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The Promoterof Standardisation & Quality Assurance in Botswana

Volume 66 | January – March 2014

Keeping safe with LPG at home

• Benefits of Quality Management Systems Certification

• Department of Regulatory Compliance learns from South African NCRS

• Milk & Coliforms

FROM THE EDITORStandards offer a vital competitive edge to all businesses despite the size, location and nature of the business. Standards make life easier and safer, create a level playing field on which to compete and allow access to state of the art technology – strengthening innovation capacity. In this issue you will find an array of important issues ranging from benefits derived from being BOS ISO 9001 certified to keeping safe with LPG at home.

Standards have an impact in our everyday lives and it is very vital that we educate our community about issues of Standardization. Many thanks to all those that took their time to contribute articles for The Promoter. It is through your dedication and love for your work that we have a full packed and educative issue every quarter, Thank You. To all the readers out there, You may follow us on Twitter @Bobsmarketing, find us on Facebook Botswana Bureau of Standards or better yet visit our website www.bobstandards.bw to find out more about issues of Standardization.

CONTENTS4. Customers and Standards

5. Keeping safe with LPG at home

6. Benefits of Quality Management Systems Certification

7. Revision of ISO 9001:2008 Standard

8. BOBS develops a Food Safety Management System Certification Scheme

9. Department of Regulatory Compliance learns from South African NRCS

10. SIIR workshop for Chinese traders

11. Impression House gets BOS ISO 9001:2008 Certified

12. How to Renovate or Repair Underground Piping Systems

13. Milk and Coliforms

14. Risk Assessment in food

15. Handling customer complaints procedure.

Ogomoditse Letsholo ( Mrs)

2 | The Promoter - Volume 66 - BOBS Quarterly Newsletter

How standards impacts our daily lives Have you ever stopped to wonder why you can use your bank card almost anywhere in the world? The showerhead in your bathroom is broken and you need a replacement, imagine the frustration you would feel if you were unable to replace it because you cannot find a matching product. I believe you are thankful that the dashboard symbols in the grey car you have imported from UK/Japan/Singapore are the same as those sold in Botswana? You can watch video footage (MPEG) delivered via the Web on any of the different computers and mobile gadgets you have access to. Check your baby’s toy, you will find that there are no sharp edges and you can also buy with confidence pack-aged food because it will be fresh and safe to eat. Imagine how boring and bothersome our daily lives would be, had great inventions, such as electricity, computers, internet, automobiles and telephones, not been stand-ardized and distributed worldwide in their present forms. These and many other examples of convenience for con-sumers in everyday life show why standards, especially International Standards, are directly relevant to you as the consumer. Therefore as a consumer you have to be aware of standards and be able to comment and contribute dur-ing their development.

What are standards in this context?International Organization for Standardization (ISO) de-fines a standard as ‘a document, established by a con-sensus of subject matter experts and approved by a rec-ognized body that provides guidance on the design, use or performance of materials, products, processes, services, systems or persons’. Standards are voluntary agreements, developed within an open process that gives all stake-holders, including consumers, the opportunity to express their views and have those views considered. This con-tributes to the standard’s fairness, market relevance, and promotes confidence in their use.

What consumer benefit from StandardsStandards help support basic consumer rights, such as the right to choose, the right to quality and safety, the right to be heard and the right to be informed. Standards also help support basic consumer protection by helping to raise levels of quality, safety, reliability, efficiency and interchangeability. They can be an effective tool in con-sumer protection as they can provide a basis for national legislation and certification schemes. They can also be re-garded as best practice for use in promoting business and in litigation for damages. Standards ensure consistency of

essential features of goods and services, such as quality, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, interoperability, efficiency and effectiveness. International Standards, in particular, help make the development, manufacturing and supply of goods and services more efficient, safer and cleaner to everyone around the globe. How consumers feature in development of standards

A consumer is the “end-user” of the product or service also defined as “an individual member of the general public, purchasing or using goods, property or services for private purposes.” Standards are written by committees of people with the relevant knowledge of a topic who agree on the content – the work is based on the principle of consensus. A committee might include industry experts, academics, manufacturers, retailers and consumers. For standards to have a real and positive impact it is vital that the people who use products and services – consumers – be involved in creating them. Since it is impossible to have everyone present during the development of standards, a member of a consumer stakeholder category termed a consumer representative is nominated to join the committee. A con-sumer representative is defined as a ‘national, regional and international consumer representation body, independent of any organization that would fall into the ‘industry and commerce’ category, or individual experts engaged from a consumer perspective.

