Checks are done by the Metrology Institute to ensure that fuel pumps give the correct amount of fuel customers pay for.

Metrology is a field of science which deals in units of measurement, methods of measurement and measuring instruments in relation to technical and legal requirements.

A measurement has legal consequences if the outcome impinges on the rights or legal interests of citizens or legal entities. This is particularly so when the result of measurements are used to determine quality or quantity or the worth of a service.

For this purpose, legal metrology provides consumers with the assurances that correct measurements are conducted, reliably and consistently, when measuring instruments are employed in the completion of commercial transactions.

The most typical would be those made to determine weight at retail or service outlets, dispensed volume, as in delivery of fuels, or dimension. The origins of legal metrology stemmed from the need to ensure fair trade, but have grown to encompass a wide variety of fields that affect the whole well-being of society.

In the realm related to enforcement of state controls, these could also encompass measuring instruments such as for the verification of speed monitoring devices, breathalysers or matters related to safety, health and environmental protection.

All enforceable verifications are stipulated in Legal Notice 223 of 2011. Measurements subject to metrological control include weighing instruments, systems for continuous and dynamic measurement of liquids other than water (fuel pumps), time interval measuring instruments (CVA) and speed cameras.

The Metrology Directorate of the MCCAA has the responsibility of enforcing the legal metrology function for Malta within the scope of the Metrology Act (Cap 454). The confidence in the accuracy and reliability of measuring equipment is essential to maintain fair competition and ascertain consumer protection.

A practical example is the legislation on pre-packaged goods. In order to facilitate the free movement of goods, the EU has established common rules for pre-packages within the 5g to 10kg range (or 5ml to 10l).

A manufacturer may, under certain circumstances, use a special e-mark on packages. This mark is not obligatory but, when used, is a guarantee that is recognised throughout the EU and a sign that the goods have been packed by weight or volume in accordance with tolerances stipulated in the relevant pre-packaging directives. The e-mark acts as a metrological guarantee certificate.

Maintaining a competent and well-equipped metrology operation is a state-managed function and a prerequisite to ensure national uniformity and accuracy of measurements. The Metrology Directorate is the custodian of the national reference standards. It ensures that standards are maintained and developed, thus ensuring international traceability.

Traceability is imperative to ensure that all measurements are derived from and are consistent with primary international standards. The traceability of measurement is essential for the set-up and maintenance of a state’s reference standards. Metrology in the quality assurance process is fundamentally based on the maintenance of this chain and its conformity to international levels.

With the national reference standards as a starting point, it is the directorate’s task to ensure that measurement expertise and traceability are disseminated to industry and society in general. During the past few years, the authority’s metrology laboratories have been furnished with the necessary equipment required for traceability purposes in mass, dimension, temperature, humidity, pressure, electricity and time frequency.

This information has been provided by the Metrology Directorate, Standards and Metrology Institute of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.

The institute is located at Kordin Business Incubation Centre, Corradino Industrial Estate, Kordin. For more information, call 2124 2420.

odette.vella@mccaa.org.mt

Odette Vella is senior information officer, Office for Consumer Affairs, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.