The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has announces that it has created for face masks to be sold in the Kenyan market. The face masks standards that the standards body has created are for surgical masks, filtering masks and cloth masks.
Face masks were made compulsory in Kenya in April 2020 after the Ministry of Health issued a notice. This was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and after studies showed that the wearing of face masks reduce the spread of the disease.
The standards that KEBS has developed are as follows and are available at their offices:
1. KS 2636: 2016: Kenya standard specification for surgical masks
2. KS 2409-6:2018: Health care wastes management commodities- Specification for Filtering
face masks that protect against particles.
3. KPAS 2917:2020 – Reusable cloth mask
KEBS, in a statement, has revealed that manufacturers and importers have taken advantage of the situation and started selling masks that are substandard. They have warned that they will take action on anyone selling masks that are not upto the standards that they have developed.
KEBS have shone a spotlight on a list of substandard face masks being sold in the market and the companies involved. They are;
1. Wandas General Supplies Ltd. P.O. Box 682 Nairobi, Kenya – WANDAS
2. Arax Mills Ltd. P.O. Box 668-00606 Nairobi, Kenya. – ARAX
3. Hela Intimates EPZ Ltd P. O. Box 30500-00100, Nairobi, Kenya – NO BRAND
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is a statutory body established under the Standards Act (CAP 496) of the laws of Kenya and is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). KEBS’ mandate is to provide standardization and conformity assessment services.