Certificate of Competency in Legal Metrology (Weighing)

The course is supervised by Andy Hayward who spent over 17 years as a Trading Standards Officer in Cardiff. Further support is provided by the UKWF's technical officer and other members.

Legal weights and measures are fundamental to a sustainable trading economy and the UK has had relevant legislation of over 1000 years.   Our joint course offers standardised training in the Weighing aspects of legal metrology culminating in a National Certificate of Competency.

Training takes place in a virtual learning environment via a dedicated web site and students provide evidence of competency through an assessed log book of activity. The course covers a comprehensive range of subjects over the prescribed learning period, including practical and legal aspects of weighing and associated equipment. Students also attend regional day seminars where they cover key issues in a classroom environment, allowing them to meet fellow students and the course supervisors.

The Syllabus

Section 1 - Legal Metrology Organisations  - A description of the more influential organisations
Section 2 - UK Law - Discussing the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and Regulations made under it.
Section 3 - EC Law - Discussing the European communities Act 1972 and EC Directives and Regulations derived from the Act
Section 4 -Traceability - Notes relating to the importance of the hierarchy of measurement
Section 5 - Uncertainty of Measurement - Notes detailing how uncertainty effects measurement and how it can be taken into account providing higher confidences in measurement
Section 6 - Suitability of Test Weights - Relating to calibration intervals and history of the test weights
Section 7- Self Verification - Notes covering requirements for a company to comply with the requirements of SV under UK and EC law
Section 8 - Packaged Goods Regulations 2006 - An introduction to the new regulations 
Section 10 - EN45501 - The testing requirements for non-automatic weighing instruments are not contained in the regulations but in this European Standard
Section 11 - Compatibility of Modules - When load cells etc are not specifically mention in the Type Approval Certificate
Section 12 - ISO 17025 - The Standard for testing and calibration laboratories. As it was produced in 2000 it is based upon ISO 9000:1994, so it will need updating to consider the requirements of ISO9000:2000 in time
Section 13 - Approval mechanisms - What is a Type Approval?
Section 14 - Automatic Weighing Machines - Weighing equipment that includes a machine that accomplishes a weighing operation without intervention by an operator and which sets in motion an automatic process characteristic of this machine.
Appendix 1 - Problems in Weighing - A description of the common faults experienced when conducting a weighing
Appendix 2 - What's new? - New developments in metrology

Originally initiated for UKWF members, the course is now open to non-members - in fact anyone and everyone involved with the weighing aspects of legal metrology can join the course.

For further information on how you and your company can benefit form gaining the certification, please refer to the attached guide and brochure, or contact

The Secretariat
UK Weighing Federation Ltd
Federation House
10 Vyse Street
Birmingham
B18 6LT

Tel: 0121 237 1130
Fax: 0121 237 1133

To book a place on this course, please complete the attached Application Form for both the Company and the Individual.