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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2001 No. 1208

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The Weighing Equipment (Beltweighers) Regulations 2001

  Made 27th March 2001 
  Laid before Parliament 28th March 2001 
  Coming into force 28th September 2001 


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS


PART I

GENERAL
1. Citation, commencement and revocation
2. Interpretation
3. Recommendations of the International Organisation of Legal Metrology
4. Application
5. Purposes of use for trade

PART II

MATERIALS AND PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION AND MARKING OF BELTWEIGHERS
6. Beltweighers to be made in accordance with approved pattern
7. Descriptive markings
8. Marking of units of measurement

PART III

MANNER OF ERECTION AND USE FOR TRADE
9. Erection and use for trade
10. Manner of use - spillage and loading
11. Manner of use - belt speed
12. Position of operator

PART IV

TESTING
13. Testing
14. Beltweighers imported from another EEA State

PART V

SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
15. Passing as fit for use for trade
16. Stamping and marking
17. Manner of obliteration of stamps
18. Obliteration of stamps
19. Mandatory obliteration of stamps on beltweighers which are unfit for use for trade
20. Power to obliterate stamps on beltweighers which are unfit for use for trade for particular purpose
21. Obliteration of one stamp deemed obliteration of all

  SCHEDULE Table of maximum permissible errors

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 11(1) and (4) and (7), 12(12), 15(1), 86(1) and 94(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985[
1] and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations: - 



PART I

GENERAL

Citation, commencement and revocation
     1.  - (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Weighing Equipment (Beltweighers) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on 28th September 2001.

    (2) The Weighing Equipment (Beltweighers) Regulations 1983[
2] are hereby revoked.

    (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) and the following provisions of these Regulations, - 

to any beltweigher to which those Regulations applied which was first passed as fit for use for trade before the date when these Regulations come into force.

Interpretation
     2.  - (1) In these Regulations - 

    (2) In these Regulations - 

on its descriptive plate or elsewhere on the instrument; and "Class" shall be construed accordingly.

    (3) For the purposes of the marks referred to in paragraph (2), the Class of a beltweigher is the Class appropriate to its accuracy on initial verification ascertained in relation to maximum permissible errors in accordance with clause 2.2.1 of R 50-1.

    (4) Unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to the regulation or Schedule so numbered in these Regulations and a reference to a paragraph in a regulation is a reference to a paragraph in that regulation.

Recommendations of the International Organisation of Legal Metrology
     3.  - (1) In these Regulations "R 50-1" means the International Recommendation entitled 'Continuous totalizing automatic weighing instruments (beltweighers) Part 1: Metrological and technical requirements - Tests'[4].

    (2) In these Regulations, any expression which is not defined in these Regulations and is used both herein and in R 50-1 has the same meaning as in R 50-1.

Application
     4.  - (1) For the purposes of section 11(1) of the Act (use for trade of weighing or measuring equipment of prescribed classes),

    (2) These Regulations do not apply to beltweighers for use for trade which bear the mark of EEC initial verification; and in this paragraph the expression "mark of EEC initial verification" has the meaning assigned to it in regulation 13 of the Measuring Instruments (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1988[6].

    (3) The Weights and Measures Regulations 1963[7] are hereby further amended in regulation 1(2) by the substitution for sub-paragraph (g) of the following sub-paragraph - 

Purposes of use for trade
     5. No person shall use a beltweigher for trade - 



PART II

MATERIALS AND PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION AND MARKING OF BELTWEIGHERS

Beltweighers to be made in accordance with approved pattern
    
6.  - (1) Every beltweigher shall be made in accordance with a pattern in respect of which a certificate of approval is in force.

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3), the marking of a beltweigher in accordance with regulation 7 after it has been made in accordance with a pattern in respect of which a certificate of approval is in force shall not in itself be a breach of paragraph (1).

    (3) Notwithstanding the result of any test contained in the test report relating to the beltweigher in question, nothing in paragraph (2) shall permit the Class marked on a beltweigher to be a Class of higher accuracy than the Class specified in the relevant certificate of approval.

Descriptive markings
    
7.  - (1) Every beltweigher shall be legibly and durably marked with the descriptive markings required by clauses 3.11.1 to 3.11.3, and, where appropriate, 3.11.4, of R 50-1 and in the manner specified in clause 3.11.5 thereof.

    (2) The particulars comprised in the descriptive markings referred to in paragraph (1) shall be those ascertained on initial verification and, subject to paragraph (3), in conformity with any relevant certificate of approval.

