Pennsylvania Code Title 70 - WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND STANDARDS
Pennsylvania Code Title 70 is titled "WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND STANDARDS." This title is primarily administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, specifically its Bureau of Ride and Measurement Standards (formerly Bureau of Standard Weights and Measures).
The core purpose of Title 70 is to ensure fairness and accuracy in commercial transactions throughout the Commonwealth by regulating and maintaining standards for weights, measures, and measuring devices. This is crucial for consumer protection and for fair business practices.
Here's a breakdown of the key parts and what they regulate:
Part I - Weighmasters (Chapters 1 to 10):
General Provisions: Defines terms and sets forth general rules for the administration of weights and measures in the state.
Certified Examiners of Weights and Measures (CEWM): Regulations for the certification, duties, and responsibilities of individuals authorized to test and inspect weighing and measuring devices.
UPC Scanning Systems and PLU Devices: Rules for the accuracy and inspection of universal product code (UPC) scanners and price look-up (PLU) devices used in retail, ensuring that consumers are charged correctly.
Registration of Sellers, Installers, and Repairers of Weighing and Measuring Devices: Requires businesses and individuals who sell, install, or repair commercial weighing and measuring devices to be registered with the Department of Agriculture.
Registration and Report of Inspection of Commercial Weighing and Measuring Devices: Mandates that commercial weighing and measuring devices (like scales, fuel pumps, etc.) be registered and regularly inspected and tested. It specifies reporting procedures for these inspections.
Training Program for Inspectors and Sealers: Outlines the training and qualifications required for official weights and measures inspectors.
Weighmasters: Regulations for individuals licensed as "weighmasters," who are authorized to certify the weight of commodities (e.g., agricultural products, coal, bulk materials). This ensures accurate measurement in bulk transactions.
Device Type Approval: Rules for the approval of types of weighing and measuring devices before they can be used commercially in Pennsylvania.
Part II - Packaging and Labeling (Chapters 21 to 27):
Method of Sale of Commodities: Regulations on how various commodities must be sold (e.g., by weight, volume, count).
Declarations on Packages: Specifies what information must be included on package labels, such as net quantity, identity of the commodity, and the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.
Standard Weight or Measure: Establishes standard weights or measures for certain commodities.
Exemptions: Identifies certain items that may be exempt from specific packaging and labeling requirements.
Random Package Checking: Procedures for inspectors to check packages to ensure they contain the represented amount.
Part III - Inspections and Devices (Chapters 29 to 39):
This part likely delves into more specific technical standards for the inspection, testing, and approval of various measuring devices. It often incorporates by reference national standards like those published in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 44 (Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices).
It covers details for devices like fuel dispensers, scales (small to large truck scales), linear measuring devices, and timing devices.
Part IV - On-Farm-Produced Denatured Ethyl Alcohol (Chapter 101):
Specific regulations for the production and handling of denatured ethyl alcohol when it is produced on farms. This relates to measurement and standards for this specific agricultural product.
Part V - State Metrology Laboratory (Chapter 110):
Regulations pertaining to the operation and functions of Pennsylvania's State Metrology Laboratory, which maintains the Commonwealth's primary standards of weight and measure and calibrates the field standards used by inspectors.
Overall Importance:
Pennsylvania Code Title 70 is vital because it:
Protects Consumers: Ensures that consumers get the accurate weight, measure, or count of products they purchase, preventing fraud and short-weighing.
Ensures Fair Competition: Creates a level playing field for businesses by ensuring that all commercial transactions are based on accurate and verifiable measurements.
Facilitates Commerce: Provides a standardized system of measurement that is essential for efficient and trustworthy trade within the state and with other jurisdictions.
Maintains Confidence in the Marketplace: By having clearly defined and enforced standards, the public can have confidence in the integrity of commercial transactions.
The Bureau of Ride and Measurement Standards within the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is the agency tasked with enforcing these regulations, conducting inspections, investigating complaints, and providing consumer education on weights and measures.
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