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
