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 Weights & Measures |
The Weights and Measures Section of the Alabama Department Of Agriculture and Industries is responsible for enforcing weights and measures laws by inspecting weights, gasoline pumps, grocery store scales, large vehicle scales, and other measuring devices for accuracy to ensure that consumers are getting their money's worth.
Heavy Weights and Measures
The Heavy Weights and Measures Inspectors operate heavy-duty weight trucks used to test large capacity scales such as platform scales, stockyard scales, hopper scales, monorail scales, and vehicle scales. They check proposed sites for new scale installations to ensure that the site will meet state requirements. Each year, Heavy Weights inspectors test approximately 5,200 measuring devices. Approximate figures for the devices tested are: approved 4000, condemned 1,000, and taken out of service 200. They also checked and approved 100 proposed scale sites. Each year the Weights and Measures division issues, approximately 3,200 Weighmaster Certificates to qualified weighers, they then issue certified weight tickets. To receive a Weighmaster Certificate, an applicant must complete an application, pay a fee of $20.00 and submit a $1,000.00 surety bond from an insurance co of their choice to the Weights & Measures office. When illegal or inaccurate devices are found, the Weights and Measures officials (light and heavy) ensure that the equipment is repaired or replaced by condemning the device and placing a red tag on it. The device cannot be used again until the device is repaired and a registered serviceman removes the red tag. Under the registered serviceman regulation of the department, approximately 650 scale and gasoline pump servicemen are registered each year. This registration allows licensed and certified servicemen to place a condemned device back in service provided the error is corrected to legal specifications and tolerances. Please click here for heavy weights and measures forms/downloads.
Light Weights and Measures
Every time a consumer purchases a product based on weight, measure, or count (a pound of apples, a gallon of gasoline, or load of gravel) that consumer is using a weighing or measuring device that has been certified as accurate by the Weights and Measures Division. The primary function of this unit is to ensure equality in all commercial transactions involving quantity. The weights and measures official stands between the seller and buyer to see that the interest of both is safeguarded. An Example: Small, seemingly insignificant errors can add up. For example, assume a scale used for weighing meat is incorrect by 0.01 pound and suppose that all the meat was only $4.00 per pound. If this is in a large supermarket and almost 200 pounds of meat are sold per day, then this would result in an error of $2,920 per year. This could be in favor of the supermarket or in favor of the customers. It is our job to try and make the scale as accurate as possible so that neither the customers nor the supermarket is cheated.
The Light Weights and Measures Inspectors may be found at any given time of the day testing weighing and measuring devices such as supermarket scales, gasoline pumps, feed and fertilizer scales, and universal price code scanners for accuracy. They also check pre-packaged commodities used or consumed in Alabama for accurate weight, measure, or count. (Click here for list of established commodity weights.) Samples are pulled in retail stores, packaging plants, warehouses, feed, seed, and fertilizer stores. Using statistical methods these packages are checked to ensure that the packages are labeled correctly and the net weight of the package is correct. Of the millions of packages checked each year, approximately 1% or 1.5% are found to be in error. The inspector makes sure the packages are removed from sale and corrections are made, or the packages are returned to the distributor. When illegal or inaccurate devices are found, the weights and measures officials (light and heavy) ensure that the equipment is repaired or replaced by condemning the device and placing a red tag on it. The device cannot be used again until the device is repaired and a registered serviceman removes the red tag. Please click here for light weights and measures forms/downloads.
Petroleum Lab
The Petroleum Laboratory is responsible for analyzing petroleum products to ensure that these products are properly labeled and free of contaminates. The Petroleum Laboratory is responsible for analyzing petroleum products to ensure that these products are properly labeled and free of contaminates. Petroleum sampling includes routine market checks and consumer complaints. Light Weights and Measures Inspectors collect these samples. More than 5,500 samples are checked each year to ensure good quality petroleum products are sold to Alabama’s consumers. The analysis of gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and motor oil has been successful in keeping the incidence of violation for these products well below the national average. The Department has a contract with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to measure the effectiveness of gasoline blended specifically for ozone non-attainment areas. The program confirmed the industry’s overall compliance and identified point sources that failed to meet the ADEM standards for Jefferson and Shelby Counties. More stringent EPA standards and the sharing of resources between state agencies will insure the continued improvement of Alabama’s air quality. Charles Chinakwe, Laboratory Supervisor | Contact the Petroleum Lab: | | Marilyn Mitchell | Ph: | (334) 240-7130 or (800) 642-7761 | | | Fx: | (334) 240-7175 |
Metrology Laboratory
Metrology is the engineering function devoted solely to the science of precision measurement and the related calibration of measurement standards. The metrology laboratory has the responsibility to use metrology to oversee the use of the state's physical standards of mass and volume, which are traceable and related directly to the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland (near Washington D.C.). The standards are maintained according to state laws, and the laboratory conducts all metrology activities involving the use of these standards. The laboratory uses these standards to test and calibrate the weights and test measures used by industries, businesses, and weights and measures inspectors (light and heavy) to test scales, pumps, and other devices used for the sale of goods based on weight, measure, or count. A breakdown of the number of items tested per year is shown below - (Note: These are approximate values) | Test Measures | 320 / year | | Kit Weights | 5600 / year | | Loose Weights | 3100 / year | | Portable Wheel Load Weighers | 460 / year | | Provers | 30 / year |
| Contact the Metrology Lab: | | David Morse, Metrologist Engineer | Ph: | (334) 240-7135 | | | Fx: | (334) 240-7175 | | Wes Seals, Laboratory Supervisor | Ph: | (334) 240-7136 |
Useful Links
- Code of Alabama
- Commodity Weights - As established by Ag. Code 1927, 246; Code 1940, T.2 & 604 - Section 8-16-94
- NIST Handbook 44 - Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices
- NIST Handbook 130 - Uniform Laws and Regulations in the Areas of Legal Metrology and Engine Fuel Quality
- NIST Handbook 133 - Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods
- NIST Handbook 112 - Examination Procedure Outlines for Commercial Weighing and Measuring Devices: A Manual for Weights and Measures Officials
Contact Weights & Measures
Department of Agriculture & Industries
Weights & Measures Division
P.O. Box 3336
Montgomery 36107 | | Ph: | (334) 240-7133 or (800) 642-7761, Ext.7133 | | Fx: | (334) 240-7175 |
Randy Fulmer, Director of Weight & Measures
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