Measuring Equipment (Capacity Measures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

Testing of groups of capacity measures

12.—(1) Where—

(a) a group of capacity measures of the same nominal capacity and the same manufacture is submitted for testing; and

(b) the conditions specified in paragraph (2) are satisfied with respect to the group,

the inspector may, at the request of the person submitting them (“the submitter”), confine the testing to a number of measures determined and selected as specified in paragraph (3).

(2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1)(b) are that—

(a) the group shall be clearly identifiable and shall comprise more than 500 but not more than 150,000 measures;

(b) the measures in the group shall all have been produced by the same production process; and

(c) the group shall be accompanied by records of the production process and of any subsequent action taken by the manufacturer which are adequate to show that the measures in the group are likely to fall within the prescribed limits of error.

(3) The number of measures referred to in paragraph (1) shall be determined, and the measures shall be selected, by sampling plans and procedures using samples which the inspector considers to be representative; and the sample of measures shall be tested, in accordance either with paragraph (4) or, if the submitter so requests, with paragraph (5).

(4) The sample of measures shall be selected in accordance with BS 6001: Part 1: 1991, and tested for all the appropriate requirements of these Regulations, including limits of error on capacity conducted either volumetrically or gravimetrically as described in regulation 9(c) and in accordance with BS 6002: 1993.

(5) The sample of measures shall be selected in accordance with BS 6001: Part 1: 1991 and—

(a) the sample shall be tested for all the appropriate requirements of these Regulations except limits of error on capacity; and

(b) a sub-sample of the measures selected under paragraph (3) which the inspector considers to be representative, shall be tested gravimetrically as described in regulation 9(c) and in accordance with BS 6002: 1993.

(6) Under each of paragraphs (4) and (5), the test shall provide an acceptable quality level equal to 1 per cent.

(7) If the sample selected as specified in paragraph (3) satisfies the test specified in paragraph (4) or both the tests specified in paragraph (5), the other measures in the group shall be treated as having satisfied the test or tests as the case may be.