Consumer Affairs

Weights and Measures Inspections in Seattle
Fact Sheet No. 1

There are more than 3,000 state and local weights and measures officials around the country. Accurate weights and measures provide equal protection to buyers and sellers. Consumers are protected from purchasing products that have less than the quantity represented. Businesses are assured that competitors are complying with the same requirements governing packaging and labeling commodities for sale. Weights and measures inspections are performed at production, wholesale and retail locations.

The Seattle weights and measures program was established in 1913. Weights and measures inspections and investigation of consumer complaints are conducted by the Consumer Affairs Unit in the new Executive Services Department. The Consumer Affairs unit operates a Test Station located at 805 S. Dearborn Street not far from the Kingdome. Meters on heating oil delivery trucks are inspected using large calibrated underground tanks at the Test Station. In addition, taxicab meter tests are conducted using special roller equipment installed there. Business and taxicab license applications are processed by the customer service representative at the Test Station.

The five weights and measures inspectors assigned to the Consumer Affairs Unit work out of the Test Station. They perform inspections on a wide variety of weighing and measuring devices including:

1. Over 3,000 scales ranging from small 30-pound capacity computing scales used in many retail applications to large, permanently installed dormant scales with capacities well in excess of 1,000 pounds that are commonly used in manufacturing, wholesale, or moving and storage businesses;
   
   
2. approximately 2,500 gas pumps at 150 locations;
   
   
3. nearly 120 heating oil delivery trucks from 25 companies that serve customers in Seattle;
   
   
4. more than 840 taxicabs with electronic taximeters that must be tested annually; and
   
   
5. miscellaneous devices that measure the length of cordage or fabric, timing devices, mass flow meters, and others. Inspectors use specially equipped trucks to transport their "tools" including ten 50-pound handweights on a hand truck, sets of smaller "case" weights, and 5-gallon liquid test measures. Inspectors also use calibrated glassware to check volumes and portable scales to verify weights during "net contents" inspections. Net contents inspections include all products sold by weight or volume including: meat, deli, dairy, produce, and other packaged (canned, bottled, boxed) goods. Another major activity for weights and measures inspectors is price scanning inspections. These inspections are conducted at all locations that scan prices at the cash register from small convenience stores to large department stores. Often, inspectors verify compliance with unit pricing and labeling requirements during scanning inspections.

Priority is given to consumer complaints. Most complaints are called in to the Consumer Affairs Unit (386-1298). Taxicab complaints are received on a hotline (296-TAXI). Complaints are normally investigated within 24 hours. The person making the complaint always receives a call back on what action the weights and measures inspector has taken. Usually, inspectors resolve problems by informing businesses about the requirements of the Seattle Municipal Code or educating them on technical matters pertaining to their weighing and measuring devices. Generally, there is a high level of compliance with weights and measures requirements in Seattle which is due in part to frequent unannounced inspections. However, the overwhelming majority of businesses are careful to observe all of the Code requirements and are committed to customer service.