Buyer’s Guide: Weighing Equipment for the Public Sector

If you’re a public sector organisation like a city government or university in the UK looking to purchase new weighing and measurement equipment, this buyer’s guide will help you make the right choice.

In the public sector, the choice of weighing equipment is crucial for various operations, ranging from healthcare and education to waste management and infrastructure projects. This guide highlights the importance of weighing systems in the public sector and provides insights into selecting appropriate equipment for different public services.

Importance of Weighing Systems in the Public Sector

Weighing equipment in the public sector serves several essential functions:

• Healthcare: Accurate patient weighing is vital for medication dosages, nutritional planning, and monitoring health conditions.
• Education: In educational settings, particularly in science and engineering courses, precise scales are required for experiments and practical learning.
• Waste Management: Weighing systems are used to measure waste and recycling, crucial for environmental management and operational efficiency. Read our Buyer’s Guide about Industrial Scales for the Waste Management Industry and Recycling here. 
• Infrastructure and Construction: Accurate weighing of materials ensures quality and safety in public infrastructure projects. Read our Buyer’s Guide on which weighing equipment is best for the construction industry here. 

Considerations for Public Sector Weighing Equipment

Public sector organisations have diverse weighing equipment needs across departments. Scientific laboratories require precise analytical balances while public works departments use heavy capacity truck scales. Customs inspectors use legal-for-trade scales and food service staff rely on portion scales in cafeterias.

Despite varying weighing needs, public organisations share common requirements: reliability, accuracy and regulatory compliance. Choices also depend on available budget and infrastructure considerations around electricity, network connectivity and installation needs. When selecting weighing equipment for the public sector, consider the following factors:

• Accuracy and Precision: Choose scales that offer the level of precision needed for the specific application, whether it’s delicate laboratory measurements or heavy-duty construction materials.
• Durability and Reliability: Public sector equipment often faces high usage rates, so durability is a key factor.
• Ease of Use and Accessibility: Equipment should be user-friendly, catering to a wide range of users, including those with disabilities.
• Hygiene and Maintenance: For healthcare and educational settings, choose equipment that is easy to clean and maintain.
• Compliance with Regulations: Ensure that the equipment complies with relevant safety and quality standards.

Recommended Weighing Equipment for the Public Sector

The public sector encompasses a wide range of services, each with its specific requirements. Here are some general recommendations for weighing equipment suited to various public sector needs:

• Medical Scales: Look for scales designed specifically for medical use, with features like BMI calculation, patient stability support, and wheelchair accessibility.
• Educational Scales: Choose durable, precise, and easy-to-use scales for educational purposes, suitable for a range of ages and educational levels.
• Industrial Scales for Waste Management: Opt for robust, heavy-duty scales capable of handling large volumes and weights, with features like weather resistance and ease of integration with waste management systems.
• Construction and Infrastructure Scales: Select scales that can accurately weigh large amounts of materials and withstand the rigours of a construction site.

Precision Lab Balances

Scientific laboratories in academic institutions, hospitals and research facilities require precision analytical balances or microbalances. These devices measure tiny sample sizes, down to 0.1 milligrams, and can detect the smallest variations in mass.

For public testing labs that calibrate weights or analyse samples, our Gram FC, Gram FR and AH-V precision lab balances ensure accurate, repeatable readings that will hold up to scrutiny. Legal metrology lab certifications also indicate established accuracy.

Key specifications like readability, capacity, stability and calibration functionality impact daily performance. Additional environmental protections and portable configurations suit field testing applications.

Hydrostatic weighing

Hydrostatic weighing is a method for determining the density of solid materials based on the principle of Archimedes’ buoyancy. The object to be measured is weighed once in air and once in a liquid. The buoyancy and therefore the volume of the object can be calculated from the difference in weight. The density of the object can then be determined by dividing its mass by the calculated volume. This technique is often used in laboratories to analyse the purity or composition of materials.

