by Linda Straker
- Draft national standards out for review at the office of the Grenada Bureau of Standards.
- Period to provide comments from 1 February to 31 March 2018.
Grenada is taking steps to establish national standards for Craft Production, Hairdressers and Barbers, and the Safe Use, Handling, Storage and Transportation of Refrigerants.
Following months of consultations with direct and indirect stakeholders, the Grenada Bureau of Standards is now at the stage where the standards are in their draft format, and the next process is for the general public to provide comments.
Lena Belgrave, Head of Standardisation Division at the Bureau says that a period of 2 months is being provided for the public to review and provide comments that may result in amendments to the standards.
“The period for the public to provide comments is from 1 February to 31 March 2018, and during that time we want the general public to read the draft documents and submit comments on these standards,” she said while explaining that the comments must be in writing and sent to the attention of the Director of the Bureau.
The official names of the standards are The Code of Practice for Hairdressers and Barbers; Guidelines for Craft Production and Standard for the Safe Use, Handling, Storage and Transportation of Refrigerants Including Flammable Refrigerants. They can be viewed at the office of the Grenada Bureau of Standards, Queen’s Park, St George.
In Grenada, national standards fall into the category of mandatory or voluntary. However, Belgrave said that when a standard is not mandatory but is referred to in another national legislation, it becomes enforceable.
Recently, the Ministry of Health began enforcing the Allied Health Practitioner legislation which provides for persons in some professions who falls in the category of Allied Healthcare Practitioners to be registered and licence to operate legally.
These persons work in healthcare fields by providing a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, direct patient care and support services that are critical to patient wellbeing. They are:
- Acupuncturist
- Audiologist
- Audiometrist
- Chiropodist
- Chiropractor
- Dental Hygienist
- Dental Technician
- Dietitian
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Emergency Medical Dispatcher
- Herbalist
- Homeopath
- Masseuse
- Imaging Technologist
- Naturopathist
- Optician
- Occupational Therapist
- Podiatrist
- Psychotherapist
- Psychologist
- Physiotherapist
- Reflexologist
- EMP Specialist
- Speech Therapist
- Nutritionist
- Massager
- Laboratory Technician
- X-Ray Technician
- Sonographer
- Venipuncturist/Phlebotomist
- Medical Social Worker
Government has already indicated that measures will soon be taken to amend the necessary legislation to include other professions on that list and it will include, among other professions, hairdressers, barbers and persons offering tattoo services.