We used to send weights for certification every 5 years not annually and I still think that was to much. Once they have been certified, unless you can see that a lump has been knocked off I really don't see the point in re-certification.
Any how, at 5 years our auditors seemed quite content.
Thoughts and information provided on this forum are mine and mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the policy of NSW Health. They may also be complete bollocks!!
Dave, It appears that the auditors have been replaced by accreditation assessors, if they allow more time between calibrations and certification renewals they will not make as much money.
If you think hiring professionals is expensive, try hiring amateurs!
When I asked about "what tolerances do they allow", I was referring to the "accreditation" people.
My suspicion is that modern patient weighing scales may be more accurate than the techniques employed by the "accreditation" labs.
In my opinion, nonsense such as this should be challenged whenever and wherever it appears. I believe it to be yet another scam based upon very little clinical need (or possibly none at all).
Newtonian physics should suffice!
Meanwhile, what about precision balances such as those found in clinical laboratories and pharmacies ... do the "accreditation" gang poke their noses in there as well? Or do they limit their interests to "low hanging fruit"?
A large portion of my work involves weights and measures so was interested to see how you were measuring your water and weighing your vessels as was hoping to learn something, but to respond to your important question.
A clinical set of scales rated at Class III are defined as such in that the measurements taken over time can be used(in conjunction with other factors) to diagnose patients and prescribe drugs, and the tolerances we work to for this class of scale are:
Reading Discrepancy 0-500 Divisions +/- 1 Div >500-2000 Div +/- 2 Div >2000 Div +/- 3 Div
As a side note have attached a png showing the tolerances allowed for various classes of weights to help with your Q below...
Originally Posted by Geoff Hannis
What tolerances do those august (money-making) bodies allow, Neil?
But anyway (and more importantly), what tolerances are permitted clinically for patient weighing scales?