Weights & Measures

Mission Statement

Weights and Measures is committed to protecting the economic health of the community by preserving and maintaining confidence in the accuracy of weighing and measuring instruments, product standards, and business practices used in commerce. Through this balanced commitment and timely response to citizen requests, consumers and businesses are assured the means of accurate value comparison and fair competition.

 A person who opens a new business or assumes operations of an existing business shall not operate a weighing or measuring instrument until the County Inspector is informed of the location of said instruments and inspected said instruments prior to usage.

Jefferson County Weights & Measures Inspector

Larry Andress

Larry has served as the Jefferson County Weights & Measures Inspector since 2006. Prior to his employment, Larry worked for the Indiana State Police with 34 years of service, before retiring. Larry has been a resident of Jefferson County since 1973. If you have any questions or complaints relating to Weights & Measures that cannot be resolved with a business, please contact the Commissioner's Office, 812-265-8944. 

What is measured? 

“Instrument” shall be any scale, beam, measure or weighing or measuring device of every kind, instruments or mechanical devices for measurement and the tools, appliances or accessories connected with any or all such instruments or measurements subject to regulation by the County Department of Weights and Measures.

Regulations

  • No person shall use or employ within the County an instrument to determine the size, quantity, extent or measurement of quantities, things, produce, articles for distribution or consumption offered or submitted by such person for sale, for hire or award in his/her business operations if such instrument does not meet the standards established by the State of Indiana or the National Conference on Weights and Measures Handbook 44, Specifications, Tolerances and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices.
  • No person engaged in the business of selling, buying, exchanging goods or commodities by weight, measurement or volume shall use an instrument in his business operations for such purpose if such instrument does not meet the standards established by the Federal Government, State of Indiana, Weights and Measures Division of the State Department of Health, and the National Conference on Weights and Measures including Handbook 44. No Person shall offer commodities for sale unless they comply with State law, the Weights and Measures Division of the State Department of Health, and the Method of Sale of Commodities in the National Conference on Weights and Measures Handbook 130.
  • No security seal shall be valid in the County except a seal approved or affixed by the State or County Inspector. D. Once sealed, the security seal on a weighing or measuring instrument shall not be cut, severed or removed unless permission has been granted by a State or County Inspector. If permission is granted to remove the seal for repairs, the repairman is required to reseal the instrument upon completion. The person is required to submit a copy of the repair report to the County Inspector by fax or U.S. mail within two (2) business days after repairs are made. The report shall include the company name, address, phone number, date seal was cut, device type, serial number and readings.

Measuring Devices

Instruments used to determine volume, distance, dimensions, and time are all measuring devices. The device that people are most familiar with is the gas pump. Inside the cabinet is a meter that determines the quantity of fuel dispensed. Standards Specialists test each meter by dispensing five gallons at the fast (or open) speed then five gallons at the slow (restricted) speed into calibrated measures,   compare the monetary computations, check that the tamper-proof seal on the meter adjustment is intact, and other details required in the Examination Procedure Outline (EPO) distributed by Measurement Standards.

Test Can

measuring device

Test Weights

weighing device

Weighing Devices

Generally, all commercially used weighing devices are tested for accuracy. In addition to being accurate, devices must adhere to specific design and installation requirements and be used correctly. The most familiar types of devices are the scales used at store check stands. Here in Jefferson County, there are several hundred commercial scales in use that I test annually.