection, retesting and use of transportable gas; JS 31:2014, the repair and rebuilding of welded steel cylinders for containing of liquefied petroleum gases and, the JS 25:2010 transportable gas containers.
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