142 lines
8.7 KiB
XML
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142 lines
8.7 KiB
XML
Executable File
<?xml version="1.0"?>
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<cms:item xmlns:cms="http://www.arsdigita.com/cms/1.0" xmlns="http://www.esd.org.uk/standards/esdbody" oid="[com.arsdigita.cms.contenttypes.ESDService:{id=404}]"><cms:name>weights-and-measures-404</cms:name><cms:language>en</cms:language><cms:title>Weights and Measures</cms:title><cms:dublinCore oid="[com.arsdigita.london.cms.dublin.DublinCoreItem:{id=404}]"><cms:name>weights-and-measures-404-dublin-metadata</cms:name><cms:dcAudience>General Public</cms:dcAudience><cms:dcCoverage>content="99XX" scheme="ONS SNAC"</cms:dcCoverage><cms:dcCoveragePostcode/><cms:dcCoverageSpatialRef/><cms:dcCoverageUnit/><cms:dcDateValid/><cms:dcDisposalReview/><cms:dcLanguage>en</cms:dcLanguage><cms:dcTemporalBegin/><cms:dcTemporalEnd/><cms:dcCreatorOwner>LAWS Project - Starter Kit - http://www.laws-project.org.uk</cms:dcCreatorOwner><cms:dcCreatorContact>LAWS Project - Starter Kit - http://www.laws-project.org.uk</cms:dcCreatorContact><cms:dcPublisher>Tameside MBC - LAWS project - http://laws.tameside.gov.uk</cms:dcPublisher><cms:dcRights/><cms:dcKeywords>weights, measures</cms:dcKeywords></cms:dublinCore><cms:textAsset oid="[com.arsdigita.cms.TextAsset:{id=404}]"><cms:content><![CDATA[<h2>Environmental Services</h2><span class="gen">email address here</span><span class="gen">phone number here</span><span class="gen">sms phone number here</span><span class="gen">fax number here</span><span class="gen">minicom number here</span><p><i>All goods, whether pre-packed or not, should be of the correct weight or measure stated on the packaging or indicated on the premises</i></p><hr/><p> Part of our job is to ensure
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that the public receive the correct amount of any product they buy. </p><p>Almost all goods today are
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sold by some reference to either it's weight or measure, whether by the pint,
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litre, gramme or metre. This includes everyday items such as bread, petrol,
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beer, clothing material, sand or virtually anything else you can think of. Trading
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Standards enforce a complex set of regulations designed to ensure that the public
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and businesses can have confidence in their purchases and ensures fair competition.
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We do this by:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">Verifying that weighing
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and measuring equipment is initially accurate </li>
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<li title="*">Routinely visiting
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businesses and checking weighing and measuring equipment</li>
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<li title="*">Checking products already
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in the shops</li>
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<li title="*">Reacting to complaints
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of short measure</li>
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</ul><p> A more in-depth view of
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Weights and Measures legislation is given below.</p><p>If you think you have received
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short measure from a business in <span class="gen">enter council name</span>,
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would like further information or an information pack, please contact us.</p><h2>A review of weights and measures</h2><p> In the UK, it has been
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estimated that goods to the value of a billion pounds are traded at retail level
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by some form of measurement of their quantity. However, do consumers stop to
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think why or how it is that they can have confidence in their purchases?</p><p>The law relating to weights
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and measures today evolved so that:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">security of uniform
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system of units of weights and measures could be established;</li>
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<li title="*">controls could be placed
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over weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade;</li>
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<li title="*">the public could be
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protected against short quantity in the sale of goods.</li>
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</ul><p> The system of weights and
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measures has developed through:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">legal frameworks</li>
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<li title="*">adequate and even handed
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enforcement</li>
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<li title="*">technological advances
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in equipment</li>
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</ul><h2>There is a vast range of law governing
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weights and measures; as technology, numbers and variety of goods have increased
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so has legislation:</h2><p> Weighing originated as
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man's first assessment of the weight of goods was the load his strength could
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carry, length was determined in terms of parts of body: breadth of palm, arm's
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length.</p><p>As things were made and
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traded, more accurate means of measurement became necessary.</p><p>There is a system of traceability
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in place to ensure that the kilogram and metre is the same throughout the nation.
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The working standard weights and measures that Inspectors take out with them
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to test weighing and measuring equipment are tested against local standards
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that never leave the office. Weights are tested using equipment that the National
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Weights and Measures Laboratory refer back to the copy of the international
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prototype of the kilogram kept at their premises. The metre is defined by reference
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to natural constant - the speed of light. It is therefore a more perfect reference.
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All units are therefore defined by ultimate references to either the metre or
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kilogram.</p><p>The National Weights and
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Measures Laboratory examine patterns of weighing and measuring equipment (submitted
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in the UK) to determine whether their design or manufacture is such to facilitate
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fraud. Once such equipment has a certificate, it must conform to the pattern
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and pass accuracy tests carried out by an Inspector. Once the equipment has
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been verified or stamped by an Inspector it may be used for trade (this system
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is known as verification). There is also a system of European Community approval
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removing technical barriers to trade.</p><p>So, Inspectors of Weights
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and Measures (or Trading Standards Officers as they are more commonly known)
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visit trade premises and carry out inspections and verification of weighing
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and measuring equipment. Examples include counter weighing machines, weighbridges,
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weights, petrol pumps, spirit measuring instruments, wine and beer glasses,
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metre measures to name some common examples. Prepacked goods, breads, textiles
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etc., are tested to ensure correct weight or measure.</p><p>For further information
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please contact us.</p><p>Other useful information
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can be obtained from the following websites:</p><ul>
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<li title="*">
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<a href="http://www.hmso.gov.uk/">
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<strong>Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO)</strong>
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</a>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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Provides full text of Acts of Parliament from 1988, plus access to Inforoute,
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the Government's Information Asset Register.</li>
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<li title="*">
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<a href="http://www.defra.gov.uk/">
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<strong>Department
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for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)</strong>
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</a>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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Defra works for the essentials of life - water, food, air, land, people,
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animals and plants</li>
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<li title="*">
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<strong>
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<a href="http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/">Trading
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Standards Central</a>
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</strong>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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A one stop shop for consumer protection information in the UK. Provides
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information for businesses and consumers. </li>
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<li title="*">
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<strong>
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<a href="http://www.hmce.gov.uk/">HM
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Customs and Excise</a>
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</strong>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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Provides information and advice for the public and for businesses.</li>
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<li title="*">
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<strong>
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<a href="http://www.oft.gov.uk/">Office
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of Fair Trading (OFT)</a>
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</strong>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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The OFT is designed with two purposes: to protect consumers and explain
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their rights; and to ensure that businesses compete and operate fairly.</li>
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<li title="*">
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<strong>
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<a href="http://www.dti.gov.uk/">Department
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of Trade and Industry (DTI)</a>
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</strong>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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Working with businesses, employees and consumers to drive up UK productivity
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and competitiveness to deliver prosperity for all.</li>
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<li title="*">
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<strong>
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<a href="http://www.fsa.gov.uk/">Food
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Standards Agency (FSA)</a>
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</strong>
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<span class="gen">link to external website</span>
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<br/>
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An independent food safety watchdog set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000
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to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food.</li>
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</ul><span class="gen">email address here</span><span class="gen">phone number here</span><span class="gen">sms phone number here</span><span class="gen">fax number here</span><span class="gen">minicom number here</span><span class="gen">postal address here</span><h3>
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<a href="/ccm/services/pid.jsp?pid=404"> Providing Information
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(404)
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</a></h3>]]></cms:content></cms:textAsset></cms:item>
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