Weights and measures
What the legislation does
Legal weights and measures are fundamental to a sustainable trading economy. Every week in the UK, over a billion pounds of goods are weighed and measured at retail level alone.
Weights and measures, or to give it its technical term, metrology covers every aspect of measurement.
Legal metrology concerns itself with the measurement of mass, length and volume for trade use.
In the context of Local Government the Weights and Measures function is unique in that it provides an essential element in the social and commercial infrastructure of the area and imposes statutory responsibilities directly on officers of the authority rather than the Authority itself; the officers must perform their duties on pain of criminal liability.
The Act and its associated legislation establishes a hierarchy of standards of weight, area, length, volume, and capacity.
Local authorities are charged with maintaining local and working standards which are traceable to national standards, and which are used to ensure all trade equipment is accurate.
Any trade equipment is regulated, from 'optics' in bars to bulk fuel metering systems and computerised packing equipment in factories.
Inspectors of Weights and Measures are appointed by statute and have wide powers to enter premises and test purchase goods to check compliance with the law.
Equipment must be verified for initial use and inspected at reasonable intervals to ensure it has not been altered or adjusted to permit some type of fraud or that the components have become worn or damaged so as to indicate incorrectly.
Public weighbridge operators have to be tested.
Verification fees must be collected.
Enforcement
This involves carrying out routine visits, and checking equipment at regular intervals. Calibrating industrial equipment. Testing equipment in shops, petrol stations, factories, quarries, abattoirs etc.
Care and maintenance of working standards equipment.
Carrying out weight checks in various premises checking for short weight packages and average weight checks.
Test purchases to check for short measure deliveries.
Officers are often called upon to be present at purchasers premises as deliveries are made.
Providing advice to traders, investigating complaints, taking action against serious offenders, monitoring packages and the systems in place to fill them.
Annual report to DTI by Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures.
Some specific business sector advice is available from TS Central:
Premises affected
Retail premises selling by weight , volume or length marked goods. Any premises using weighing or measuring equipment for trade. Shops, newsagents, supermarkets, post offices, coal yards, coal lorries, food packers, whisky bottlers, home improvement retailers, petrol stations, solid fuel retailers, garden centres, weighbridges (public and other), livestock markets.
Key Legislation
Weights and Measures Act 1985
