BSJ Launches Sporting Equipment Standards

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) has developed standards for sporting goods and equipment, aimed at reducing the likelihood of serious accidents on the playfield and promoting safety in sports in school.

They are the Jamaican Standard Specification for the safety and performance of football goals; and the Jamaican Standard Specification for Children’s playground and associated equipment.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, in his address at the launch at the BSJ’s Winchester Road offices on Thursday (October 8), noted the importance of the measure undertaken by the agency.

“The simple fact is that incorrect specifications and improper materials used in the construction of sporting equipment, have caused injuries and deaths of people worldwide. It follows that we must implement standards to protect players, both adults and children, and by extension, the sports we hold so dear,” Mr. Hylton said.

He noted that adhering to standards for the development of sporting and playground equipment provides a viable platform to tap into the business of sports.

“I speak of the opportunities in the manufacturing of footballs, tennis balls, cricket balls, tennis nets, and other sporting equipment that will become more pronounced as we work towards the development of the Jamaica Logistics Hub,” Mr. Hylton stated.

He noted that the hub will provide the opportunity for manufacturers to open distribution and assembly centres in Jamaica to supply the region.

Minister with responsibility for Sport, Hon. Natalie Neita-Headley, also welcomed the creation of the standards.

“We are committed as a government to ….work with the Bureau of Standards and the world umbrella organisations to ensure that we do not only meet the standards in terms of equipment, but we meet standards in terms of our (anti) doping processes as well,” she added.

Executive Director of the BSJ, Yvonne Hall, said that the standards are critical documents “that our early childhood institutions, our schools and football clubs, as well as public park operators should be aware of and use.”

She encouraged institutions to use the standards at their facilities so that “there will be a greater level of confidence by our parents, our spectators and most importantly, our children, when these pieces of equipment are used.”

The Jamaican Standard Specification for the safety and performance of football goals addresses the risks associated with the accidental toppling of these pieces of equipment.

It covers the materials, safety requirements, anchoring, securing and counterweighing, test methods, assembly and installation instructions, warning label(s) safety instructions, and markings.

The Jamaican Standard Specification for Children’s playground and associated equipment outlines safety and performance standards for various types of public playground equipment.

It covers  materials and manufacture, performance requirements, requirements for access/egress, equipment, playground layout, accessibility, installation, structural integrity, maintenance, signs and labels, and manufacturer identification.

Incorrect specifications and improper construction materials used in the construction of sporting equipment have contributed to the deaths of three children in Jamaica over the last several years.