How can consumer contribute to the development of standards as a consumer?

BOBS aims to produce standards that really matter to con-sumers, therefore as a consumer you can contribute by:

1. Commenting on draft standards where you have rel-evant knowledge and expertise. Adverts on the draft standards are published every now and then on local newspapers and on BOBS website. Draft standards are available at BOBS offices for everyone’s perusal.

2. Consumers can ask to take part, suggest a consumer representative or a subject expert in a technical com-mittee during the development of Botswana stand-ards or contributing in regional or international work, to ensure that the consumer’s voice is heard in the development of standards themselves.

3. Consumers can also propose ideas for new standards to be developed.

Do not miss the next issue in which some of the developed standards that have impact on consumers’ lives will be highlighted.……

Consumers and Standards

By. Abigail Rankokwane


WHY LP GAS?Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is the preferred choice for many homes because it an economical fuel source that burns very efficiently, with very low combustion emissions. It burns readily and gives off instant heat on ignition, removing the need for a warming-up period. LPG also produces heat that responds instantly to changes in setting and distributes the heat more broadly across the base of cooking implements. The flame is visible and its size is easily controllable to meet the heating needs. LP Gas has the added advantage of insuring individuals and businesses against the vulnerability to cuts in power supply. It is ideally suited for use in industrial, commercial, agricultural, horticultural and manufacturing applications. In our homes we use it for heating, lighting and cooking.

Safety of appliancesEven though LP Gas has many benefits, there is a need to be aware that LP Gas is a hazardous product hence safety aspect cannot be ignored especially when it comes to types of gas regulators used with cooking appliances. LP gas regulator ensures a safe consistent pressure delivery of gas from the cylinder to gas stove. Fitting a substandard regulator to gas cylinder and stove can put somebody’s life at risk hence consumers must be careful that they are not supplied with substandard LP gas regulators while on the other hand, manufacturers and distributors have to ensure that they supply quality and safety approved regulators that conforms to safety standards.

What to look for on a gas regulator before purchase?In order to ensure health and safety on the use of LP gas regulators, BOBS through Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations, 2008 as per BOS 118:2005 standard, states requirements for a compliant LP gas regulator. The regulation further stipulates that all prescribed products including gas regulators manufactured and imported into Botswana must have been inspected by BOBS or a recognized testing body before placing on the market.

The following information can assist consumers to make informed decision whenever they wish to purchase any gas regulator to use in their homes;

Consumers must be knowledgeable about what information to find on a gas regulator. The information has to be legibly stamped, embossed or permanently applied on a gas regulator;

• Manufacturer’s name or trademark shall be marked on the body of the regulator.

• The direction of flow of gas shall be indicated by the arrow.

• The set outlet pressure (i.e. 2.8 kPa) shall be indicated.

• The nominal gas – flow rate of the regulator (expressed in kg/h or g/h) shall be indicated.

• The month and year of manufacture shall be indicated.

• Instructions leaflet shall be provided in English or Setswana to promote safety during use.

• Indoor or outdoor use has to be stated depending on the type of relieve valves a regulator has

(More reference can be done from BOS 118: 2005: Single- Stage Regulators for liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) standard)It is mandatory for gas regulators to be tested for compliance and for the manufacturers or importers of such product to obtain a Verification Permit declaring safety of the product before trading with the product and it is upon consumers at all times request for tested and approved gas regulators whenever the need for purchase arise.Regulator Protection and Replacement Like any other gas appliances, the regulator needs to be protected against physical damage or harm. Regulators have internal moving parts that are subject to wear and tear after some time, hence the regulator needs to be replaced when it has reached this stage. Manufacturers or suppliers can tell consumers when the regulator needs to be replaced due to age or malfunction and therefore consumer needs to take this advice seriously. The industry norm for life span of a gas regulator is 5 years or more before a need for replacement.

