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UK Weighing Federation. Technical Officer’s Update York 22 nd April 2010. Topics. Section 70 Reports 2008/09 The Weighbridge Project Medical Weighing Buying/Selling Precious Metals Re-verification In House Calibration of Weights Market Surveillance. Section 70 Reports.
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UK Weighing Federation Technical Officer’s Update York 22nd April 2010
Topics • Section 70 Reports 2008/09 • The Weighbridge Project • Medical Weighing • Buying/Selling Precious Metals • Re-verification • In House Calibration of Weights • Market Surveillance
Section 70 Reports • W M Act 1985; Section 70: • (1) Each local weights and measures authority , shall in respect of each financial year of the authority, make to the Secretary of State by such date as he may direct a report on the operation during that year of the arrangements made to give effect in that authorities area : • to the purposes of this Act • …….. (2) Any report under subsection (1) shall be in such form and contain such particulars of such matters as the Secretary of State may direct.
Section 70 Reports • LBRO Study shows: • Average Time to complete Report: 4.1 Hours. • Average Cost to produce Report: £93.00 • Number of Data Items: 57
Section 70 Reports • Recommendations: • Establish list of all Chief Inspectors • Some authorities to report how they ascertain their data • Encourage authorities to participate in weighbridge project • “Promote” Section 70 reports to all authorities • Issue guidance on how to collect data • Target reductions in rate of non-compliance
The Weighbridge Project • Section 70 report : • “The refreshed (2009) risk matrix indicates that weighbridges are very likely to fail with a very high impact.”
The Weighbridge Project • April – October 2010; Weighbridges at landfill and transfer stations as well as beltweighers and other equipment used at recycling centres to be tested and results collated • April – October 2011; exercise to be repeated on same equipment. • “If results support it some form of guidance on the use and maintenance of weighbridges will be produced.”
The Weighbridge Project • An opportunity to co-operate and develop relationships with TSOs. • Invite TSO to sites when carrying out calibration testing. • If customer agrees supply test results to TSOs when calibration testing without TSO present. • Advise TSOs when weighbridges are verified or re-verified.
Medical Weighing • LACORS Medical Weighing Project 2008/09: • Final Recommendations: • Each trust to procure weighing equipment centrally • Each trust to instigate a programme for testing their weighing equipment • Basic training in use of weighing equipment to be given to all necessary staff • Inaccurate equipment to be removed from service pending replacement or repair • All scales used for medical applications to be Class III or better • All scales used for medical applications should only display in metric units
Medical Weighing • Department of Health Response: • Principle accepted • Equipment to be tested annually. If thought to be inaccurate in interim take out of use and retest • When new equipment purchased training to be given by the installer and cascaded to relevant staff • Recommendation to remove inaccurate equipment supported • All new scales to be Class III or better • Metric only accepted, if switchable equipment is used the switching facility must be disabled
Medical Weighing • Timetable for Action: • Action to be underway by 31 March 2010 • Action to be completed by 30 July 2010 • Replacement Priority: • Unapproved domestic type bathroom scales • Dual reading scales (unless converted to metric only) • All dial type and Class IIII scales
Buying/Selling Precious Metals • Equipment must be Type Approved and Verified • Equipment must be Class II or Class I • If used in “direct” transaction must not have a supplementary indicating device • Cannot be used for weighing below the Min value.
Re-Verification • Increase in number of UKWF Members seeking to be re-verifiers. • Application must be made to Secretary Of State using form INT/06 available from NMO web-site • Must define instruments to be re-verified • Must have documented system in place • Must show support from OEM
Weight Calibration • In-house calibration increasing. • Concerns by TSOs that weights not being calibrated correctly: • Incorrect Standards being used. • Incorrect tolerances being applied. • No record of errors.
Market Surveillance • All Member States should have submitted Market Surveillance Programme to European Commission by 1st January. • More Countries introducing some form of Market Surveillance • USA introduced VCAP certification for Load Cells in 2009; extending to other equipment from mid 2010 • CECIP market surveillance exercise showed high levels of non-compliance.