Prospective
These Regulations replace the Measuring Equipment (Liquid Fuel delivered from Road Tankers) Regulations 1979 as amended. They apply to all measuring equipment on road tankers (other than those used for the delivery of liquefied gas, lubricating or heated oil and for refuelling ships and aircraft) for use for trade in the making of any measurement of liquid fuel in a quantity exceeding 20 gallons or 100 litres. They make provision as to the principles of construction and marking of measuring equipment, its manner of use for trade, the inspection, testing, passing as fit for use for trade and stamping of such equipment (and obliteration of stamps on such equipment), and the prescribed limits of error. The Regulations prescribe this equipment for the purpose of section 11(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1963 so that it will be unlawful to use it for trade purposes from 1st July 1984 unless it has been tested, passed as fit for such use and stamped by an inspector of weights and measures.
The Regulations make the following changes of substance:—
a new category of measuring equipment—contents gauging systems—has been included, with appropriate provisions for the construction and marking, manner of use for trade, inspection and testing, prescribed limits of error and passing as fit for use for trade, stamping and obliteration of stamps in respect of these systems (Regs. 2, 8–12, 36, 37–42, 56–58 and 60–64);
a definition of calibration chart has been included (Reg. 2 (2));
provision has been made for detailed requirements for dipstick marking and graduations (Reg. 28);
a requirement has been included to ensure that the inspector testing measuring equipment must, if he so requests, be supplied with appropriate products (Regs. 39, 45 & 53);
provision has been made for reduced testing of meter measuring systems in the circumstances referred to in (h) and (i) below (Reg. 50);
provision has been made for the inspector, when testing a dipstick against a recent calibration chart, not to have to inspect the associated compartment (Reg. 52);
the prescribed limit for error for scale marks on dipstick blades has been reduced from 4 mm to 2 mm when tested against a calibration chart (Reg. 56);
meter measuring systems may be used for trade unstamped, where a stamp on the system has been lawfully destroyed, obliterated or defaced to allow the changing of the meter and gas separator assembly (Reg. 65); and
meter measuring systems may also be used for trade unstamped, where other stamps on the system have been destroyed etc., eg for clearing jammed tickets from printers, for specified periods subject to specified conditions (Reg. 66).