Introduction
Legal metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements
and measuring instruments. The Legal Metrology Services (LMS) was established in 1985 and became fully operational in July 1990 after the proclamation of the Legal Metrology Act 1985 to make better provisions for the assizing of instruments, weights, and measures and the protection of the public in relation to the sale of articles by weight or measure.
Responsibilities
The Legal Metrology Services is responsible for:
(i) Calibration and maintenance of measurement standards which are traceable to International Standards;(ii) Control of weighing and measuring equipment used in trade to ensure that the instruments are used correctly and they meet the requirements of the Legal Metrology Act;and
(iii) Control of prepracked commodities to ensure that they are properly labelled and contain the quantity declared on the packages as per the Legal Metrology Act.
Legislations
ACT/GN
|
Name of Acts/Regulations
|
Description
|
Act No. 57 of 1985
|
Legal Metrology Act 1985
|
The Legal Metrology Act provides for the "Assizing" of instruments, weights and measures and the protection of the public at large in all transactions by weight and measure.
|
GN No. 97 of 1990 (as amended)
|
The Legal Metrology (Assize) Regulations 1990
|
The Legal Metrology (Assize) Regulations lay down the metrological characteristics of instruments used for the purpose of trade have to conform to, and the tolerances acceptable for verification.
|
GN No. 108 of 1994
| The Legal Metrology (Assize) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
| Provides for the metrological
control of vehicle tanks, bulkmeters, and
prepacked commodities, and the upgrading of the accuracy of scales for
general trade from class IIIÍ to class III
|
GN No. 124 of 1994
|
The Legal Metrology (Periodical Assizement) Regulations
|
The Legal Metrology (Periodical Assizement) Regulations make provision for the mandatory periodical verifications of trade instruments.
|
GN No. 91 of 2003
| The Legal Metrology (Assize Fees) Regulations 2003.
| The Legal Metrology (Assize fees) Regulations make provision for fees for verification of weighing and measuring instruments
|
GN No. 100 of 2009
| The Legal Metrology (Assize fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2009
| Make provision for amendments for fees for verification of weighing and
measuring instruments.
|
GN No. 26 of 2013
| The
Legal Metrology (Assize fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
| Make
provision for amendments for fees for verification of weighing and measuring
instruments.
|
GN No. 233 of 2006
|
The Legal Metrology (Prepacked Commodities) Regulations 2006
|
The Legal Metrology (Prepacked Commodities) Regulations prescribe labelling requirements, declaration of net/nominal quantity, standard quantities and tolerances in respect of pre-packaged products.
|
GN No.112 of 2011
| The Legal Metrology (Prepacked Commodities) (Amendment)Regulations 2011
| Make provision for the amendment for declaration of quantity for item
“curd/ Yoghurt (without fruit)”
|
GN No. 160 of 2011
| The Legal Metrology (Prepacked Commodities) (Amendment)Regulations 2011
| Make provision for the amendment for standard quantity for milk powder
|
GN No. 175 of 2017
| The Legal Metrology (Prepacked Commodities) (Amendment)Regulations 2017
| Make provision for the amendment for standard quantity for flour packed
by State Trading Corporation
|
GN No 288 of 2021
| The Legal Metrology
(Assize) (Amendment)
Regulations 2021.
| Makes provision for the amendment of the Seventh Schedule for measures
of volume permitted for liquor.
|
Services
Assizing of instruments;
On Request Calibration of instruments;
Supervision of use of weighing and measuring instruments in trade;
Control of Prepacked Commodities;
Granting of Certificate of Suitability;
Investigation of complaint;
Information and advice.
a) Indoor VerificationAssizing/Reassizing, i.e. verification, testing and stamping of weighing and measuring instruments used in trade (both in general trade and trade in valuable goods), i.e for General Retailers, Hardware Shops, vegetable and fruit sellers, fishmongers,poultry sellers, jewellers and others.These instruments include spring balances, platform machines, electronic scales, jeweller scales, weights, length measures, tape measures, capacity measures, liquor measures.All new instruments of importers are assized by LMS before they are offered for sale.(b) In situ verificationVerification of instruments which are (i) of high capacity, (ii) fixed and (iii) not transportable are carried in situ, that is, at place of use. These instruments include platform machines of high capacity, petrol pumps, weighbridges, vehicle tanks and bulkmeters.(c) Periodical Assizing of instrumentsAccording to the Legal Metrology (Periodical Assizement) Regulations 1994, · spring balances have to be verified every year,· length measures every five years and· all other instruments every two years.
(2) On Request Calibration of instruments
Calibration services are provided to industries and other institutions at their request for instruments not used in trade.Calibration is carried at the division for transportable instruments.For high capacity and fixed instruments calibration is carried at place of use.We also calibrate fixed storage tanks, water meters, alcohol meters,diesel meters, concrete batching plants and hopper scales.Requests for calibration must be made in writing or by fax or by email.
(3) Supervision of use of weighing and measuring instruments in trade
This is done by carrying regular inspection visits to trade premises to ensure that traders are using correct and assized weighing and measuring instruments.
(4) Control of Prepacked Commodities
Inspection is carried at packing premises and at retail outlets to ascertain that prepacked commodities (foodstuffs and non foodstuffs) comply with the Legal Metrology (Prepacked Commodities) Regulations 2006 , (GN 233/2006) for labelling and accuracy requirements.
(5) Granting of Certificate of Suitability
Importers of weighing instruments used in trade have to apply for a certificate of suitability in respect to the pattern or design of the instrument. For this the importer has to make an application on the form available at the Legal Metrology Services or which can be downloaded from the link below.
Application for a Certificate of Suitability
(6) Investigation of complaints
Complaints related to weights and measures are investigated by this office. These complaints are usually on unassized/not duly reassized instruments, incorrect instruments or shortweight.Complaints are received by Phone, Reporting to our office at Bell Village , in writing or through the Citizen Support Portal.
(7) Information and advice
We offer free information and advice in matters regarding weights and measures to consumers, traders, including importers, packers and industries.
(8) Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: From 09 h 00 to 12 h 00 and from 12 h 30 to 15 h 00 (For verification of instruments) and 16h00 (Office)We also operate a mobile verification service since 2003 to cover all districts. Traders are informed of the dates and places by press communiqués.Required Documents for Verification
Infrastructure
Legal Metrology Service has facilities for calibration in the areas of mass, length and volume, including flow measurement.
The building includes a verification room, a workshop, a mass and length laboratory and a volume laboratory.
Laboratory Management System
The Mass Laboratory of the Legal Metrology Services is accredited by MAURITAS (Mauritius Accreditation Service) for recognition of its technical competence to provide confidence to clients of reliable calibration results. It operates in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and of MAURITAS for the calibration of mass pieces up to accuracy class F2 and Non Automatic Weighing Instruments of accuracy class II, III and IIII.
(i) To protect the public in the purchase of commodities by weight or measure ; (ii) To ensure fair trade practices through accurate and reliable weights and measures; and(iii) To offer quality legal metrology service as regards calibration and verification of weighing and measuring instruments, pattern approval of instruments, investigation of complaints made by consumers and advice given to the public.
International Cooperation
(i) OIML – International Organisation of Legal Metrology
The Headquarters of OIML is the International Bureau of Legal Metrology (BIML) at Paris, France.Mauritius through the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection and the Legal Metrology Services is a corresponding member of OIML.
(ii) SADCMEL- Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Legal Metrology
SADCMEL is one of the structures of SADC SQAM the SADC Cooperation Programme in the field of Standardisation, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology.
Mauritius, through the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection and the Legal Metrology Services is a member of SADCMEL. Member Countries of SADCMEL are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
