KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the wake of what it describes as a “proliferation of substandard handsanitiser products on the market”, Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is urging consumers to examine content labels and use products as recommended to ensure their health and safety.

The agency said that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it developed the JS 351:2020 Jamaican Standard Specification for Instant Hand Sanitizers.

“The Standard was developed to provide guidance to manufacturers and mitigate against substandard formulations which may not be effective in disease prevention,” the statement read.

The BSJ said the protocol is available for viewing free of cost at its technical information centre.

“If manufacturers or interested parties wish to utilise the Standard, it is available for purchase. The standard prescribes the requirements for alcohol-based instant hand sanitisers,” it said.

The Standard contains:

• Definitions

• General Requirements (Product)

• Requirements for establishments producing instant hand sanitizers

 • Packaging and labelling requirements

The oversight authority for compliance with standards is currently assigned to the regulatory body- the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA).

The BSJ also provides testing services for private and public companies, as well as the regulatory body – NCRA, to determine the integrity of product contents.