Keeping safe with LPG at home

By. Emmanuel Molebatsi

The Promoter - Volume 66 - BOBS Quarterly Newsletter | 5

INCREASED EFFICIENCYCompanies that go through the BOS ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standards certification process have given a lot of thought to their processes and how to maximize quality and efficiency. Once certified for QMS, the processes are established and guidelines in place for anyone to follow easily, making training, transitions, and trouble-shooting easier.

INCREASED REVENUEStudies have shown that QMS certified companies experience increased productivity and improved financial performance, compared to uncertified companies.

EMPLOYEE MORALEDefined roles and responsibilities, accountability of management, established training systems and a clear picture of how their roles affect quality and the overall success of the company, all contribute to more satisfied and motivated staff.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITIONThe International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is recognized worldwide as the authority on quality management.

FACTUAL APPROACH TO DECISION MAKINGThe QMS standard sets out clear instructions for audits and process reviews that facilitate information gathering and decision making based on the data.

SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPSMutually beneficial supplier relationships are one of the key attractions to ISO certification. Following the processes for documentation and testing ensure quality raw materials go into your production system. The process also requires thorough evaluation of new suppliers before a change is made and/or consistency with respect to how and where orders are placed.

DOCUMENTATIONThe QMS standard requires documentation of all processes and any changes, errors and discrepancies. This ensures consistency throughout production and accountability of all staff. This also guarantees that traceable records are available in case of non-compliant products or raw materials.

CONSISTENCYOne of the foundations of QMS is that all processes from research and development, to production, to shipping, to service provision, are defined, outlined and documented, minimizing room for error. Even the process of making changes to a process is documented, ensuring that changes are well planned and implemented in the best possible way to maximize efficiency.

CUSTOMER SATIFACTIONClient confidence is gained because of the universal acceptance of the ISO standards. Customer satisfaction is ensured because of the benefits of ISO 9001:2008 QMS to company efficiency, consistency and dedication to quality service.

IMPROVEMENT PROCESSESThe ISO 9001:2008 QMS outlines audit processes, management review and improvement processes based on collected data. Improvements are carefully planned and implemented based on facts, using a system of documentation and analysis, to ensure the best decisions are made for your company.

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Benefits of Quality Management Systems Certification

By Galeboe Mabiletsa


Revision of ISO 9001:2008 Standard

ISO 9001, Quality management systems – Requirements standard is published by the International Organization for Standardization through the Technical Committee on Quality management and quality assurance (ISO/TC 176). Sub - Committee 2 on Quality systems (SC2) is responsible for developing this standard.

ISO/TC 176/SC 2 started the revision of the ISO 9001:2008 standard by releasing a committee draft (CD 9001) in June 2013 after conducting a system review of the standard as per the ISO procedures. An international ballot agreed that there was a need to revise the standard.

The following are some of the reasons that brought about this revision:

• An increasing diversity of users of the standard and the broad interest of users of the standard

• New developments in knowledge and technologies and changes in the industry

As of December 2013, some of the changes to the standard ISO 9001:2008 introduced in the CD 9001 are:

• A new common format that will be used for all management system standards (the format will comprise of standardized core text and structure, as well as standardized core definitions).

• An emphasis on risk based thinking (making preventive action part of the routine)

• Increased emphasis on achieving value for the organization and its customers

• Increased flexibility on the use of documentation

• An increased leadership requirements

• No requirements for management representative

• No need for a quality manual

• Management review to take into consideration the strategic direction of the organization

As of December 2013, the timeline for development of the new standard is as follows:

• A draft international standard (DIS 9001) will be released for circulation in April 2014 for a three months period to source comments from ISO member bodies

• A final draft international standard (FDIS 9001) will be released in July 2015 for two months circulation to ISO member bodies; and

• An international standard, ISO 9001 will be published in September 2015 (provided all goes according to plan).

As a user of the ISO 9001 standard, you need to ensure the following:

• Know and understand the key changes in the standard

• Have plans to implement the new requirements; and

• Stay informed as the revision proceeds.

