CWT CWT Legal Metrology & Regulatory Compliance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. federal agency oversees the regulation of commercial weighing devices used in trade?
- NIST (Correct answer)
- EPA
- OSHA
- FDA
Correct answer: NIST
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides the Handbook 44 standards that govern commercial weighing and measuring devices in the U.S.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of NIST Handbook 44 in the context of commercial weighing?
- To establish specifications and tolerances for commercial weighing devices (Correct answer)
- To certify weighing technicians nationwide
- To set safety standards for laboratory equipment
- To regulate international trade weights
Correct answer: To establish specifications and tolerances for commercial weighing devices
NIST Handbook 44 establishes specifications, tolerances, and other technical requirements for weighing and measuring devices used in commerce.
Question 3: In legal metrology, what does 'type approval' mean for a weighing device?
- Official recognition that a device design meets regulatory requirements before commercial use (Correct answer)
- A certificate issued after annual calibration
- Permission to use a scale indoors only
- An operator's license to run a weighing facility
Correct answer: Official recognition that a device design meets regulatory requirements before commercial use
Type approval is the process by which a weighing device design is officially evaluated and approved as conforming to applicable standards prior to being placed in service for trade.
Question 4: Which term describes the maximum permissible error allowed on a commercial weighing device during official inspection?
- Tolerance (Correct answer)
- Resolution
- Sensitivity
- Span
Correct answer: Tolerance
Tolerance is the maximum allowable deviation from the true value that is permitted for a weighing device under legal metrology regulations.
Question 5: A weights-and-measures inspector applies an official seal to a scale after inspection. What does this seal signify?
- The device has passed inspection and is legally approved for commercial use (Correct answer)
- The device has been permanently retired from service
- The device is approved for laboratory use only
- The device requires quarterly recalibration
Correct answer: The device has passed inspection and is legally approved for commercial use
An official seal placed by a weights-and-measures inspector indicates that the device was found to be within tolerance and is authorized for use in commercial transactions.
Question 6: Under U.S. weights-and-measures law, who typically has authority to place a commercial scale 'out of service'?
- State or local weights-and-measures officials (Correct answer)
- The scale manufacturer only
- The scale owner
- OSHA inspectors
Correct answer: State or local weights-and-measures officials
State and local weights-and-measures officials have the legal authority to condemn and place out-of-service any commercial weighing device that fails inspection.
CWT CWT Legal Metrology & Regulatory Compliance 1
Which U.S. federal agency oversees the regulation of commercial weighing devices used in trade?