GEN-08 — Calibration or Tolerance Testing of Industry Standards

GEN-08—Calibration and Tolerance Testing of Standards Not Owned by Measurement Canada (PDF, 53 KB, 5 pages)

Category: General
Bulletin: GEN-08 (rev. 5)
Document(s): W&M Regulation 59(1)(c)
Issue Date:
Effective Date:
Supersedes: GEN-08 (rev. 4)

Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to outline when Measurement Canada (MC) should carry out calibrations or tolerance testing of standards not owned by MC and when such services should be carried out by private laboratories. This bulletin also aims to clarify when fees and charges are applied and how they are assessed for the delivery of these services.

2.0 Scope

This bulletin applies to the calibration and tolerance testing of standards defined under the Weights and Measures Act (it does not apply to standards or measuring apparatus used in the electricity and gas measurement disciplines). MC's policy on the calibration and tolerance testing of standards owned by Authorized Service Providers (ASPs) and used to perform inspections is set forth in bulletin A-2 – Calibrations of Standards and Measuring Apparatus Owned and Used by Authorized Service Providers to Conduct Inspections.

3.0 Terminology

In this document:

Device

Any weight, weighing machine, static measure or measuring machine that is subject to the Weights and Measures Act (e.g. fuel dispensers, vehicle scales, retail computing scales, etc.).

Inspector

A Measurement Canada or an ASP recognized technician.

Inspection

The evaluation of a device by an inspector to determine if it complies with the Weights and Measures Act and Regulations.

Standard

A material measure, measuring instrument, reference material or measuring system intended to define, realize, conserve or reproduce a unit or one or more values of a quantity to serve as a reference (e.g. 20 kg cast iron test weight, 500 litre open neck prover, digital thermometer, etc.).

4.0 Background

Historically, MC has provided calibration and tolerance testing services to a wide range of clients with little or no consideration as to the intended use of the standard. By virtue of the Weights and Measures Act, some of these services, such as the designation of mass and volume standards as local standards used by MC personnel for inspection purposes, are exclusive to the Agency. Private sector organizations can also perform calibration and tolerance testing of standards.

5.0 Interpretation

Device manufacturers and service companies typically supply mass standards that are 5 kg and greater or volumetric standards that are greater than 20 litres when requesting inspections. Usually, inspectors use their own smaller standards (i.e. weight kits and 20 litre measures) when conducting inspections with these companies. Therefore, to ensure uniform interpretation and application of paragraph 59(1)(c) of the Weights and Measures Regulations, mass standards of less than 5 kg, portable volumetric standards of 20 litres or less and fixed volumetric standards of less than 20 litres that are not owned by MC or an ASP and used by a recognized technician are not considered for use as standards by MC inspectors.

6.0 Policy

Upon receiving a request for the calibration or tolerance testing of a standard that is not owned by MC, the request is classified into one of the three following categories:

  1. a standard not owned by an ASP but used by an MC inspector or a recognized technician employed by an ASP for the inspection of a device that is to be used in trade (see section 6.1);
  2. a standard used to test or adjust devices that are to be used in trade (see section 6.2);
  3. standards used to test or adjust devices that are not to be used in trade (see section 6.3).

6.1 Standards Used for Device Inspections

6.1.1 MC inspectors or recognized technicians shall only employ standards that are designated as local standards by MC to inspect devices that are to be used in trade. These standards shall be calibrated or tolerance tested by MC or an MC recognized laboratory.

6.1.2 MC conducts calibrations and tolerance testing of standards owned by device manufacturers, service companies and industry if they are used to perform device inspections and have an individual capacity of:

  • 5 kg or greater, in the case of mass standards;
  • greater than 20 litres, in the case of portable volumetric standards;
  • 20 litres and greater, in the case of fixed volumetric standards.

6.1.3 There shall be no fees or charges for these services, regardless of whether the standard is being initially certified or recertified. If necessary, a standard may be recertified before the end of the certification period. Furthermore, there shall be no fees or charges for adjustments required to bring the standard into compliance with prescribed tolerances.