BOBS technical committee, GPD1, Quality Management System will adopt ISO 9001:2015 after its publication by ISO as per the standards development procedure.

By K. Mabula


BOBS develops a Food Safety Management Systems Certification SchemeIntroductionFoodborne diseases take a major toll on the health of humans as a whole. Every year, more than 48 million people fall ill and many die as a result of eating unsafe food. The consequences of unsafe food can be serious and food-borne illness can be catastrophic, not only for the consumer and health services but also for the retailers and other organisations in the food supply chain. To this regard, food safety is a critical issue that must be managed throughout the food chain. Thus, one should put in place a system based on sound safety practices, in line with general Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards.

Food safety is a global concern, not only because of its importance to public health, but also because of its impact on international trade. Globalization of food production and procurement makes food chains longer and more complex and increases the risk of food safety incidents. Effective and harmonized food safety systems are intended to manage and ensure the safety and suitability of food in each link of the supply chain. For this reason, the International Organisation of Standards (ISO) developed another standard for food safety management systems ISO 22000, which applies to all organizations in the food chain and thus ensures integrity of the chain.

Parallel to this development there is an increasing need for harmonized certification of the food safety systems in order to create justified confidence that all necessary measures are taken to ensure food safety in previous links of the chain. In this context ISO developed the technical specification ISO/TS 22003 that contains requirements for bodies providing certification of the food safety management systems. These developments were triggered by the increasing need of food manufacturers for a generally accepted food safety certificate that meets with the requirements of the subsequent customers in the chain and may incorporate the requirements of the different certification schemes of the retail organizations. Introducing BOS ISO 22000 CertificationBotswana has adopted the ISO 22000:2005 standard into the national standard BOS ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management Systems –Requirements for any organisation in the food chain. This standard combines the (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) HACCP principles and application steps with the (Pre-Requisite Programmes) PRPs using the hazard analysis to determine the strategy to be used to ensure hazard control by combining the PRPs with the HACCP plan.

The benefits of implementing BOS ISO 22000:2005 BOS ISO 22000 is a clear, auditable, global standard providing a framework to bring together all parts of a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) that demonstrates commitment to customer satisfaction. Implementing this standard benefits an organisation by providing a more efficient and dynamic food safety hazard control; links pre-requisite programs (PRPs & OPRPs), HACCP with the Plan-Do-Study-Act philosophies of ISO9001 to increase the effectiveness of the food management system; tests

compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements through internal audits and management reviews and hence provide valid basis for taking decisions; and aligns with other management systems, e.g., (ISO 9001, ISO 14001).

The benefits of BOS ISO 22000 CertificationThe scheme is based on an ISO standard and hence;• It has worldwide credibility;

• It provides a common language, improving communication across the supply chain;

• It provides a systematic management protocol for PRPs, with control focussed on what is really necessary;

• It provides confidence to other stakeholders that an organization has the ability to identify and control food safety hazards, and

• It provides sufficient flexibility for specific customer requirements to be taken into account.

ConclusionFood safety is related to the presence of, and levels of food-borne hazards in food at the point of consumption. As food safety hazards may be introduced at any stage of the food chain, adequate control throughout the food chain is essential. Thus, food safety is a joint responsibility of all parties participating in the food chain. The Food Safety Management System is an all-encompassing, that aims at ensuring that food production at any level is done in a consistent manner, due diligence is observed, all involved are consulted, issues of liability are involved, and the whole process is cost-effective. Failures in food supply can cause human suffering, death, poor reputation, violations, poor nutrition, poor quality products and decreased profits. As mentioned above, Botswana has adopted the ISO 22000:2005 standard. This allows local food manufacturers to access this standard. BOS ISO 22000 will ensure integrity of food supply chain by minimizing food-borne hazards throughout the food chain. It therefore makes good scientific sense for those who are involved in the food chain, which is, food production, food processing, manufacturing, storage, distribution of food and food products to adopt and implement BOS ISO 22000.

