The nagging problem of substandard building blocks being manufactured across the island continues unabated because the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is unable to properly monitor all the factories due to inadequate funding.

Dr Victor Douse, University of the West Indies lecturer and BSJ consultant, revived the burning issue at the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) council meeting Tuesday.

Dr Douse said that a survey done by the BSJ six months ago found that only an estimated 32 per cent of the block factories were manufacturing blocks of the required specifications.

He said that blocks play an important role in load-bearing structures. If substandard blocks are used in building a structure, it is necessary to fill all the block pockets with cement. However, in many instances not all the block pockets were filled during construction.

He said that there are even some trained engineers who are guilty of the practice as they do not believe that it is necessary to fill all the block pockets in the structure.

Dr Douse warned that the empty block pockets made the structure susceptible to earthquake damage and also allowed for the easy entry of gunshots into the structure.

“If the blocks are properly built , even if all the pockets are not filled with cement, the blocks will be able to stand on their own,” he said.

The BSJ consultant said that blocks that are too porous will cause water to build up and lead to mould and mosquito problems.

“The consumer should not buy blocks from a factory unless they can get a certificate that shows that it is meeting the BSJ standard,” Dr Douse warned

He also advised lending agencies to demand proof that the building materials are meeting BSJ standards before approving mortgage loans.

Dr Douse said that of 22 block factories tested in St Catherine only seven passed the BSJ specifications test. Only two of the 25 block factories in St Elizabeth met BSJ requirements, and only three of the nine factories in Clarendon passed the test. Ten of the 20 factories in Manchester were found to be manufacturing blocks of the required specifications and six of the 12 block factories in St Ann passed the test.

The specifications of seven of the 20 block factories in St Mary were found by the BSJ to be satisfactory, and seven of the 10 factories in St Thomas passed the test. Seven of the 13 factories in Westmoreland were found to be producing blocks of a satisfactory standard, while in Hanover the only two block factories in the parish failed the BSJ test, he said.

Only three of the eight factories in St James were found to be producing concrete blocks suitable for building structures, and in Portland only four of the 14 factories in the parish passed the test.