    (3) In a case where the relevant certificate of approval contains different provisions relating to the use of a beltweigher for different purposes, the particulars relating to minimum totalised load shall be those relating to one such purpose only.

Marking of units of measurement
    
8.  - (1) Subject to section 92 of the Act, where units of measurement expressed in terms of mass are marked on beltweighers first passed as fit for use for trade after these Regulations come into force, they shall be marked in metric units in full or by means of one of the following abbreviations or symbols only - 

    (2) Where any of the following indicate quantity by means of a metric unit of measurement, any marking - 

may also indicate quantity by means of a supplementary indication up to and including 31st December 2009.

    (3) The abbreviations of, and symbols for, units of measurement used in this regulation refer to the relevant units as follows - 

gram g
kilogram kg
tonne t



PART III

MANNER OF ERECTION AND USE FOR TRADE

Erection and use for trade
    
9.  - (1) Every beltweigher shall be erected - 

    (2) No person shall use a beltweigher for trade unless there is sited in the vicinity of the beltweigher and available for use in conjunction with the beltweigher a suitable control instrument, that is to say, a weighing instrument which is of Class III or better.

    (3) The suitable control instrument referred to in paragraph (2) above must:

be capable of determining the weight of material used in material testing and giving weight determinations such that in respect of each material test load the weight determination shall in total be accurate to within one-fifth of the limits of error prescribed for material testing whether such a load is determined in one or more weighing operations.

Manner of use - spillage and loading
     10. No person shall use a beltweigher for trade in such a manner as to cause - 

Manner of use - belt speed
    
11. No person shall use for trade a beltweigher which is designed to operate - 

Position of operator
    
12. Every beltweigher shall be erected in such a manner that the operator can readily take up a single position from which he can - 



PART IV

TESTING

Testing
    
13.  - (1) The inspector shall test a beltweigher in accordance with the procedures relating to metrological requirements set out in clauses 5.2.1.1, 5.2.1.2 of, and clause A.11 of Annex A to, R 50-1, and, where appropriate, that relating to the switch-on procedure for electronic beltweighers set out in clause 4.4 of R 50-1.

    (2) No beltweigher shall be tested, passed as fit for use for trade and stamped unless either - 

    (3) A beltweigher which is to be re-erected at its place of use after testing shall not be passed as fit for use for trade before re-erection in accordance with paragraph (2)(b) if, in the opinion of the inspector, its dismantling, transportation and re-erection are likely to affect its function or accuracy.

    (4) Every beltweigher submitted for testing shall be in a clean condition.

    (5) For the purposes of the performance by an inspector of his functions under the Act or these Regulations relating to inspection, testing, passing as fit for use for trade and stamping of any beltweigher, a person submitting a beltweigher to an inspector or who an inspector has reasonable cause to believe has possession of a beltweigher for use for trade shall, if requested, provide to the inspector such material, handling equipment and assistance as the inspector may reasonably require; and any material or equipment so provided shall be returned to the person in question.

Beltweighers imported from another EEA State
    
14.  - (1) In relation to a beltweigher imported into Great Britain from another EEA State, subject to paragraph (4), an inspector shall not carry out any test in accordance with regulation 13 if, together with the beltweigher being imported, he is presented with the requisite documentation.

    (2) In this regulation and in regulation 15(2) - 

    (3) A body is an "approved body" for the purposes of paragraph 2 if it is a body in an EEA State which has the responsibility in that State for metrological control of beltweighers or is a laboratory which has been accredited in relation to beltweighers as being a body which conforms with the criteria set out in EN 45001[15] or BS EN ISO 17025:2000[16].

    (4) Nothing in these Regulations shall prevent an inspector testing in accordance with regulation 13 where he is not satisfied - 



PART V

SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

Passing as fit for use for trade
     15.  - (1) Save in a case where paragraph (2) has effect, no beltweigher shall be passed as fit for use for trade unless - 

    (2) In the case of a beltweigher imported from another EEA State, no beltweigher shall be passed as fit for use for trade unless - 

Stamping and marking
    
16.  - (1) Every beltweigher shall be provided with either - 

and the plug or stud shall be placed and mounted in conformity with clause 3.12.1 of R 50-1 and the first two paragraphs of clause 3.12.2 of R 50-1.

    (2) The stamp shall be placed on the said plug or stud and every sealing device authorised in accordance with paragraph (1).

    (3) No beltweigher shall be stamped in accordance with paragraph (2) if it bears any mark which, in the opinion of the inspector, might reasonably be mistaken for the stamp, or any statement or mark (other than an inspector's stamp) which purports to be or, in the opinion of the inspector, might reasonably be mistaken for an expression of approval or guarantee of accuracy by any body or person.

