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II.

REPORT OF OF THE THE TASK FORCE ON METRICATION (DECEMBER 17, 1970)

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WEIGHTS
AND MEASURES

The National Conference on Weights and Measures, sponsored by the National Bureau of Standards, is an organization of approximately 500 members. The membership is comprised of state and local weights and measures officers, Federal officials, and representatives of business, industry, and consumer organizations.

The objectives of the National Conference of Weights and Measures are: (a) To provide a national forum for the discussion of all questions related to weights and measures administration as carried on by regulatory officers of the States, Commonwealths, Territories, and Possessions of the United States, their political subdivisions, and the District of Columbia.

(b) To develop a consensus on model weights and measures laws and regulations, specifications and tolerances for commercially-used weighing and measuring devices, and testing, enforcement, and administrative procedures. To further this objective, the Conference has developed and recommends the adoption of such publications as "The Model State Law on Weights and Measures," "The Model State Packaging and Labeling Regulation," and NBS Handbook 44, "Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Commercial Weighing and Measuring Devices."

(c) To encourage and promote uniformity of requirements and methods among weights and measures jurisdictions.

(d) To foster cooperation among weights and measures officers themselves and between them and all of the many manufacturing, industrial, business, and consumer interests affected by their official activities.

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The National Bureau of Standards, under authority granted by Public Law 90-472 (82 Stat. 693), requested the National Conference on Weights and Measures to assist it by investigating the impacts (costs, time, etc.) of metrication upon weights and measures jurisdictions. As a result, the 54th National Conference authorized the establishment of this Task Force and the Conference's Executive Secretary formally instituted this committee on April 20, 1970.1

' Report of the 54th National Conference on Weights and Measures, 1969, NBS Special Publication 318, Resolution on Metric Study, p. 236 (see III. Suppl., p. 87).

Ibid, Motion on the Establishment of a Metric Task Force, p. 161 (see III. Suppl., p. 87). Ibid, The Role of Weights and Measures Officials in the Metric Study, A. G. McNish, pp. 108-111.

App. II-3, Organization of the Task Force on Metrication.

BACKGROUND

Historical evidence indicates that evolutionary metrication in commercial weights and measures is unlikely. The proof of this prediction rests primarily on the fact that since 1866, when the U.S. Congress legalized the use of the metric system for commercial transactions (15 U.S.C. 204, Supp., p. 96) there has been almost no movement to adopt the use of metric units in the buying, selling, or primary labeling of products. (Note: The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), P.L. 89-755, precludes the exclusive voluntary use of metric units on package labels; i.e., U.S. customary units must be used to describe the quantity of contents of a packaged consumer commodity as defined in this law. However, FPLA does not prohibit the use of metric units on labels. Thus, both metric and customary units may be used together on a label.) One reason for this appears to be a reluctance on the part of both retailers and consumers to change, or, for that matter to want to change, existing measurement traditions. Since weights and measures officials prefer to operate with the measurement system used in commerce, now the U.S. customary system, it is doubtful that they will change to the metric system until that system becomes, or will become dominant in commercial use. (Note: Mr. Akey of Wausau, Wis. was of the opinion that under present conditions, weights and measures officials had to use the customary system in their testing operations.)

It has, therefore, been concluded that legislation requiring the use of metric units in commercial transactions will be needed in order to bring about metrication in commercial weights and measures, i.e., measurements made in conjunction with commercial transactions would have to utilize metric units for determining length, volume, and weight. The immediate statement should not be construed as a Task Force endorsement for such legislation (Federal or state) nor is such legislation a subject of this report. However, it does appear reasonable to foresee that any action requiring metric usage in such a sensitive area would, no doubt, have to have a great deal of citizen support before it was taken.

To conclude, the impacts of metrication mentioned in this report were determined assuming there would be a required metrication program, since it is doubtful that few if any measurement changes and their associated impacts would occur without one.

11-2.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES JURISDICTIONS

"The primary function of the weights and measures official is to see to it that equity prevails in all commercial transactions involving determinations of quantity." Whenever goods or services are bought and sold by weight or measure, it is his duty to eliminate unjust transactions which may be caused by intentional fraud or misrepresentation, carelessness, or ignorance. The Congress has left the control and regulation of commercial weighing and measuring devices and activities almost exclusively to the states. How2 NBS Handbook 82, Weights and Measures Administration, p. 1.

ever, weights and measures statutes and the degree and form of regulatory controls are not alike in all states. Note: The National Conference on Weights and Measures is promoting uniform laws, etc. Despite the fact that the Conference can only make recommendations, it has earned a reputation as an authority in the weights and measures area, and many jurisdictions do accept its proposals. Thus, through voluntary cooperation, uniform regulations and test methods are being established.

To protect the interests of both the buyer and the seller, the official does work in two major areas-mechanical and supervisory. The mechanical activities of the official consist of testing at regular intervals, all commercial weighing and measuring devices in his jurisdiction. Equipment which does not meet the necessary standards is removed from use until it is corrected.

In his supervisory activities, the official checks the quantity of contents of packaged goods put up by manufacturers, and he also checks bulk commodities. It is his job to investigate complaints, educate buyers and sellers to their rights and duties under weights and measures laws, and to try to develop cooperation between his office, consumers, and industry.

Finally, there is diversity in the forms of weights and measures organizations in the states, but they generally follow one of three basic plans as follows: The first plan is for all supervision to be exercised by the state government through a state office of weights and measures. This allows for uniform test methods throughout the state by inspectors who are responsible directly to the state office.

The second plan combines the use of both state and local (city and/or county) officials. The state officials usually work in areas not under local supervision or in testing operations where local officials do not have the necessary expertise or equipment required. Under this form of organization the state generally has some control over all weights and measures activities. The third plan calls for all inspections and testing to be conducted by local officials, with the state office performing such functions as supervision, promulgation of rules and specifications, and the testing of standards of local officials.

II-3. INSPECTOR'S EQUIPMENT 3

INTRODUCTION

The vast majority of weights and measures jurisdictions in the United. States have little or no metric field testing equipment. Present equipment would have to be adapted to metric units, where possible, or new metric equipment would have to be purchased.

Note: It is more desirable to test weighing and measuring devices in the system in which they are indicating or recording. Similarly, package quantities should be checked in the system in which they are labeled. This practice

3 Equipment is defined as scales, balances, and standards (mass, volume, and length) used by weights and measures officials in their field operations.

would avoid errors caused by converting from U.S. customary units to metric units in testing operations, thus enhancing the correctness of such operations.

COST ANALYSIS

Introductory Comments

1. As a rule it is less expensive to buy new metric small capacity weight kits than to convert present U.S. customary ones. This fact has the added benefit of enabling jurisdictions to maintain, indefinitely, a dual system in small capacity weights. (See fig. 21.)

2. It is not possible to convert existing glass test measures to metric values. Thus, new metric glassware will be needed. Like small capacity weight kits, this will enable jurisdictions to maintain a dual system in small capacity volumetric measurements. (See fig. 21.)

3. Present package checking scales may be used to check quantities in the metric system provided the scale is used as a comparison device, a "null" or zero balance indicator only. This may be accomplished by (1) setting all poises at the zero indication and (2) adjusting the scale by using metric weights so that the tower indicator always reads zero. Thus, the metric

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