What is a Legal for Trade Scale?
Legal for trade scales are certified, calibrated and tested by an approved state or county sealer of weights and measures agency. The certificate authorizes the company that produces the scales to provide inspection certification and allow the device to be used in situations where the comparison of weight between buyers and sellers is regulated.
It is commonly assumed that all scales are legal for trade scales and that there are no other standards for scales outside of legal for trade certification. However, that is not the case. Scales must be tested and certified as such before they can be used for legal for trade functions . To be certified, it must be tested and calibrated in accordance with standards and tolerances set forth in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 44, which outlines a specific set of tolerances and standards for certifications. Once certified, scales have a seal attached indicating the approval. A scale must be certified at least once every year, after it’s moved, repaired or serviced, and after any major change. Not all companies that manufacture scales create them to meet these tolerances. Many scales on the market today are intended for sensitive weighing applications, like jewelers’ scales. For example, a scale designed for FOB (free on board) applications may have ±0.4 grams where they could legally be off by ±20 grams—50 times more accurate than necessary.
Legal for trade scales must include certain features:
Why Legal for Trade Matters
As you become familiar with the different types of scales available, it is essential to know that not all scales can be used for legal trade. Scales used in commercial transactions need to be legal for trade, and not all scales marketed as commercial scales meet this standard. The National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) defines the following as legal for trade: Legal for trade is the status applied to a device after it has been examined, tested, and certified by an inspector or the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), that a device meets specifications, tolerances, use limitations and technical principles of a current applicable specification established by the states. Only those quantities of products, other than prepackaged products, that are obtained with a legal-for-trade device are legal for trade. 2017 NIST Handbook 44 Therefore, if a scale is legal for trade, it was tested by locally or nationally certified examiners to ensure that the scale is operating as intended according to applicable industry standards. Compliance not only protects businesses, but it also protects consumers. When a scale is not legal for trade, customers may be disadvantaged. They may receive less than what they are paying for, which could reflect poorly on a merchant.
Legal for Trade Standards and Regulations
Organizations such as the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) (and the state and local Weights and Measures associations that comprise it) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) enforce legal for trade standards and regulations in each industry sector both nationally and internationally.
As noted previously, legal for trade scales must meet not only the requirements of the country in which they are used, but also the specifications of the country with which they will be used. Therefore, it is essential to be familiar with international legal for trade standards and regulations.
Legal for trade scales will also require some sort of certification from an organization such as the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP). Created in 1987, the NTEP was designed to provide a means of testing new types of weighing and measuring devices against national standards; to enable manufacturers of such devices to have their products tested to specifications that would allow them to be used nationally and internationally with confidence; and to simplify the testing process for the various state and local Weights and Measures associations.
Types of Legal for Trade Scales
There are several types of scales which can be certified legal for trade. These include retail, laboratory and industrial scales. Retail legal for trade scales are generally used in stores for weighing items at the point of purchase. They may be independent or attached to a point of sale system. Many jurisdictions defer to AMA classes 1-6 which encompass not only retail, but trade scales in general. In addition to Point of Sale scales, these classes include laboratory and industrial scales as well.
Examples of retail legal for trade scales include price computing scales, direct printing scales and manual printing scales. Price computing scales weigh the item and print the price. Direct printing scales have a numeric keypad a digital display. The user inputs the price per unit and the scales multiplies the weight and price providing the a digital readout of the price which is automatically printed. Manual printing scales simply print the weight on a label which is applied to the item. Legal for trade scales in laboratory and industrial applications include bill of lading scales, postage scales, animal scales, belt scales, truck scales, weighbridges, vehicle scales, and pallet scales. Bill of lading scales are used by shippers and freight companies to weigh incoming and outgoing freight. Postage scales can be legal for trade when weight sensitive postage is paid by the shipper based on the weight of the package. They can also be used in other settings where shipping details are negotiated based on weight. Animal scales are used in laboratories, veterinary offices and zoos. Belt scales are often used to weigh bulk materials such as in foundries, quarries and depots. Truck scales are often free standing, although some are portable. Weighbridges are often used with tractors and trailers. Vehicle scales are often permanent installations. Pallet scales are often used in industrial applications.
