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Weights and Measures Act 1987

System of weights and measures and standards - Standards of weights and measures

7: Inspectors' working standards

You could also call this:

“Inspectors get special measuring tools to check if things are the right size or weight”

The Secretary will give you copies of reference standards called Inspectors’ working standards. These are for you to use and keep safe for the purposes of this Act.

You need to check most of these standards against the reference standards every 12 months. But if the standard is made of glass and used to measure volume, you only need to check it every 10 years.

You should mark your working standards with special symbols. These include a Crown and either ‘NZ’, ‘SW’ (for weights), or ‘SM’ (for measures). You also need to show what the standard measures and its value. There might be other marks you need to add too, which will be set out in the rules.

When you put these marks on the standards, you should put the Crown and letters close together. Any other marks should be put on in the way the rules say.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM102544.

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6: Reference standards, or

"Rules for keeping and marking official weights and measures"

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7A: Accredited persons' working standards, or

"Rules for keeping and checking measurement tools used by certified measurers"

Part 1 System of weights and measures and standards
Standards of weights and measures

7Inspectors' working standards

  1. The Secretary shall provide, for the purposes of this Act, copies of the reference standards to be known as Inspectors' working standards, which shall be issued to Inspectors and shall be—

  2. maintained in the custody and control of the Inspectors to whom they are issued; and
    1. used by them for the purposes of this Act.

      1. Inspectors' working standards, except those that are used to determine a measure of volume and are constructed of glass, shall be verified from time to time by comparison with the reference standards at intervals not exceeding 12 months.

      2. Inspectors' working standards that are used to determine a measure of volume and are constructed of glass must be verified by comparison with the reference standards at intervals not exceeding 10 years.

      3. Unless it is impracticable to do so, an Inspectors' working standard must be marked with all of the following:

      4. a Crown and either—
        1. the letters NZ; or
          1. the letters SW (signifying standard weight) in the case of a weight or SM (signifying standard measure) in the case of a measure:
          2. figures indicating the unit of the weight or measure and the numerical value of that unit:
            1. any other symbols, letters, or figures prescribed by regulations made under section 41(ab).

              1. The marks must, where practicable, appear on the Inspectors' working standard,—

              2. in the case of the marks described in subsection (3)(a), in close proximity to each other; and
                1. in the case of the marks described in subsection (3)(c), in the form and manner (if any) prescribed by regulations made under section 41(ac).

                  Notes
                  • Section 7(1): amended, on , by section 8(1) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 145).
                  • Section 7(1): amended, on , by section 9(2) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 9).
                  • Section 7(2): amended, on , by section 8(1) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 145).
                  • Section 7(2): amended, on (applying only to Inspectors' working standards verified after that date), by section 3(1) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 118).
                  • Section 7(2A): inserted, on (applying only to Inspectors' working standards verified after that date), by section 3(2) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 118).
                  • Section 7(2A): amended, on , by section 8(1) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 145).
                  • Section 7(3): replaced, on , by section 8(2) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 145).
                  • Section 7(4): inserted, on , by section 8(2) of the Weights and Measures Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 145).