Public Weighing Institutes

Public weighing instrument:

Public weighing instruments in terms of the Metrology Act (MEG) are weighing instruments by which a load of a third party is weighed.

Only persons sworn and authorized for weighing are allowed to carry out these weighings on a public weighing instrument. The result is certified by the signature of the person authorized for weighing on the weighing certificate. Thus this weighing document or weighing certificate is classified as public document.

Public weighing instruments are important for the economy, where big loads are weighed and the parties engaged have no possibility to carry out control weighings or these are very expensive.

They are marked by the inscription “Public weighing instrument” and have to be easily accessible. At fixed times everybody can let carry out weighings.

For a public weighing instrument as well as for the weighing certificate special conditions apply. The compliance with this condition is controlled in the course of the approval procedure by the verification office. Records are to be kept about weighings in public weighing institutions. In the so-called weighing book all information prescribed has to be documented.

Person authorized for public weighing:

The person authorized for weighing is examined and sworn by the verification office whereby he obliges himself to fulfil his tasks as public person authorized for weighing at any time diligently and impartially.

Before the examination the person authorized for weighing is assessed if he meets the requirements made especially with respect to reliability.

The examination of the person comprises the operation of the weighing instruments, the calculation of weighing results and especially all relevant legal regulations and the duties of the public weigher.

About the examination and the swearing-in of the person authorized for weighing a certificate is issued by the verification office.

The position of the public weigher is a position of trust. The parties conducting business on the base of the weighing results are usually not present at weighing, hence strict impartiality and reliability are required from the weigher. The person authorized for weighing has to carry out his activities correctly and diligently and must not be influenced by anybody in this respect.

Due to the approval of a public weighing instrument and the examination and swearing-in of the weigher by the verification office the public weighing deserves special confidence.