By. Nomeko Mlobeli


From the 3rd to the 7th March 2014 a team of Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) inspectors under the Compulsory Standards Unit (CSU) in the Department of Regulatory Compliance (DRC) went for attachment training with South African National Regulator

of Compulsory Specifications (NRCS). The scope of the training was conformity assessment which included handling of applications for certificates of compliance, market surveillance, inspections, raids, recall and disposal of non-conforming products.

NRCS is a parallel body to BOBS DRC in that it exists to effectively and efficiently administer technical regulations. Initially the functions of NRCS were under a Regulatory Division of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) until in 2008 the NRCS Act transferred the Division and all regulatory functions of the SABS to a new statutory body – NRCS. This was so as to align South Africa with world best regulatory practice by eliminating the conflict of interest that was within SABS in that it developed standards, assessed conformance to them and with the findings enforce penalties in the case of non-conformance.

Counting the years that NRCS activities were under SABS, the organization has over 60 years of experience in regulatory work. It was thus fitting for the relatively new BOBS DRC to go learn and share experiences with an organization with such a vast amount of experience.

The training included presentations from all different divisions within NRCS on how they operate in achieving

their mandate of regulatory compliance. The team had a chance to work with their colleagues at NRCS in their different divisions that correspond to their field of speciality and spending more time now focusing in detail on how the divisions of interest carry out their regulatory work. This part of the attachment included working with the NRCS inspectors as they went out for market surveillance inspections. It also included working with the evaluators to evaluate applications for Letter of Authority and other certificates of compliance as done by the NRCS evaluators and inspectors. This gave the Botswana team a good experience in how to evaluate test reports and access applications, it also gave more light in how market surveillance is conducted.

In the end a lot was learnt that will go on to continuously improve the efficiency of our processes as we continue our quest to put safety of human life first, protect the environment and enhance trade through the implementation of the compulsory Standards.

Contributions by: B. Bantsi, M. Senthufhe, T.Tumane, O. Eole, Mhete

Department of Regulatory Compliance learns from South African NCRS


The 12th of March, 2014 will go down in the books of history as a momentous day for Impression House. Impression House took a courageous step

of certifying its system against BOS ISO 9001:2008 which saw it bearing fruits by ultimately receiving the certificate. Handing over the certificate was BOBS’ Managing Director, Mrs. Masego B.B. Marobela who was pleased to indicate that by way of handing over the certificate was recognition of Impression House’s quality management system which has been audited and found to be conforming to the requirements of BOS ISO 9001:2008 Standard.

Speaking at the ceremony Mr. Ravi Iyer, Chairman for Impression House said that Impression House chose to certify their system against the systematic processes and procedures of BOS ISO 9001:2008 in a strive to satisfy their customers with the best possible service and products. He more highlighted that Impression House has long hatched the idea of going for BOS ISO 9001:2008 about 3 years ago and they took their time ensuring that the standard was understood well across the staff and management.

Closing the ceremony was Mr. Vaidyanathan Sriram who thanked everyone present for coming to witness and celebrate with them as Impression House as they were receiving BOS ISO 9001:2008 certificate. He stated that they had quite a memorable journey in getting BOS ISO 9001:2008 certified; and that they had ensured that all their staff members participated, understood the reasons for such standardisation and adapted them into their routine. He also promised that they will continue to work towards excelling in their service to customers.

BOBS would like to take this opportunity to welcome Impression House into its family of BOBS’ quality management systems certified organizations.

Impression House gets BOS ISO 9001:2008 Certified

By. Kagisano Makonyela

BOBS’ Managing Director, Mrs. Masego B.B Marobela handing over the certificate to Chairman Impression House, Mr. Ravi Iyer

BOBS’ Managing Director, & Impression House Chairman Flying the BOS ISO 9001:2008 Flag.


As part of the implementation strategy for regulated products, Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) through the Compulsory Standards Unit organises

workshops and seminars for stakeholders of affected products so as to inform them of the changes and what is expected from them by BOBS. This is to enable the stakeholders to be prepared for the implementation.

On the 8th of May 2013 the Compulsory standards unit held an SIIR Chinese workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to facilitate and foster increased information dissemination and involvement of all Chinese traders in Botswana dealing with products affected by Standards Import Inspection Regulations (SIIR).