Certification of Legal for Trade Scales
As with all mass measurement devices, legal for trade scales must be submitted to testing and certification processes in order to comply with Department of Commerce regulations. The California Division of Measurement Standards mandates that a registered service company (one authorized by the state to service legal for trade scales) first test any new or repaired scale prior to issuing certification paperwork.
Though it may seem simple conceptually, this initial testing process consists of two key parts—testing for accuracy of the measurement device itself, and testing for accuracy of the measuring spool. The measuring spool, which detains the scale weight display, must be tested to determine its precision. This procedure is referred to as "spool testing."
As we at Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Company aim to produce scales that will last our clients several years, if not over a decade, this set of procedures will most likely only need to be performed once on the scale in question. Thereafter, once it has been certified lawful for trade, it will only need to be inspected to see if it passes certain tests. If it fails these tests, it will need to be serviced and recertified , but much of the time it will only require calibration.
Calibration is a procedure that ensures the scale is accurate within a specific range. Most weights that clients use when calibrating weigh 100, 200, 300, or 400 pounds. When we service scales, we will typically test weights of 200 pounds or more. Most weights you can purchase for calibrating scales are 5, 10, or 20 pounds. For this reason, many clients elect to obtain heavier certified calibration weights from Cardinal Scale.
After the scale has undergone the testing process and is certified legal for trade, the next step is to inspect it for any possible tampering. After the initial tests are performed, a client should always make sure that certain seals and setups are intact. These seals often have a unique number imprinted directly on them, which must be properly installed.
Another step in the process that is often overlooked is that of maintaining proper documentation. Certification paperwork is tracked through the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, or NIST. A scale’s identification number, sometimes referred to as its "serial number," is recorded and must match both the physical number on the weight itself and the document.
Selecting the Appropriate Legal for Trade Scale for Your Business
As your business determines the scales that you need in order to weigh items accurately in accordance with legal requirements, there are a few things to consider. The following tips can help you choose the legal for trade scales best suited to your needs.
First, know your requirements. You could easily be confused as you search for scales on your own. There are scales designed for grocery stores, retail stores, chemical and pharmaceutical facilities, and many more. If you’re not clear about your needs from the start, you may end up purchasing the wrong device for your facility’s specific purposes.
Once you understand your requirements, research the scales available to match those needs. You can also discuss your needs with the specialists at a legal for trade scale supplier. Those specialists can help you narrow down your choices to the scale type and size that will work for you. There is a good chance that your supplier can help you find scales that you can use to weigh dry, liquid, or both.
Also, be sure to take your budget into account when selecting the right legal for trade scale for your business. In nearly every industry, there is a range of prices associated with the purchase of equipment. You should be able to find a legal for trade scale that works for your business at a price that won’t break your budget.
Don’t settle for scales that aren’t certified or that don’t meet the legal for trade requirements. This is one way to avoid fines and other penalties that your business could face. Choosing the right commercial scale for your needs will also help you keep your customers happy, which is essential to the success of your business.
Legal for Trade Scale Specific Challenges and Solutions
One of the biggest challenges is getting "buy in" from the staff who will be using the scale – oftentimes, a company will have to bring in its heavy hitters to make sure employees take the process seriously and understand the importance of following procedures. It’s critical to have a discussion with staff during the process – without their engagement in the legal for trade program, it won’t become a ‘way of life’ at the company.
Another challenge is getting approvals for legal for trade scales from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – it’s not uncommon for NIST to require specific documentation or verification of the scales’ performance. One of the ways that companies can ensure that the scales perform optimally is to have them calibrated before they are submitted to NIST for approval . In addition, keeping a record of any testing and certifying done by the scales’ vendor can keep your program on track.
A third common challenge is managing the staff time needed to set up the program properly. It’s essential to spend the time necessary to thoroughly implement the legal for trade program because the cost of having a non-compliant scale in those cases where a sale is being made based on the scale’s measurement could lead to legal trouble or a loss of consumers’ trust.
It can also be difficult for some managers to stay compliant with the legal for trade program because it requires a regular commitment to calibrating, cleaning, and maintaining the scales, as well as rigorously following documentation and procedures. Keeping the program as simple as possible is the key to compliance and avoiding the temptation to ‘cut corners’ when time is tight.