Manner of obliteration of stamps
    
17. Stamps shall be obliterated by an inspector, in accordance with the requirements of these Regulations, by means of punches or pincers of suitable sizes of a six-pointed star design as shown in the following illustration - 



Obliteration of stamps
    
18.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), an inspector shall obliterate the stamp on any beltweigher which - 

    (2) Except as provided by regulation 19, where any beltweigher does not fully comply with the requirements of these Regulations but the nature or degree of the non-compliance is not in the inspector's opinion such as to require the immediate obliteration of the stamp, the inspector shall give to the proprietor or any person in possession of the beltweigher a notice calling on him to have the beltweigher corrected within a stated period not exceeding 28 days; and he shall obliterate the stamp if the correction has not been made within the stated period.

Mandatory obliteration of stamps on beltweighers which are unfit for use for trade
    
19. An inspector shall obliterate the stamp on any beltweigher which has, since it was last stamped, had any alteration or addition made to it such that it could not be passed as fit for use for trade under regulation 15.

Power to obliterate stamps on beltweighers which are unfit for use for trade for particular purpose
    
20. An inspector may obliterate the stamp on any beltweigher if - 

Obliteration of one stamp deemed obliteration of all
    
21. For the purpose of these Regulations, the obliteration of any one stamp on any beltweigher shall be deemed to be the obliteration of all other stamps on that beltweigher.


Kim Howells
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumers and Corporate Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry

27th March 2001



SCHEDULE
Regulation 2(1)


TABLE OF MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE ERRORS


Class Percentage of the mass of the totalized load for:
Initial verification In-service testing
0.5 0.25 0.5
1 0.5 1.0
2 1.0 2.0



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These Regulations replace with amendments the Weighing Equipment (Beltweighers) Regulations 1983 in the light of the International Recommendation R 50-1 and R 50-2 concerning continuous totalising automatic weighing instruments (beltweighers) issued by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology. The 1983 Regulations continue to apply to beltweighers passed as fit for use for trade before 28th September 2001 (regulation 1(3)).

The Regulations apply to beltweighers for use for trade and continue to prescribe such beltweighers for the purposes of section 11(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1985. The effect of prescription is to make it unlawful to use these beltweighers for trade unless they have been tested, passed as fit for such use and stamped by an inspector of weights and measures. These requirements of prescription are also satisfied by a beltweigher complying with Council Directive No. 75/410/EEC (O.J. L185, 14.7.1975, p. 25) and bearing the sign of EEC pattern approval and mark of EEC initial verification.

The Regulations make provision for - 

The Regulations make the following changes of substance - 

These Regulations were notified to the European Commission in accordance with the requirements of Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (1998 O.J. L204/37), (formerly Council Directive 83/189/EEC (1983 O.J. L109/8), as amended).

Copies of the publications of the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (see regulation 3) are available from the Organisation at 11 rue Turgot, Paris, 75009, France, and from the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Stanton Avenue, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0JZ.

Copies of British Standards (see regulation 14(3)) can be obtained from any of the sales outlets operated by the British Standards Institution (BSI) or by post from the BSI at Linford Wood, Milton Keynes, MK14 6LE and at any Stationery Office bookshop.


Notes:

[1] 1985 c. 72; a relevant amending instrument is S.I. 1999/503; section 94(1) contains a definition of "prescribed".back

[2] S.I. 1983/914 as amended by S.I. 1994/1851.back

[3] See S.I. 1968/1615, amended by S.I. 1999/504.back

[4] Edition 1997 (E) published by the International Organisation of Legal Metrology.back

[5] S.I. 1983/914 as amended by S.I. 1994/1851.back

[6] S.I. 1988/186, as amended by S.I. 1988/1128.back

[7] S.I. 1963/1710 as amended by S.I. 1983/914 and to which there are other amendments not relevant to these Regulations.back

[8] S.I. 1983/914.back

[9] S.I. 2001/1208.back

[10] S.I. 1988/186.back

[11] S.I. 2000/3236.back

[12] S.I. 2000/932.back

[13] S.I. 1986/1320 as amended by S.I. 1994/1851, 1996/797 and 2000/387.back

[14] S.I. 2000/388.back

[15] EN 45001 is a European Standard which has the status of a British Standard; it is identical with BS 7501 (ISBN 0 580 17939 7), "General criteria for the operation of testing laboratories".back

[16] BS EN ISO 17025:2000 is the international standard "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories" (ISBN 0 580 34929 2).back



ISBN 0 11 029165 4


 © Crown copyright 2001

Prepared 3 April 2001


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