The workshop addressed the new regulated products to be enforced with effect from June 1st 2013 which include among others Tv’s, Hifi systems, Radios, Electric geysers, pneumatic tyres for both passenger and commercial tyres, windscreens, fire extinguishers, electric fence energizers, electric toothbrushes, sewing machines and bottled water.The format of workshop was such that it’s an interactive workshop which included presentations from BOBS officers, answering questions from the participants and noting comments from the participants.

The key points in the presentations was to highlight to traders that they should ensure that the regulated products they import should be tested, applied for and be issued with a BOBS certificate of compliance prior to importing them into Botswana Market as provided in the SIIR, contravening the provisions of Regulations is an offense subject to imposing penalties. It was also highlighted that some of the challenges encountered in the implementation of the

SIIR include customers not applying within the 14 days stipulated in the Regulations.

The participants indicated that there is a challenge in the language barrier as some Traders in the Chinese community are not fluent in English or Setswana and that there are no inspection Bodies from China recognised by BOBS. The response was that BOBS will continue to come up with ways of addressing the issue of language barrier and so far in an effort to address it, presentations on the workshop and press release indicating that the implementation of the regulated products will effect from 1st June 2013 were translated into Chinese. Furthermore, with the help of the Chinese Embassy, BOBS managed to solicit someone to translate from English to Chinese during the workshop.

It was further highlighted that Traders should be aware that BOBS adheres to World Trade Organisation Technical Barriers to Trade(WTO-TBT) principles amongst them being non-discrimination of products and equivalence of standards hence Goods from China will not be discriminated on the basis of their country of origin and if there is an accredited body which tested against equivalent Chinese Standards the reports would be acceptable and efforts are under way to seek assistance from Embassy to have a recognised inspection Bodies from China. Finally it was emphasized that consumer protection needs all stakeholders’ involvement, traders, producers and consumers since BOBS cannot do it alone.

It can be concluded that the workshop met its objectives as 65% attendance was achieved and the participants gave feedback that was useful and will be used to improve the overall process of regulation.

SIIR workshop for Chinese Traders

By: Beni T.Lekgowe


The durability of PVC pipes is related, as it is for all other thermoplastics materials, to the chemical degradation of the polymer used in the pipes. However unlike other thermoplastic pipes, PVC pipes do not oxidize. Stabilisers are used in PVC pipes to prevent degradation of the polymer during the extrusion process and storage of the pipes before they are buried in the ground. This ensures that when the pipes are buried in the ground, no significant chemical degradation takes place. The expected lifespan of PVC pipes for portable water under pressure is extrapolated based on hoop stress testing of pipes for up to 20 000 hours. This allows an estimation of the durability by extrapolation to a life expectancy under pressure of at least 50 years. This implies however that beyond the design lifespan of the pipes, there could be noticeable deterioration in the inherent properties of the pipes. Inevitably the pipes will start to give way, resulting into pollution of the environment in the case of sewer pipes, or loss of water in the case of potable water pipes. Something has to be done early enough during this phase to prevent escalation of the problems sited above.

There are several ways of dealing with deterioration of underground plastics pipes. They can either be dug out and replaced by new pipes or they can be RENOVATED! What does renovating a pipe system mean? It means rehabilitating the existing pipe system insitu, without having to dig it out. This is done by inserting a pipe lining system into the existing pipeline. There are two commonly used methods for rehabilitating existing pipelines. The first method is renovation, which constitutes lining the existing damaged pipe system with continuous pipes or with close-fit pipes or with cured-in-place pipes or with discrete pipes or with spirally-wound pipes. The second method is trenchless replacement of the existing pipe system using pipe bursting method or tunnelling.

Pipeline renovation is a non-conventional method of installing a pipeline, distinguished from those for conventionally installed plastics piping systems, and therefore needs to be done by personnel trained in the relevant technique and fully conversant with the procedures.

It is important to ensure that installation, inspection and lifting equipment used is as specified by the system designer and/or installer and that the equipment should conform to the applicable construction and safety standards.

All applicable national health and safety regulations should be taken into account. Safety requirements should be identified for all stages of the installation procedure, from preparing the access through to the completion of the work.

