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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Office of Weights and Measures

Learning Resources and Training Materials

Videos | NIST HB 44 Self-Study Course | Study Guides
EPOs | Technical Articles | Training Presentations

Video Collection

Mulch and Soils Labeled by Volume
Retail Motor-Fuel Dispenser
Get What You Pay For
NIST HB 133 Webinar recordings (coming soon)
- Package Requirements (3 min)
NIST Metric Kitchen (as a general resource to promote metrication)
- Baking Banana Bread (5 min)
- Brownies (5 min)
- Chocolate Chip Cookies (5 min)
- Other Metric Recipes (coming soon)

Mulch and Soils Labeled by Volume

This How to Test Packages of Mulch and Soils Labeled by Volume on-demand webinar (1.5 hours total length) and contains individual learning modules, including video demonstrations. No registration is required and can be viewed at any time. Enter the password “NIST_2020” for access.

You can choose to watch the complete webinar or individual modules, such as the method of sale or labeling requirements depending on your specific test equipment and test procedures training needs. The webinar includes the following modules:

Introduction and Demonstration of the Test Procedure for Mulch and Soils (11:26)
Method of Sale –NIST Handbook 130, Method of Sale (4:07)
Labeling Requirements –NIST Handbook 130, UPLR (24:14)
Test Equipment – NIST Handbook 133, Section 3.10. Mulch and Soils Labeled by Volume (10:10)
Test Procedure – NIST Handbook 133, Section 3.10. Mulch and Soils Labeled by Volume (29:30)
Evaluation of Test Results – NIST Handbook 133, Section 3.10. Mulch and Soils Labeled by Volume (5:37)

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Retail Motor-Fuel Dispenser Video

Full-Length Video. The Retail Motor-Fuel Dispenser Training Video includes demonstrations of the minimum tests of a retail motor-fuel dispenser (gasoline pump) in accordance with NIST Handbook 44 and NIST Examination Procedure Outlines (14 min total length).

Short Video Clips. The following links are to short video clips excerpted from the full-length video referenced above.  Each clip illustrates a procedure with the within overall process of testing a retail motor-fuel dispenser.

Selecting & Maintaining the Test Standard

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Get What You Pay For Videos

Get What You Pay For: Tare — Did you know you can't be charged for the packaging of products sold by weight? Tina Butcher of NIST's Office of Weights and Measures explains why it's important that grocery stores not charge for this material - or tare.

How to Get What You Pay for at the Pump — Three tips for making sure you get what you pay for at the pump.

Get What You Pay For: At the Grocery Store — Tina Butcher explains how weights and measures inspectors calibrate scales at the grocery store.

Get What You Pay For: Seafood — Did you know you can't be charged for the weight of any ice glaze that may be on your seafood? Find out how weights and measures inspectors make sure you're getting what you pay for at the seafood counter!

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NIST Handbook 133 Video: Package Requirements

NIST Handbook 133 Individual Package Requirement — NIST Handbook 133: Package Requirements

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NIST Metric Kitchen (as a general resource to promote metrication)

Baking Banana Bread Using the Metric System — Welcome to the NIST Metric Kitchen! Join Tanna Nguyen as she demonstrates how to prepare a delicious loaf of banana bread.

Brownies — Join Angie Tehrani in the NIST Metric Kitchen and follow her along as she bakes some amazing brownies using the metric system.

Chocolate Chip Cookies — Step into the NIST Metric Kitchen with Lloyd Bekele. Follow along as she bakes a delicious batch of metric chocolate chip cookies.

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NIST Handbook 44 Self-Study Course

This NIST Handbook 44 course covers the history, organization, and intended use of NIST Handbook 44 (based on the 2009 edition). It also provides instruction on NIST Handbook 44 terminology; how to locate specific paragraphs; use of the NCWM final reports to understand the application of specific sections; and use of requirements in conjunction with the NIST Examination Procedure Outlines.

This course is designed for use as a self-study activity to work on your own and without an instructor.  However, the course can also be used for group activities and discussion.  While this course is particularly relevant for newer inspectors, it is also valuable for more experienced inspectors to enhance their understanding and use of the NIST Handbook 44.

Cover and Table of Contents DOC
Chapter 1 – Introduction to the Course DOC
Chapter 2 - Background DOC
Chapter 3 – Organization and Format of NIST Handbook 44 DOC
Chapter 4 - How to Use NIST Handbook 44 DOC
Chapter 5 - Basic Principles Underlying NIST Handbook 44 DOC

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Study Guides for Inspection and Testing

OWM “Study Guides” are designed for use by weights and measures officials and service personnel to enhance and strengthen their knowledge of specific areas of legal metrology inspection and testing and to assist individuals in their professional development. They are also intended for use with NIST Handbooks 44, 130, and 133 and to supplement more comprehensive training and development opportunities.

Below are links to study guides for several field inspection areas:

Included in each study guide are the following:

An overview of resources available on the OWM website, including self-study course material; videos; and newsletter articles and guidance documents on legal metrology issues.
Suggestions for how each of these resources might be used for either independent, individual study or by groups of inspectors/service personnel led by an instructor or supervisor.
Information on other training opportunities, including both on-line training and in-person instructor-led training and other resources for professional development.

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Examination Procedure Outlines (EPOs)

OWM Examination Procedure Outlines (EPOs) are designed to serve as a guide for the field examination of commercial weight and measuring devices. They include inspection and test procedures, with code references to NIST Handbook 44, “Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices.”

The EPOs posted here are based on the 2015 edition of NIST Handbook 44. Older EPO versions based on the 2002 edition of NIST Handbook 44 were also published in NIST Handbook 112, "Examination Procedure Outlines (EPOs) for Commercial Weighing and Measuring Devices". If you employ any of these EPOs as a guide for field examinations, please conduct a cross-check to the current version of NIST Handbook 44 for your intended use and application.

OWM is currently working on updating these EPOs to align with the upcoming version of NIST Handbook 44 including a revision of the NIST Handbook 112. Furthermore, several new EPOs are under development and will be made available via the EPO webpage and in the new edition of NIST Handbook 112 (anticipated in 2024):

Gaseous Hydrogen Dispensers
Electric Vehicle Fueling Systems
Grain Moisture Meters
Transportation Network Measuring Systems

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Technical Articles

OWM staff develop and publish technical articles on a variety of legal metrology topics to encourage and promote uniformity in weights and measures requirements and their implementation and methods of inspection.

Search our archive of individual newsletter articles here.

The below technical article on Class I and Class II scales is accompanied by a “Knowledge Check” quiz and Answer Key.