YEAR END MESSAGE TO ALL OUR CLIENTS

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2016 is rapidly drawing to a close and once again many South Africans are getting ready for their annual holidays. This year has been a tough one for many businesses the world over, at Premier Scale Services we were blessed to have many loyal customers and suppliers who have helped us through the tough times with their unbelievable loyalty and support. Even in these difficult times we have managed to grow and have been fortunate to have added a number of new clients. Our philosophy of partnering with our clients and being flexible to meet their needs seems to be paying off for everyone. We would like to thank every single client, supplier and member of staff for their support during 2016. We wish you and your families a safe and festive holiday and assure you that we will keep up the high levels of customer service you have come to expect in 2017.
Most of our staff will be going on leave from 15 December until 3 January, but we have standby teams available. Feel free to contact us on 011-402-7712 or info@premierscaleservices.co.za during this period as there will be staff available to assist you.
Once again thank you for your amazing support, we wish you and your families all the best for 2017.

PREMIER SCALES INTRODUCES NEW RANGE OF LABORATORY SCALES AND BALANCES

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Premier Scale Services has partnered with Adam Equipment in the distribution of their products in South Africa. Adam Equipment offers a comprehensive selection of precision balances, analytical balances and moisture analyzers created for laboratories. Durable construction and smart features make Adam balances ideal for all lab applications, including weighing chemicals, pharmaceutical processing and quality control checking. Designed for laboratory professionals, Adam’s digital balances and moisture analyzers are easy to set up and operate, providing reliable weighing results and simplifying complex measurement tasks.

  • Research and development laboratories rely on Adam Equipment balances for weighing chemicals, powders and other samples.
  • Pharmaceutical labs use analytical and precision balances for research and development, for quality control during production, and in pilot testing.
  • Adam balances and moisture analyzers make it simple for materials testing labs to verify construction substances, such as concrete or asphalt.
  • Food processing and manufacturing facilities use Adam lab balances in quality assurance testing, to achieve consistent production quality and to ensure items meet standards.
  • Digital balances and scales are used in forensics labs to weigh evidence seized during crime investigations.

Researchers and lab professionals worldwide turn to Adam for laboratory weighing solutions that deliver speed, performance and exceptional value. Should you be in need of these or any other products for weighing please contact Premier Scale Services.

Compliance with the legal requirements for weighing – verification

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Weighing is an often forgotten, behind the scenes activity, which most people rarely think about. When people think about weighing they immediately think about their bathroom scale, but have you considered how many products you use every single day that are sold by weight? Food, drinks, gas, cleaning products, medicines, virtually every product you use, eat or drink needs to be measured and a large portion of these are measured by weight.

In South Africa the law governing standards for weighing (Legal Metrology Act) is amongst the best in the world. Unfortunately many people do not know the law and therefore do not know their rights and responsibilities. In today’s blog I would like to deal specifically with one aspect of the law : Verification of scales.

Whilst there are a whole host of rules and regulations around Verification, I will try and cover a few which affect most people and stick to “layman’s” terms as far as possible.

  1. Which scales require Verification? There is a long list but for purposes of this blog, any scale which is used to buy/sell any product.
  2. Which scales must be Verified? All scales that have been approved by SANAS for trade use, whether or not they are being used for trade purposes.
  3. Who can Verify my scales? Only an accredited Verification Officer who works for an accredited Verification Laboratory may Verify your scales. Make sure your scale supplier is accredited.
  4. How often must my scales be Verified? Every 2 years, or if the scale has been repaired.
  5. What is Verification? Verification firstly checks that the scale and all its components comply with the requirements of the law and its approval by SANAS. Secondly, the accuracy of the scale is checked and thirdly, the scale is sealed and made safe from tamper (as far as possible). Ultimately a Verified scale is a trusted scale.
  6. What happens if I don’t Verify my scales? The NRCS has inspectors which regularly visit businesses to do inspections. Non-compliance can lead to fines, legal action, work stoppages, confiscation and even criminal charges. Not to mention damage to one’s reputation.
  7. How do I know if the scale has been Verified? Any scale which has been Verified must have a Verification Certificate available for viewing on demand, there must be an un-removable sticker on the scale and the scale must be sealed.
  8. Examples of businesses which must use Verified scales; butcheries, green grocers, supermarkets, scrap yards, gas depots, manufacturing companies and many more.

The law is there to protect all of us, let’s work together to keep South Africa great by complying with these laws. If you suspect that someone is breaking the law report them immediately to the NRCS.

Premier Scale Services is an accredited Verification Laboratory please feel free to contact us for any assistance regarding Verification of your scales.

How to choose the right scale for your specific needs

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Choosing the right scale to meet your needs seems simple enough but very often we find that clients haven’t given careful consideration to what they need and have ended up with the wrong scale for the wrong application and been disappointed. Below are some simple questions to consider before you make a decision.
1.       What is the maximum capacity that you will be weighing? It is normally best to choose a scale which has a capacity of 10-15% more than your actual requirement. For instance if your product normally weighs around 125kg, it would be best to select a scale that has a maximum capacity of 150kg.
2.       What is the required division size? The division size refers to the increments in which the scale weighs, or the accuracy of the scale. Most common scales have a division size of the maximum capacity divided by 3000, for example a 300kg scale would normally have a division size of 100g or 0.1kg (300kg / 3000 = 0.1kg). More accurate scales are available especially for laboratories. Make sure that you select a scale with an appropriate accuracy for your needs.
3.       Where will the scale be used? Most scales are designed to be used for a specific purpose. Take into consideration whether the scale will be used on the floor, on a bench/table, in a laboratory etc. Selecting the right scale for your application will ensure ease of use by your staff and prevent possible damage. It is also important to note of the environment where the scale will be used; for example a stainless steel scale would be recommended for use in corrosive or wet environments and scales with high accuracy levels such as laboratory scales and balances should not be used in areas where there is a lot of wind or vibration.
4.       What size base or pan do you need? It is important that the item being weighed fits properly onto the scale and is stable. Using a scale with the incorrect size base or pan could lead to incorrect weights.
5.       How will the weighing be conducted? For example, If heavy products are being weighed and they are being handled manually, there is a high likelihood of the scale being bumped regularly or the load being dropped on the base. If the correct scale is not selected the scale could easily be damaged.
6.       What item or product is being weighed? Unwrapped food stuffs should only be weighed on scales which have a suitably hygienic pan. Wet goods should only be weighed on stainless steel scales.
For assistance in choosing the best scale to meet your needs please contact our friendly and knowledgeable staff who will happily assist you.