Understanding Scale Certifications: What You Need to Know
If you work in agriculture, logistics, or any industry that depends on accurate weight measurements, you already know that reliable scales are essential. But did you know that regular scale certifications are required in certain trade sectors to ensure your scales meet strict accuracy standards? Whether you’re weighing livestock, grain, or industrial products, certification guarantees your measurements are precise and compliant with Canadian regulations.
In this article, Accurate Western Scale will explain why livestock scale certification is important, describe the process, and explain how it fits into the equation.
What is Scale Certification?
Scale certification is an official validation that your weighing equipment is performing accurately and consistently. In Canada, scales are held to strict standards to ensure fairness in trade, safety, and efficiency across industries. This certification process ensures that your scales are compliant with industry standards, government regulations, and the standards set by Measurement Canada.
Scale certification is required only in specific sectors for agriculture, mining, construction, and shipping businesses and is not always a legal requirement. For instance, once livestock scales are certified, they do not need to be recertified. Grain scales require certification every two years unless regulated by the Grain Commission, which mandates annual certification. Grocery store scales need recertification every five years. Inaccurate measurements in required sectors can lead to financial losses, non-compliance penalties, and safety risks.
Why is Scale Calibration Important for Certification in Alberta?
A key part of the certification process is certified scale calibration. Calibration ensures that the scale provides correct readings, adjusting for any wear or environmental changes that might affect its accuracy. Over time, scales can drift due to constant use, weather conditions, or other factors. This makes regular calibration essential to maintain the reliability of your equipment.
Certified calibration services use standardized weights to adjust your scale’s accuracy. In Canada, certified technicians must perform this task to ensure the calibration meets federal standards. Once the calibration is complete, the scale can be certified, giving you peace of mind that your measurements are accurate and legally compliant.
The Certification Process
The process of certifying a scale typically follows these steps:
1. Inspection – A qualified technician inspects the scale for any visible damage or wear that could affect its accuracy.
2. Calibration – The scale is tested using a series of known weights. If adjustments are needed, the technician calibrates the scale to ensure it is accurate within an acceptable margin of error.
3. Certification – After the scale passes calibration, it is certified. This certification is valid for a specific period (often one year), after which the process must be repeated to maintain compliance.
How Often Do You Need Scale Certification?
The frequency of certification depends on several factors, including how often the scale is used, environmental conditions, and industry regulations. Regular maintenance and calibration between certifications can help extend the life of your scales and reduce the risk of inaccuracies.
Customizable and Tailored for Precise Animal Weighing
When it comes to scale certification, you want a service provider with experience, expertise, and a reputation for precision. You need a trusted partner company authorized to certify scales in Canada that provides certification and certified scale calibration services.
At Accurate Western Scale in Calgary, Alberta, we provide customizable livestock scales, including cow scales and scale bars, tailored for precise animal weighing. These scales facilitate health tracking by correlating weight with health conditions using our single and multi-animal scale systems.
Contact us to learn more!