Suitability and Usage in the Public Sector

• AH-V: This scale is particularly useful in sectors dealing with precious metals and jewelry, such as assay offices, public sector jewelry workshops, or forensic laboratories analyzing metallic residues. Its portability, due to battery operation, and the ability to connect to a PC make it versatile for field use and documentation purposes.
• FR: The FR series stands out for its extreme precision, making it invaluable in scientific research laboratories within public universities, healthcare facilities for pharmaceutical preparations, and quality control labs in government manufacturing units. The wind protection feature and the optional hydrostatic weighing capability enhance its precision for sensitive measurements.
• FC: The FC series presents a balanced option for general laboratory use, offering good precision and ease of use with features like a stainless steel plate and wind protection for certain models. It’s well-suited for educational institutions, public health laboratories, and environmental agencies where a variety of measurements are needed without the necessity for ultra-high precision.

Each of these models brings specific strengths to the public sector, catering to different needs ranging from high precision measurements in scientific research to general use in educational settings. Selecting the right scale depends on the specific requirements of the task at hand, including precision, usability, and the need for connectivity and portability.

Legal for Trade Scales

Any public organisation involved in commercial transactions – from municipal courts, prisons and hospitals to universities and parks – requires legal for trade scales approved for commerce.

Legal for trade scales, also known as approved or certified scales, are crucial in the public sector for a variety of reasons. These scales are meticulously tested and certified to meet strict accuracy and reliability standards set by regulatory bodies. Their use is pivotal in ensuring fairness, transparency, and trust in transactions where weight determines the value of goods exchanged or the cost of services rendered. Here are several key reasons why legal for trade scales are vital in the public sector, along with the laws and regulations that necessitate their use:

Ensuring Fair Trade and Consumer Protection

Legal for trade scales protect consumers by ensuring that they receive exactly what they pay for, whether it’s in the context of buying food, fuel, or other commodities. This aligns with consumer protection laws, which are designed to prevent fraud and inaccuracies that could disadvantage the consumer.

Compliance with Standards and Regulations

Public sector entities must comply with national and international standards and regulations that dictate the use of legal for trade scales. In the UK, scales must adhere to the Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations (NAWI Regulations) and undergo conformity assessment procedures.

Uniformity and Standardization

Legal for trade scales ensure uniformity and standardisation across various sectors, facilitating seamless trade and commerce. This is crucial for public institutions that deal with procurement, supply chain management, and other functions where standardised measurements are essential.

Laws and Regulations in the UK:

• Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments (NAWI) Regulations: In the UK, the NAWI Regulations require that scales be tested and certified for accuracy prior to use in commercial transactions. These regulations ensure that all non-automatic weighing instruments meet specific standards of performance and reliability.
• International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) Recommendations: Although not legally binding, the UK often adopts OIML recommendations to align national metrology standards with international practices, including the approval and use of scales for commercial transactions.

Application in Specific Public Sector Contexts

• Healthcare: For dispensing medication or billing based on weight, ensuring dosages and charges are accurate and fair.
• Environmental and Agricultural Departments: For trading agricultural products, waste management, and recycling, where the weight determines pricing or fees.
• Transportation and Infrastructure: Charging for goods by weight, such as in ports, airports, and road tolls, requires accurate, legal for trade scales.

Trade-Approved Scales in the Public Sector

In the public sector, various operations necessitate the use of trade-approved scales to ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance with legal standards. These scales are essential across a broad spectrum of activities, from commercial transactions to regulatory enforcement. Here’s an overview of the different types of trade-approved scales that are commonly used in the public sector:

1. Counting Scales

• Application: Used in inventory management and logistics to accurately count items based on their average weight. Essential in sectors like healthcare for pharmacy inventory, educational institutions for laboratory supplies, and any public sector entity managing physical assets.
• Features: Trade-approved counting scales offer high precision and can save significant time and reduce errors in inventory counts.
• Recommendation: Our Gram RK is a rapid and precise counting scale with three different displays, Automatic calculation of average unit weight and different functions for your everyday needs. 

