Weights and Measures

Sealer of Weights and Measures for geauga County

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ensuring accuracy & measuring devices

Weights & Measures Department

The County Auditor serves as the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the entire County. According to the Ohio Revised Code, Section 319.55, “The Auditor shall see that all state laws relating to weights and measures are strictly enforced throughout his county, and shall assist generally in the prosecution of all violations of such laws.”

The County Auditor is responsible for testing the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices used in the purchase and sale of commodities.

The Geauga County Auditor is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices used commercially in the county. A good Weights and Measures program saves the average household hundreds of dollars each year. The seal of the Weights and Measures Department protects the buyer and the seller by maintaining equity in the marketplace.

The Geauga County Weights and Measures Department inspects many devices for accuracy each year. These devices include gas pumps, deli scales, vehicle scales, fuel oil truck meters, and liquid propane meters, among others.

Package checking tests are conducted at stores to check the weight of the packages that are purchased so that when a product is labeled “one pound,” there is one pound in the package.

Remember to look for our seal on weighing and measuring devices for your protection. If in doubt on any weighing and measuring matter, please contact the Geauga County Auditor’s Weights and Measures Department.

Get in Touch

Direct Line: (440) 279-1641
Phone: (440) 285-2222 (Ext. 1641) or 1-888-714-0006 (Ext. 1641)

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Weights & Measures Video

high degree of accuracy

Equity in the Market Place

When making a purchase, consumers should be aware that products are sold by weight, volume, length, count, or measure. The County Weights & Measures Inspectors ensure that consumers receive the proper quantity by providing minimum standards and conducting testing to these standards. Previous time-tested methods of verifying weight, volume, and pricing are being replaced by computerized devices and advanced technology. Weights and Measures officials work with merchants to ensure, with a high degree of accuracy, that what is purchased is the proper quantity.

All Weights and Measures inspectors are required to receive training and certification from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Division of Weights and Measures. Inspectors must pass a series of 20 tests and 2 exams, as well as attend 8 hours of continuing education class per year to maintain their certification.

County inspectors are very responsive; upon receiving a complaint a Weights and Measures official will usually inspect the site within 24 to 48 hours. If an error is found, the facility’s equipment may be temporarily shut down.

declaring net contents

Pre-Packaged Commodities

All commodities must be marked with a statement declaring net contents. Net weight does not include the weight of the bag, wrapper or container of any kind in which a commodity may be packaged. This is called the tare weight, which must be accounted for before the product is weighed. Inspectors from the State and County periodically check the accuracy of these pre-packaged items.

checked annually

Retail Motor Fuel Dispensers

Gasoline pumps are annually checked for accuracy and when found to deliver within applicable tolerances, an appropriate security seal is placed on the device to ensure that they are not tampered with. The allowable error is plus or minus 6 cubic inches per indicated 5 gallons for annual visits, and plus or minus 3 cubic inches per indicated 5 gallons for new devices or devices that have been serviced within 30 days. (One cubic inch is equal to 0.004329004 gallons, or 0.5541126 fluid ounces. Conversely, one gallon is equal to 231 cubic inches and one ounce is equal to 1.8046875 cubic inches.) All devices are rejected if they are in tolerance but the average is predominately in favor of the owner or user. Dispensers are also checked to ensure that there is no diversion of flow from the hose, that the automatic shutoff is functioning properly, that the indicators are all legible, and that the price is calculated properly and agrees with the advertised price.

security seal

Scales

Scales are annually checked for accuracy and when found to be within applicable tolerances, an appropriate security seal is placed on the device to ensure that they are not tampered with. The allowable error depends on the type of scale being tested and the accuracy class of the scale. The types most commonly seen by retail consumers are Counter / Bench, Computing, Vehicle, Large Capacity Platform, and Hanging. Most scales found in stores are Class III scales. As an example, for a Counter / Bench scale with a capacity of thirty pounds and an accuracy of 0.01 pounds, the allowable error is plus or minus 0.03 pounds for annual visits, and plus or minus .015 pounds for new devices or devices that have been serviced within 30 days. The scale is tested with certified weights placed in the center of the weigh platform as well as at the midpoints on each side of the platform. The scale is also tested to make sure it returns to zero after the weights are removed, that the indicating display is legible and working, and that it is level. For computing scales used in direct sales to retail customers, weight indications shall be shown on the customer’s side.

increase awareness among consumers

Community Awareness Programs

To increase Weights and Measures awareness among consumers, County Auditors participate in a variety of outreach or educational programs to help explain the role of the county sealer and the protection consumers and merchants receive. The purpose of these events is for citizens to realize they have rights as well as responsibilities in the market place.

helpful

Consumer Tips

  • When buying an item by count, such as prescription drugs, make sure the label indicates the amount you are to receive
  • When buying firewood, be sure to request a receipt that has the name and the address of the vendor, as well as the delivery date, the amount delivered, quantity upon which the price is based, and the total price of the amount delivered
  • When purchasing gas, be sure to multiply the price per gallon by the number of gallons so you are sure the price is correct
  • When purchasing merchandise on a counter scale, remember that the height of the person can cause a difference when reading the indicator on scales that are not electronic
  • Over-the-counter-scales and their quantity value indicators must be in plain view of the customer during transactions
  • Look for the current year Weights and Measures seals on all weighing devices

required at the Gas Station

Fuel Tax Stickers

A new red sticker will soon be required at the Gas Station. Gas Station owners have the option to have it on the pumps, post it on video screens, or in a prominent place. These stickers itemize the taxes included in the price of a gallon of fuel in order to inform the consumer and are required by the last year’s state transportation budget, which also raised the state tax on gasoline by 10.5 cents per gallon on July 1, 2019. The diesel fuel tax increased by 19 cents per gallon. Proceeds from the fuel tax are used to maintain and upgrade Ohio’s roads and bridges. The stickers were created and paid for by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The stickers will be affixed by the County Auditor’s office during routine inspections conducted by the Weights and Measures Inspector. Fuel tax stickers must be in place in each county and city jurisdiction by September 2020. Stickers will be updated with any future changes to the gas tax.

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Weights and Measures Documents