Cured-in-place pipes The liners are impregnated with a polymer resin, which when cured will form a close fitting liner pipe within the

host pipe

Spiral Wound Lining PE or PVC-UThe liner is installed in-situ in the host pipe through a manhole or insertion pit. Profile strips of PVC-U, steel reinforced PVC-U or HDPE located on spools above ground are fed to a winding machine. The winding machine rotates causing the edges of the profile strips to interlock forming a water-tight liner. The rotational action advances the liner through the host pipe. In smaller diameter pipes, the liner can be expanded by the winding machine to form a tight fit with the host pipe. Alternatively, field-fabricated liner can be installed, and the annular space between the host pipe and liner grouted. Close-Fit Slip LiningThe thermoplastic pipe is winched through a die reducing the diameter of the pipe as well as slightly reducing the pipe wall thickness. Tension on the deformed pipe is maintained as it is pulled into the pipe to be renovated.0 During the installation processing the outside diameter of the pipe is reduced to less than the minimum bore diameter of the host pipe. The outside diameter of the reduced liner is maintained through the application of longitudinal tension on the pipe as it is pulled into the host pipe.

Once the liner pipe is in the required position, it is reverted to a close fit with the host main by releasing the longitudinal tension reversing the deformation process. A properly installed close-fit thermoplastic pipe using the roller reduction or the die method needs to be pulled beyond the end of the exit pit or manhole to allow enough exposed pipe to deal with the shortening of the pipe as it returns to its pre-stressed shape Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) adopted international standards for renovation of underground plastics piping systems (BOS ISO 11296-1, BOS ISO 11296-2 and BOS ISO 11296-3) in 2012 and the standards can be obtained from BOBS Information Centre.

How to Renovate or Repair Underground Piping System

By. Hazwell Nyanda


Milk is nutritious for humans as well as for bacteria. In order to kill pathogens in raw milk and to extend its shelf life, processes such as pasteurization and sterilization are employed. Pasteurization uses temperatures that are below boiling point but can still eliminate certain microorganisms.

Pasteurization however does not kill all the microorganisms therefore the milk has to be refrigerated at all times. The process of pasteurization doesn’t significantly affect taste and the nutrition. However sterilization on the other hand extends the shelf life significantly as it uses ultra-high temperatures administered within very short periods, these temperatures kill all possible microorganisms that are present and the milk is sealed in sterile containers. Sterilization completely eliminates possibility of any microorganism to survive and sterilized products don’t even need to be refrigerated as they can just be stored on shelves for months. There is a slight change in the

taste and nutrition nonetheless.Fig 1: Milk is nutritious for humans as well as for bacteria such as coliforms.

What are Coliforms?These are a group of bacteria that are commonly found in the environment, including soil, surface water, and intestinal tracts of warm blooded animals. Not all coliforms cause diseases, a smaller percentage does. The disease causing ones mostly affect young children and or immuno compromised people. These are rod-shaped gram negative bacteria that do not sporulate, hence easier to eliminate. They can ferment lactose (milk sugar) into acid when incubated at 35-37°C which highly favors its growth. These are a collection of strains of Enterobacteriaecae family, the common ones are E. coli, enterobacter spp, Klebsiella spp and citrobacter spp.

Fig 2: Fecal coliform bacteria

Coliform bacteria which find their way into milk through feces of healthy livestock, including dairy cattle, poor herd hygiene, contaminated water, unsanitary milking practices and improperly maintained washed equipment seriously lead to elevated levels of coliform counts in a dairy farm. Milking of cows with wet and manure-soiled udders, inadequately cleaned equipment also lead to high coliform counts. Ways of controlling Coliforms.1. Use of hot water at about 72°C for at least two and

half minutes when washing equipment.

2. Use of detergents at right concentrations as both the acidic and alkaline environment created by acid and alkaline detergents discourages bacterial growth - NB: Hard water may need extra detergent.

3. Regularly check on milking machines and milk tanks for visible deposits, no coliform will survive if there is no food source present for them to live on.

4. Removal of soil and dung before milking, do not over wet the udder.

5. Use of clean water for plant cleaning, water from open storage such as dams, troughs and streams may have high levels of coliform bacteria.