2. Platform Scales

• Application: Public sector facilities like warehouses, shipping areas and loading docks employ industrial floor scales. Forklifts and pallet jacks drive onto the low-profile scale platforms during material handling. Standard floor scale sizes suit one or multiple pallets, with capacities reaching 50 tons for ports or mining. Low-elevation ramped edges allow easy access. Some feature removable ramps to accommodate different vehicles.
• Features: These scales can handle a wide range of weights, from small packages to several tons, and are designed for heavy-duty use with robust construction.
• Recommendation: The Gram Xtrem Condor is an Industrial platform scale with fold-away ramps, Multiple advanced connectivity options such as Ethernet or Wifi and a low height platform for an easy load access. 

3. Bench Scales

• Application: Versatile for a variety of lighter weighing tasks in laboratories, kitchens, and postal offices. They are used for tasks that require precision but not the capacity of floor scales.
• Features: Bench scales are known for their accuracy, reliability, and compact size, making them suitable for environments with limited space.
• Recommendation: Our Gram DSX is the perfect entry-level industrial scale suitable for check weighing applications. On the other hand, the Xtrem F is a versatile industrial bench scale that adapts to a wide range of weighing applications. 

4. Hanging Scales

• Application: Commonly used in sectors like fisheries, agriculture, and meat processing within public operations. They are used for weighing items that are best suspended, such as carcasses, grains, or even luggage at airports.
• Features: Portable and easy to use, hanging scales offer a practical solution for on-the-spot weighing needs.
• Recommendation: The Gram C3 with a capacity up to 1000 kg is a Lightweight crane scale for weighing in any location. The Gram C5 can weigh up to 10,000 kg and is a durable crane scale, made of cast aluminium housing. 

5. Retail Scales

• Application: Essential in public sector ventures like canteens, cafeterias, and retail outlets. They are used for selling goods by weight, including food items, where accuracy directly affects pricing.
• Features: These scales often feature price computation functions and are designed for customer-facing environments, where clarity and ease of use are paramount.
• Recommendation: Our Gram ZFOC and XFOC+ series are both Practical pricing scale, approved for trade and with optional columns. 

6. Vehicle and Axle Weighing Scales

• Application: Used by transportation departments and regulatory bodies to ensure vehicles comply with weight regulations, preventing road damage and ensuring safety. They are also used at waste management facilities for billing based on the weight of disposed materials. Public works departments managing landfills, highways, ports or warehouses install truck scales to weigh heavy vehicles. Available in sizes matching traffic volumes, these rugged weight scales withstand exposure while providing years of reliable service. 
• Features: Capable of weighing entire vehicles or individual axles, these scales are built for durability and accuracy under massive loads.
• Recommendation: The Gram PR is a mobile truck scale consisting of Two weighing pads with portable indicator for vehicle weighing. They’re made of duralumin, which makes them strong, resistant and lightweight. 

7. Precision Balances

• Application: Utilised in laboratories, testing facilities, and anywhere precise measurements of small quantities are required. This includes chemical, pharmaceutical, and research labs within public sector organisations.
• Features: Offering high accuracy and sensitivity for small samples, precision balances are crucial for tasks requiring meticulous measurements.
• Recommendation: The legal for trade Gram AH-V precision scale comes with a Windshield to avoid weighing fluctuation, a backlit display screen visible from any angle, different functions as well as a built in rechargeable battery.

Maintenance and Calibration

Regular maintenance and calibration are essential for the longevity and accuracy of weighing equipment, particularly in the public sector where equipment reliability is crucial. Ensure that the equipment is serviced by qualified professionals and meets all regulatory standards.

For further information you can contact our team of specialists or read our Blogposts:

• How to properly calibrate your Commercial Scales and maintain accurate weighing?
• General Calibration Procedures for Trade-Approved Scales: Ensuring Precision, Accuracy, and Compliance

Conclusion

Selecting the right weighing equipment for the public sector is essential for the smooth operation of public services. Accuracy, durability, ease of use, and compliance with regulations are key factors to consider. By choosing the appropriate equipment, public sector organisations can ensure efficiency, reliability, and compliance in their operations.