Calibrating scales
I work for a small confectionary production facility and the owner wants to get SQF certified (Module 2 and 11). One of the things we need is scale calibrations. I know these should be done externally, but the owner wants to do it internally since it would be cheaper. I have looked through the code and have not found anything that says these calibrations have to be done externally. The code just states the methods have to be documented and met national/international reference standards. Can we do this internally? If not is there a clause that I can use to show we need it externally?
I work for a small confectionary production facility and the owner wants to get SQF certified (Module 2 and 11). One of the things we need is scale calibrations. I know these should be done externally, but the owner wants to do it internally since it would be cheaper. I have looked through the code and have not found anything that says these calibrations have to be done externally. The code just states the methods have to be documented and met national/international reference standards. Can we do this internally? If not is there a clause that I can use to show we need it externally?
I know in our laboratory it was explained to us that there are further specifications and much more added work to be a 'calibration' anything. We 'validate' the scale/balance by testing NIST traceable weights on the scale but still have a 3rd party come and calibrate annually. Now I know you're a food processing facility but I would believe you would be held to a similar standard to calibrate internally.
I hope someone could clarify from the production standpoint, I work in a 3rd party food micro lab. Hope this helps though :)
What are your qualifications to do this? I don't honestly see how you can do it yourself unless you have some sort of background, training, etc...
And how much savings are we talking, a few hundred bucks? I think my bill to do every scale in my building last year was like $900? And we have a lot.
The mantra of "we don't know what we're doing really, but hey, it's cheaper..." may be a dangerous one...
I know in our laboratory it was explained to us that there are further specifications and much more added work to be a 'calibration' anything. We 'validate' the scale/balance by testing NIST traceable weights on the scale but still have a 3rd party come and calibrate annually. Now I know you're a food processing facility but I would believe you would be held to a similar standard to calibrate internally.
I hope someone could clarify from the production standpoint, I work in a 3rd party food micro lab. Hope this helps though :)
We do similar at my facility. NIST weight to verify calibration. The program is written so that if any scales are non-conforming they are tagged and removed from production and a third-party is called. Never had an issue with this.
Seafood facility.
One way or another you will end up paying for external services. If you don't have some third party calibrate the scales, then you will need to have the weights you use to perform the calibration yourself certified, and possibly the person performing them will need to be officially qualified or licensed.
We do similar at my facility. NIST weight to verify calibration. The program is written so that if any scales are non-conforming they are tagged and removed from production and a third-party is called. Never had an issue with this.
Seafood facility.
yeahhhhh, that's verification, not calibration. Big difference.... I do that every Friday on every scale in my facility. If you have never had an issue with this, I'm surprised, or an auditor just hasn't caught you yet.....
Owner is correct, you can most certainly do your own calibrations, write a procedure for it, establish how often, often, create a log for it, etc.
All you need to do is find out how to calibrate and begin.
ill only add that if you are using the scale weight as the sell weight, they would need to be legal for trade and there is usually a state agency that will want to check them throuought the year.
ill only add that if you are using the scale weight as the sell weight, they would need to be legal for trade and there is usually a state agency that will want to check them throuought the year.
100% this, and I'll add on to mention that the scales used in processing prior to your sale weight scale(s) need to be calibrated and accurate from a traceability perspective.
In house verification is all I've ever written programs for. You absolutely can create your own in-house calibration program, same way some facilities do their own EMP monitoring for pathogens in-house. But maintaining calibration of your own scales is not a light task, nor would the supporting documentation and training be easy. Having never done one, I could see an auditor wanting some form of certification that your employee responsible for calibration is able to do it properly. I think that's why so many of us opt for third party companies to calibrate the scales.
;)
how many scales do you have? I would avoid procedures, training, monitoring etc and calibrate them once a year by external service...
external service for a few scales shouldn't be that expensive
Check out the price of calibrated and certified weights (and know that those will have to be re-certified annually) and you'll see it's not cheaper than a 3rd party
You can calibrate in house. We are SQF certified and our scale can not be calibrated only tared. However we document and remove noncompliant scales from production to be replaced. The Weights used for verification MUST be certified and recertified after 5 years or when damaged. See below for data I used to justify with auditor.
Sources:
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Regulations/C.R.C.,_c._1605/index.html
https://www.nist.gov...current-edition
NIST Handbook 44 Specifications, Tolerances, And Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices
3.3. Accuracy of Standards. - Prior to the official use of testing apparatus, its accuracy should invariably be verified. Standards should be re-verified as often as circumstances require. By their nature, metal volumetric standards are more susceptible to damage in handling than are standards of some other types. A standard should be re-calibrated whenever damage is known or suspected to have occurred or significant repairs have been made. In addition, standards, particularly volumetric standards, should be re-calibrated with sufficient frequency to affirm their continued accuracy, so that the official may always be in an unassailable position with respect to the accuracy of his testing apparatus. Secondary standards, such as special fabric testing tapes, should be verified much more frequently than such basic standards as steel tapes or volumetric provers to demonstrate their constancy of value or performance. Accurate and dependable results cannot be obtained with faulty or inadequate standards. If either the service person or official is poorly equipped, their results cannot be expected to check consistently. Disagreements can be avoided, and the servicing of commercial equipment can be expedited and improved if service persons and officials give equal attention to the adequacy and maintenance of their testing apparatus.
NIST Handbook 105-1- Specification and Tolerance, for Reference Standards and Field Standard Weights and Measures.
6.4 Initial and Periodic Verification Field standards shall be verified and calibrated prior to use and recalibrated as often as regulations or circumstances require, especially when damage is known or suspected. Verification requires full assessment of compliance to all specifications and tolerances per ISO/IEC 17025:2017. NOTE: Field standard calibration intervals are dependent on local Weights and Measures requirements. Field standard mass calibration intervals are often established at 1 year and extended or reduced based on historical evidence up to the limit determined by State or local regulations but should not exceed 5 years. Mass standards made of cast iron and used routinely may require much more frequent calibration due to instability that results from wear of the relatively soft material. Existing Class F, OIML Classes M1 through M3, and ASTM Classes 4 through 7 mass standards made of stainless steel usually demonstrate sufficient stability so that longer recalibration intervals may be acceptable; however, intervals must be adjusted based on the stability data that is collected during routine calibrations.
The NIST, or National Institute of Standards and Technology, is an organization under the United States Department of Commerce. The NIST promotes " U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life." Their vision includes creating and maintaining measurement solutions and standards in the US. Many local weights and measures agencies, scale service firms, and private companies in the US use Class F weights as a means of verifying Class III, Class IIII, and non-designated scales and devices for accuracy. Warehouses and manufacturers typically use Class F weights for calibrating scales used in the production or shipping of larger products or for internal quality control.
NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Class F weights are often used in industrial settings to verify Class III, Class IIII, and non-designated scales. They may also be used in warehouses and manufacturing settings to calibrate scales used for the shipping or production of large products. NIST Class F weights aren’t typically used in laboratories as they are not accurate enough to verify the scales used for most laboratory applications.