Distributor Policy for "Trade Use" Scales

Distributor Policy for “Trade Use” Scales

This policy outlines installation obligations of all Distributors of trade approved Wedderburn scale equipment.

Responsibilities

As part of the NZ Weights & Measures guidelines any person selling, leasing or hiring is required to and responsible for ensuring that all weighing equipment sold, leased or hired, which is to be used for “Trade Use” purposes, must be installed correctly as required by NZ W&M regulations and operated in accordance with user operation instructions given.

“Trade Use”

USE FOR TRADE (NZ W&M Act 1987 No15 Interpretation definition)

a) means the use of any weight, measure or weighing instrument in connection with, or with a view to a transaction for

i. the transferring or rendering of money or money’s worth in consideration of money or money’s worth or

ii. the making of payment in respect of any toll or duty where –

iii. the transaction is by reference to quantity or is a transaction for the purpose of which there is made or implied a statement of the quantity of goods to which the transaction relates, and

iv. the use is for the purpose of the determination or statement of that quantity, but

b) does not include such use of any weight, measure or weighing instrument where the determination or statement of quantity referred to in paragraph (a) (iv) of this definition is a determination or statement of the quantity of goods required for dispatch to a destination outside of New Zealand – and “have in possession for use for trade” has a corresponding meaning.

Special Note:

Many of the legal for trade scales are marked "Not for Direct Sales" or similar and this may concern customers thinking their scale is not Legal for Trade. Many of the scales are labelled "Not for Direct Sales to the Public" since Weights & Measures require both the operator of the scale and the consumer to be able to see the display showing the weight. If the scale only has one display then the scale should not be used for a direct transaction between the operator of the scale and the consumer. For direct face to face transactions with the consumer you are required to have an optional auxiliary display so the consumer can see the weight on their display. There are some scales that are made for face to face counter operation having an operator and customer display. Equipment with one operator side display are normally for pre-pack situations where you still require an approved scale but weighing is not done in the presence of the consumer.

Requirements

Upon installing a scale for ‘Trade Use’, you as the installer must check the following-

• follow any installation instructions provided with the equipment for its safe & correct operation
• in particular that the scale is level, stable and weighing correctly
• that any customer display is viewable by the user’s customers
• that the scale is situated in a suitable place away from draft or wind that may affect the weight readings and on a suitable solid bench or table etc
• make sure the user of the equipment has been advised on keeping the scale level and on its ‘Zero’ point before any weighings, especially if equipment is moved around
• that the equipment carries a current valid Certificate of Accuracy (COA)