10 BUSINESS AND TRAINING
Regulations and specifications must be complied with – what about ‘ Standards ’?
Uwe Putlitz is a registered professional Architect and Construction Project Manager , a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors ( RICS ) and is a visiting lecturer at the School of Construction Economics and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand . Having recently retired as the Chief Executive Officer of the Joint Building Contracts Committee ( JBCC ) he specialises in the avoidance of construction disputes by way of lectures , technical articles dealing with aspects of contract administration for various industry publications arising from the use of Standard-form Contracts including the Federation Internationale des Ingenieurs-Conseils ( FIDIC ), the General Conditions of Contract ( GCC ), the JBCC or the New Engineering Contract ( NEC ) to find an acceptable settlement without resorting to legal processes , where possible . info @ buildstrat . co . za
By
Uwe Putlitz
The South African Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a ‘ standard ’ as ( an agreed ) level of quality or attainment , principles of conduct informed by notions of honour and decency or a code of behaviour , morals , scruples , ethics and ideals .
In South Africa , the Bureau of Standards ( SABS ) is tasked by government with the drafting , publication and enforcement of standards . Universally applicable standards are published by the International Standards Organisation ( ISO ) in Geneva , Switzerland , which represents 165 countries . In addition to guiding thousands of documents through drafting , review , voting and publication , the ISO also offers a range of services to raise public awareness of standards and standardisation , the teaching thereof and maintaining a database of materials related to standards , and additionally provides a resource for standards-related research .
The SABS refers to “[ A ] technical specification or other precise criteria designed to be used consistently as a rule , as a guideline or a definition . Standards make life simpler and increase the reliability and the effectiveness of many goods and services we use ,” and “ Standards are created by bringing together the experience and expertise of all interested parties such as the producers , sellers , buyers , users and regulators of a particular material , product , process or service ” that evolve to meet the demands of society and technology .
Standards inter alia seek to :
• Ensure consumers are protected from hazards to their health and safety .
• Ensure improved quality and reliability .
• Inspire added trust in a business .
• Regulate and monitor industry to prevent adverse business practices .
• Create a competitive advantage by improving the quality of goods and services .
• Offer an alternative to regulation , with less red tape and business costs , while still ensuring that products and services are safe and not injurious to health .
All photos © Plumbing Africa | Rory Macnamara
Standards are designed for voluntary use and do not impose any regulations . However , laws and regulations may refer to certain standards and make compliance with them compulsory .
Standards are enforced by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications ( NRCS ) in relation to SANS 10400 : P . SANS 10252 and SANS 10254 are standards created by the Dept of Water & Sanitation ( DWS ) who technically should regulate these standards according to the NRCS .
The NRCS is an entity within the Department of Trade , Industry and Competition ( DTIC ) to administer compulsory
Too precious to waste .
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline April 2023 Volume 29 I Number 2