General Standards
The National Standards Body (Organismo Hondureño de Normalización, OHN) is the country's main agency responsible for standardization. The organization and operation of OHN is based on international criteria and standards; it is governed by the principles of full participation, transparency and consensus; with the consolidated results of experience, science, and technology. OHN seeks to consistently improve standardization activities with a view to promoting the quality of goods and services manufactured, produced or sold in Honduras.
The National Standardization Body of Honduras responsible for:
- implementing the preparation, approval, publication and dissemination of standards to facilitate trade and serve as a basis for technical regulations
- facilitation of conformity assessment
- industrial development
- providing the basis for improving the quality of goods, processes, and services.
The main objectives of the OHN are to:
- formulate and coordinate the execution of normalization and quality control programs adequate to country needs
- integrate technical committees for individual normalization projects
- promote the use of standards in technical regulations.
Honduras is a member of the International Standards Organization (ISO). There are over 450 local companies currently certified under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Conformity Assessment
The most relevant national testing and conformity assessment bodies are the following:
- Ministry of Economic Development: Consumer Protection and Legal Metrology Division http://www.prohonduras.hn
- Ministry of Agriculture: National Plant and National Health Service (SENASA/SAG) http://www.senasa-sag.gob.hn
- National Laboratory of Residues (LANAR/SAG); Quality Control Lab for Veterinary Products/SAG http://www.senasa-sag.gob.hn
- Ministry of Health: General Directorate of Sanitary and Environmental Regulation Food Control Lab http://www.salud.gob.hn
- Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment, and Mines CESCO (Pollution Control Research Center) DECA (Environmental Control and Evaluation Directorate) Mining Executive Directorate ( INGHEOMIN Laboratory) http://www.serna.gob.hn
- Customs and Tax Administration/National Customs Laboratory
- Official Laboratory of Honduran Chemical and Pharmaceutical Professional
Association (Laboratorio del Colegio Químico Farmacéutico de Honduras)
- Other private laboratories such as Jordanlab, MQ, Microbiology Lab (Empacadora de Productos Acuáticos, San Lorenzo), Agrobiotek, Central de Ingenios, S.A., Ecolova, Food Analysis and Microbiology Labs EAP Zamorano, and the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA), among others.
Product Certification
Certification requirements apply to the importation of very specific products. Certificates of free sale and of origin are required for food items. Importers must provide certifications which demonstrate that the products will not cause damage to humans, animals or the environment. Specific certifications are also required according to the type of product to be imported. Imports of animal and plant origin require a phyto or zoo-sanitary certificate.
Accreditation
The National Accreditation Body of Honduras is the “Organismo Hondureño de Acreditación – (OHA). It is is a structure under the National Quality System, dependent on the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENACIT).
More information on OHA is available at http://www.hondurascalidad.org/acreditacion.htm
Contacts
National Quality System (Sistema Nacional de la Calidad – SNC)
Website: http://www.hondurascalidad.org
E-mail: alexander.david@senacit.gob.hn
Address: Apartado Postal No. 4458, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Tel: (504) 2213-9052
Fax: (504) 2230-1899
National Standards Body (Organismo Hondureño de Normalización/OHN) National Quality System
Website: http://www.hondurascalidad.org
E-mail: sgomez@hondurascalidad.org
Address: Apartado Postal No. 4458; Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Tel: (504) 2213-9052
Fax: (504) 2230-1899
National Accreditation Body - Organismo Hondureño de Acreditación (OHA)
Website: http://www.hondurascalidad.org
E-mail: lmadrid@hondurascalidad.org
Tel: (504) 2213-9052
Fax: (504) 2230-1899
National Metrology Institute - Centro Hondureño de Metrología (CEHM)
Website: http://www.hondurascalidad.org
E-mail: epaz@hondurascalidad.org
Tel: (504) 2213-9052
Fax: (504) 2230-1899
