Legal Metrology Act, 2014 (Act No. 9 of 2014)RegulationsLegal Metrology Regulations, 2017Part XI : Measuring instruments and containers used for prescribed purposes85. Beam scales, balances, post office letter beam scales and mechanical non-self indicating counter scales |
| (1) |
| (a) | The applicable general requirements for measuring instruments prescribed in this Part of the regulations must apply to the measuring instruments falling within the scopes of SANS 302 and SANS 303, as amended, and to post office letter beam scales unless this regulation prescribes other requirements therefor. |
| (b) | A non-automatic, un-denominated beam scale or balance must comply with the requirements of SANS 302. |
| (c) | A non-automatic, non-self-indicating or semi-self-indicating, un-graduated counter scale must comply with the requirements of SANS 303, as amended. |
| (d) | A post office letter beam scale must conform to the applicable requirements for a beam scale specified in paragraph (b), provided that a post office letter beam scale— |
| (i) | must not be classified into an accuracy class; |
| (ii) | must have a goods pan of suitable design to carry letters; |
| (iii) | unless new, may have its knife edges inserted in box ends on the beam; |
| (iv) | may be arranged so as not to be in equilibrium when unloaded, the pan for weights being permanently pre-loaded to counter balance a set mass; |
| (v) | may be arranged so that the travel is on the goods pan side only; and |
| (vi) | must have a maximum permissible error and sensitivity allowance, relevant to its capacity, prescribed in table 3, irrespective of whether it is new or in actual use, and if it is not of a tabulated capacity the permissible error and sensitivity allowance must be in proportion to the allowances tabulated. |
1 |
2 |
3 |
TABLE 3 |
||
Capacity of measuring Instrument |
Maximum permissible error/sensitivity allowance |
|
Box-end type |
Continuous knife-edged type |
|
20 g |
120 mg |
60 mg |
50 g |
180 mg |
90 mg |
100 g |
240 mg |
120 mg |
200 g |
300 mg |
150 mg |
| (e) | A measuring instrument with an unusual or novel design or with any feature which is not in accordance with the requirements of this regulation, must be type approved in terms of Section 22 of the Act and comply with any requirements or conditions imposed at the time of such type approval. |
| (f) | A measuring instrument to which this regulation applies, that was subjected to initial verification in terms of any regulation before it was replaced by this regulation need only comply in design and construction with the regulation or any type approval requirements applicable at the time of initial verification and need not necessarily comply with all the requirements in this regulation, but must be subjected to the accuracy tests, maximum permissible error and sensitivity allowance prescribed in this regulation. |
| (g) | Cream test scales are exempted from the requirements of this regulation and must comply with the requirements of regulation 93. |
| (2) |
| (a) | Non-automatic, un-denominated beam scales and balances, irrespective of whether or not subregulation (1)(f) is applicable, must be verified in accordance with the requirements of Annex AA of SANS 302, as amended, provided that— |
| (i) | in the case of post office letter beam scales the maximum permissible error and sensitivity allowances in subregulation (1)(d)(vi) are applicable and verification test procedures must be suitably modified to allow for the requirements of subregulation (1)(d)(iv) and (v); or |
| (ii) | any measuring instrument that has been type approved in terms of subregulation (1)(e) must also comply with any test and special maximum permissible error requirements prescribed at the time of type approval. |
| (b) | Non-automatic, non-self-indicating or semi-self-indicating, un-graduated counter scales, irrespective of whether or not subregulation (1)(f) is applicable, must be verified in accordance with the requirements of Annex AA of SANS 303, as amended, provided that any measuring instrument that has been type approved in terms of subregulation (1)(e) must also comply with any test and special maximum permissible error requirements prescribed at the time of type approval. |