6.1.4 Some service agencies, device manufacturers or other companies not recognized by MC as ASPs may have a large number of standards, many of which will never be used when conducting inspections. In such instances, the local MC District Manager will meet with a company representative to agree upon the number of standards that will be designated for use by an MC inspector. These standards will be calibrated free of charge. The company will also be asked to mark these standards in such a manner that they will be easy to identify as MC certified standards.

6.2 Standards Used to Test or Adjust Devices Used in Trade

6.2.1 MC can conduct calibrations and tolerance testing of standards used to test or adjust devices that are to be used in trade, including standards owned by ASPs not used to conduct device inspections (i.e., standards other than those calibrated by MC as per bulletin A-2).

6.2.2 With the exception of standards covered by subsection 6.1.2 (i.e., standards used for testing or adjusting devices and for inspections), fees and charges for the calibration and tolerance testing of standards shall be determined in accordance with Part I of Schedule V of the Weights and Measures Regulations.

6.3 Standards Used to Test or Adjust Devices Not Used in Trade

6.3.1 Requests for the calibration or tolerance testing of standards that are only used to test or adjust devices that are not to be used in trade will be referred to private laboratories recognized under the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Calibration Laboratory Assessment Service (CLAS) program. Examples of such standards are:

  • weights used within the parameters of quality control programs;
  • standards used by laboratories;
  • gauge blocks, stopwatches, graduated cylinders, test tubes, density meters, viscosity meters and other devices used as standards by industry for non-trade applications.

The Directory of the Canadian Calibration Network can be accessed on the NRC's website.

6.3.2 MC personnel should only carry out calibrations or tolerance testing of these standards when a referral to a recognized laboratory is impracticable due to one or more of the following factors:

  • physical dimensions or mass of the standard(s);
  • distance to a recognized laboratory;
  • availability of alternate services (i.e., a private sector laboratory is available to perform the calibration or tolerance testing of the standard).

6.3.3 The final decision to perform the calibration or tolerance testing of such standards or refer the client to a recognized laboratory rests with the local MC District Manager.

6.3.4 When an MC inspector conducts calibrations or tolerance testing of these standards, the fees and charges shall be determined in accordance with Part I of Schedule V of the Weights and Measures Regulations.

7.0 Revisions

The effective date of the initial version of this bulletin, titled Legal Metrology List of Private Laboratories, was .

7.1 The purpose of revision 1 () was to outline when MC inspectors should be carrying out calibrations or tolerance testing of industry standards and when such services should be carried out by private laboratories. This revision was also intended to clarify when fees and charges are to be applied. The document was reissued as a GEN-02 policy update and the title was changed to Calibration of Industry Standards.

7.2 The purpose of revision 2 () was to rewrite the policy into bulletin format and make minor editorial changes. Under revision 2, the title was changed to Calibration or Tolerance Testing of Industry Standards.

7.3 The purpose of revision 3 () was to update the bulletin format, renumber sections and make minor revisions to the text in an effort to simplify requirements regarding the calibration or tolerance testing of industry standards (PBRI2008).

7.4 The purpose of revision 4 was to remove the exemption whereby fees could be charged when a standard was calibrated or tested within its certification period. Revision 4 was also intended to clarify that, with the exception of organizations subject to former subsection 5.1.1 and at a Manager's discretion, fees and charges will be applied where the standards are used by someone other than an inspector or recognized technician to adjust devices that are used in trade. Changed capacity of mass standards from 10 kg to 5kg to be in line with Bulletin A-2 and added reference to Bulletin A-2 – Calibrations of Standards and Measuring Apparatus Owned and Used by Authorized Service Providers to Conduct Inspections. Other minor editorial changes were made to include recognized technicians in the same context as inspectors.

7.5 The purpose of revision 5 is to remove the requirements of ASP owned standards used for inspections from this bulletin, rename the document and to clarify subsection 6.1.1. Other minor editorial changes have also been made to the document.

8.0 Additional Information

For additional information regarding this bulletin, please contact the Program Officer responsible for mass or volume measurement.

Gilles Vinet
Vice-President
Program Development Directorate