Eight labs now testing samples of PPE coveralls

The eight laboratories testing PPE coverall prototypes are: South India Textiles Research Association (SITRA), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; DRDO-INMAS, New Delhi; Heavy Vehicle Factory, Avadi, Chennai; Small Arms Factory, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Ordnance Factory, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Ordnance Factory, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh; Ordnance Factory, Ambernath, Maharashtra; and Metal & Steel Factory, Ishapore, West Bengal.

At these laboratories, tests are conducted conforming with the technical requirements issued by ministry of health & family welfare, Government of India on March 2, 2020. Subsequently, on April 6, the ministry of textiles had further issued detailed procedure for issue of Unique Certification Code (UCC) for each passed prototype sample from the manufacturers of the PPE coveralls. These procedures were further rationalised by the ministry of textiles on April 22, 2020.

The UCC refers to each prototype sample submitted by the manufacturer, and is required to be embossed on each manufactured coverall along with the name of the manufacturer, date of manufacture and name of the client. This procedure has been fully implemented in respect of procurement by HLL Lifecare Limited, which is the procurement agency for the hospitals and healthcare organisations under the ministry of health & family welfare, Government of India.

"The manufacturers are also required to submit an affidavit along with their submitted sample, stating details of their manufacturing unit, GSTIN number, company registration number, Udyog Aadhar number or DIC registration number and other relevant details. They are also required to declare that they are textile manufacturers and not traders. The affidavit is to form a part of the UCC Certificate," the ministry of textiles said in a release.

The details of all UCC Certificates are available on the official websites of DRDO, Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and SITRA, for verification by the public, the ministry said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)