By Kgalaletso Mothooagae

Milk & Coliforms


The mandate of the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) Compulsory Standards Unit (CSU) under the Department of Regulatory Compliance (DRC) is to implement the compulsory Standards for the protection of human life, animal life and the environment.

One of the questions that is commonly asked especially by those that find their products termed “non-compliant” to the requirements of the Standard is why certain limits are set for the different parameters. In their quest to get their products compliant, instead of making sure that the product specifications fall within the ones stated in the Standards many have tried to argue for the specifications to be pushed up so that their products fall within the limits. A question can therefore be asked as to what determines the limits set in the BOS and CODEX Standards.

The answer to this question comes in two words – Risk Assessment. Risk Assessment is the first component in Risk Analysis which International Programme of Chemical Safety (IPCS) defines as a process intended to calculate or estimate the risk to a given target organism, system, or (sub) population following exposure to a particular agent, taking into account the inherent characteristics of the agent of concern as well as the characteristics of the specific target system. Risk in this context is a function of the probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of that effect, consequential to a hazard(s) in food whilst a hazard is a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food with the potential to cause an adverse health effect. (FAO/WHO, 1995)

The relation of Risk Assessment to Risk Analysis is as summarized by FAO/WHO, 1997;

The first step of Risk Assessment is done by firstly identifying the hazard by assessing the agent in the food in terms of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and effects. The second step of hazard characterization will be done by looking at the critical effects, dose response and intake threshold. After these have been established, exposure assessment is done by assessing how much of the agent is present in food and how much that particular food is consumed. Thus the ratio between the two will give an indication as to how much exposed human beings may be to the potentially hazardous agent in the food. The final stage in Risk assessment is then to characterize the risk by concluding on the hazard, which is looking at the hazard characteristics, how exposed humans beings are and establishing if there is any significant concern that warrants action via Risk Management.

In cases where the hazard is significant the above work as done under Risk Assessment will then go on to feed the Risk Managers for the final decisions on establishing maximum limits (for pesticides, Mycotoxins, heavy metals, e.t.c) as advised by the Risk Assessors and then those limits will be communicated. It is thus clear that the limits as recorded in various Standards are a result of a scientific process with evaluations based on scientific principles and so changing the values is not as easy as voting out a value and putting a new one but that if a value is to change then the wheels of this entire process must be set in motion.

By Bantsi. Bantsi

Risk Assessment in food

Risk Assessment- Hazard identification- Hazard Characterization-Exposure assessment-Risk characterization

Risk Management- Risk evaluation- Option assessment- Option implementation- Monitoring and review

Risk Analysis

Risk Communication- Interactive exchange of information and opinions concerning risks


Handling customer complaints procedureThe Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) values its stakeholders hence the development and implementation of a procedure that tracks all customers’ complaints from the time they are lodged up until they are resolved. The aim of the procedure is to ensure that all customers complaints are recorded, classified, analysed and resolved satisfactorily and timely in accordance to BOS ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems- Requirements to ensure customer satisfaction.

What is a complaint?Any expression of dissatisfaction by BOBS’ stakeholder concerning BOBS’ services.

Procedure

STEP 1Complaints in any form; written, oral, electronic or telephonic can be lodged with any BOBS’ employee. The employee shall record the complaint in a prescribed from, and forward it to the Assistant Public Relations Officer (APRO) for registration and

processing.

STEP 2The APRO shall then forward the complaint to Manager, Marketing & Communication (MMC) who verifies and weighs the severity of the complaint and forwards it to the

relevant Head of Department (HOD) for action.

STEP 4The APRO shall then verify with the customer if they have received response hence complaint resolved. If the customer is satisfied with the response the complaint will be closed and if the client is not satisfied the file is sent back to HOD for reassessing.

STEP 3Upon resolving the complaint, the HOD communicates the outcome with the client.

For more information you can contact us at 0800 600 900 or 390 3200


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0800 600 900CALL US FOR ANY ENQUIRIES, COMPLAINTS SUGGESTIONS

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Botswana Bureau of Standards

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