GSA sensitises vulcanisers on tyre pressure gauges
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has held a sensitisation workshop to sensitise some vulcanisers on verification and calibration of tyre pressure gauges, as part of its mandate to verify all weighing and measuring instruments before they are used for trade.
The exercise is in accordance with the Weights and Measures Act 1975 (NRCD 326).
The three-day sensitisation workshop, which was held in the Kasoa, Tema, Lapaz and their environs, in partnership with the Vulcanisers National Association of Ghana, assembled over 100 vulcanisers.
Mr. Prince Nana Yaw Tawiah, a Scientific Officer at GSA, educated participants on how to read and interpret the gauges in Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) at the programme, which also attracted the attention of some few drivers and motorists.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Evans Asiedu, Head of Legal Metrology at the GSA, said the workshop was the first to be undertaken by the Authority for the vulcanisers to update their skills and knowledge on maintenance of tyres.
He said vulcanisers play critical role in the transport industry of Ghana and as such, there was the need to organise such seminars for them, with the overall objective of helping to reduce road carnages.
Mr. Asiedu also urged the various participants to put the knowledge and skill acquired during the workshops into practice and share experiences with colleagues in order to improve upon their profession as well as the safety of motorists in Ghana.
“The aim of this exercise is to protect lives and property. GSA wants to prevent needless deaths that occur on our roads through over-inflated and under-inflated lorry tyres,” he said.
“More often than not, issues of safety are taken for granted, whether at home, work or when traveling. Our safety depends on the enforcement of safety laws and regulations, which have been drawn up and put in place by the GSA, hence the verification of tyre pressure gauges.”
Mr. Bashiru Karimu Bukorba, the General Secretary of the Vulcanisers Association, lauded the GSA for organizing the workshop and pledged his group’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Ghanaians.
He said the Association, formed 10 year ago, was on the forefront of partnering relevant state agencies to check rising road accidents in the country.
Currently, a team of inspectors from the Legal Metrology Department of GSA were undertaking an exercise in the Greater Accra Region to verify the accuracy of tyre pressure gauges being used by vulcanisers.
The GSA said those that would pass the test would be tagged with a green sticker while the failed ones would have red stickers.
The operators have to repair or service the failed gauges and notify the GSA inspectors for re-verification at a later date.
Established in August, 1967, the GSA is the National Statutory Body responsible for the management of the nation’s quality infrastructure.
The GSA’s mission is to contribute to the growth of industry, protect consumers and facilitate trade through metrology, standardisation and conformity assessments including Testing, Inspection and Certification.
Source: GNA