Public Weighbridges and Weighbridge Attendants

• Offences in Connection with Public Equipment
• Other Legal Requirements
• Working Knowledge Required

Owners of weighbridges may, if they wish, make them available for use by the public and may charge for this use.  Before he makes his weighbridge available for public use however, the owner must ensure that any weighbridge attendant who is to carry out public weighing holds a certificate issued by a Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures that he has sufficient knowledge for the proper performance of his duties. It is essential that the public weighbridge attendants hold this certificate to prevent the owner of the weighbridge and the weighbridge attendant from being guilty of an offence.

Weighbridge attendants should be conversant with legislation relating to weighbridges and their equipment and operation, in order to pass the certificate issued by the Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures.

Offences in Connection with Public Equipment

Any public weighbridge attendant who commits any of the following will be guilty of an offence:-

1. without reasonable cause fails to carry out a weighing on demand;
2. carries out a weighing unfairly;
3. fails to deliver to a person demanding the weighing, or his agent, a statement in writing of the weight found;
4. fails to make a good record of the weighing, including the time and date of it and, when weighing a vehicle, such particulars of the vehicle and any load on it as will identify that vehicle and that load;
5. delivers a false statement of any weight found or makes a false record of any weighing;
6. commits any fraud in connection with any weighing or purported weighing;

Other Legal Requirements

1. If a person demanding a weighing is asked by a weighbridge attendant for his name and address he must give his/her correct name and address.
2. The person making the weighbridge available for the public use must retain for not less than 2 years any record of any weighing made on that weighbridge.
3. If requested to do so by an inspector of weights and measures the owner of the weighbridge must produce any of the records kept in (b).
4. It is an offence to destroy or deface any record in (b) before the expiration of 2 years.

Working Knowledge Required

1. It is essential that at all times the weighbridge is kept balanced, i.e. showing a zero reading, when empty. Balance should be checked in the morning before commencing work and at regular intervals throughout the day. Changes in weather conditions or dirt on the plate will cause alterations in balance. The plate should be kept clean at all times, the space between the plate and surround kept clear and the balance/key device used to maintain accuracy. If at any time it is not possible to balance the machine using the balance key/device the matter should immediately be reported to the owner. A weighbridge which is not correctly balanced will give incorrect weighing and may result in prosecution for the owner of the weighbridge.
   
   
2. When a vehicle is being weighed the attendant should satisfy himself that all wheels are on the plate and clear of the surround and that no person is on the vehicle or the plate.
   
   
3. When making out a document for weighing the following are important:-
   
   
   1. The registration number of the vehicle to be recorded.
   2. Particulars to identify the load to be recorded.
   3. No statement should be accepted from a driver or other person as to the tare weight of the vehicle.
   4. If the tare weight of the vehicle is to be stated on the weight ticket it must be ascertained by actual weighing.
   5. Particulars of tare and gross weighing must not be entered on the same document unless the interval between the two weighings is less than 24 hours.
   6. Documents must not be handed to drivers or issued with blank spaces where weights could be inserted. If there is no entry for a space then it should either be crossed through or cancelled by inserting words such as "not ascertained" or "vehicle not tared". All entries are to be made indelibly.
   7. If an error is made when making out a weigh ticket no alteration should be made and the ticket must be cancelled and a new one issued.
   8. If a weight indication lies between two graduations then the lower weight should always be recorded.
      
      
4. If the weighbridge is fitted with any of the following the attendant should be familiar with their operation: locking device; relieving gear; tare; drop weights; ticket printer; recording mechanism.
   
   
5. Attendants should be aware of common faults which may cause inaccurate weighings. Some of these are:-
   
   
   1. Dirt, rainwater or snow on the plate. Small amounts can be compensated for with the tare device but heavy deposits should be removed.
   2. There should be clearance all round the weigh plate to allow its free movement. Stones or other objects which become wedged between the platform and the surround should be removed.
   3. Flooding of the pit can cause incorrect readings; any evidence of this should be reported to the owner.
   4. Badly positioned loads can cause inaccuracy and attendants should ensure that wheels are completely on the weigh plate and not partly on the frame.
   5. Incorrectly located poise on steelyard weighbridge.
   6. Back weighing on a weighbridge with an accelerating steelyard.
      
      
6. Trading Standards Division is pleased to encourage the provision of Public Weighbridges. Contact the Trading Standards Office for further information about providing such facilities. You will be given advice on suitability of tickets and training of staff will be undertaken where necessary. Those passing the simple test will be awarded a certificate which may be displayed in the weigh-house.

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Trading Standards Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne Lancs OL6 6DL View local map
0161 342 8355
0161 342 2288