The advisory reminds the public and all persons who operate and install lifts and hoists in commercial buildings that, failure to comply with the legal provisions regarding their installation was an offence that could attract prescribed legal sanctions.

By the Weights and Measures Act, 1975, (N.R.C.D. 326) GSA is the Administrator and Custodian of Weights and Measures and Inspectors of weighing and measuring devices/instruments.

The Agency classifies lifts/hoists as instruments of weighing and hence requires all persons who operate and install them in commercial buildings to comply with the relevant portions of NRCD 326 by having their patterns approved, inspected, verified and a certificate of verification issued and also having a working relationship with GSA to inspect, verify, certify and authenticate any such lifts/hoists in their buildings regularly as prescribed by the law: Section 11 of NRCD 326 provides that:

“Subject to provision of this section, every weight, measure and instrument for weighing or measuring for use in trade or industry shall be verified and stamped by an inspector with a stamp of verification and the inspector shall issue a certificate of verification”

“A certificate of verification issued under subsection (1) shall remain in force for such period as may be prescribed and shall during that period authorise the use of weight, measure or instrument for weighing or measuring in any part of Ghana unless it is unjust.

“Any person who has in his possession for use in trade or industry, any weight, measure or instrument for weighing or measuring shall retain in his possession the certificate of verification issued in respect thereof and shall produce the certificate for inspection whenever required.”

Sub-section 7 states:

“Any inspector shall not verify, stamp, certify or authenticate any weight, measure or instrument for weighing or measure where; it is not in conformity with subsection 9(1) or 9(2) or it presents unusual features which do not conform with such Pattern or Specifications as the Custodian of Weights and Measures may prescribe.”

The GSA urged persons and institutions that had installed or were about to install lifts/hoists to comply with NRCD 326 to avoid possible sanctions.

GSA derives its mandate from the standards decree NRCD 173 of 1973, and is the national body responsible for developing, publishing and promoting standards in the country. Its services include; testing and inspections, certification, calibration and verification.

It is also responsible for library information and dissemination, training and sensitisation and public information and consumer protection.

The Authority's vision is to become a customer-focused world-class standards organisation. Its mission is to contribute to the growth of industry, protect consumers, facilitate trade and through metrology, standardisation and conformity assessment.