Legal Metrology
The Role of Legal Metrology Inspection in Securing Fair and Reliable Market Surveillance Structure
Productive and efficient structure of market surveillance, one of the essential services of public institutions and enterprises, would be possible within a framework that inspection data is followed systematically and inspection programs are prepared in this context. From this point of view, it is projected that by building a database monitoring and evaluation process is carried out and risk management based inspections focusing on the results of monitoring and evaluation process are realized. By this way, productivity in inspection is derived with the goal of increasing public funding efficiency.
Along with meeting technology-based structural needs of market surveillance and inspection, the Ministry places emphasis on increasing knowledge, skills and talents of the inspectors. Within the framework of training program the inspectors take the required administrative, technical and juridical courses. This program also provides technical equipment (computers, tools and materials) for development of human resources.
The ministry has set many targets in order to make legal metrology system more productive in future. The most important target is to revise the Law Concerning Measurement and Calibration no 3516 in terms of meeting daily requirements. Another target is protection of consumers in legal metrology area, prevention of unfair competition and fulfilment of market surveillance and inspection activities in a more efficient way with the aim of protecting health and safety of the human beings and environment. These practices in market surveillance and inspection would enable creation of a technology based structure that consumers feel secure in it.
The ministry put an emphasis on science and technology use in its efficient market surveillance and inspection activities concerning the products under its responsibility. By the construction of statistical based inspection programs productivity and efficiency increase in market surveillance and inspection activities are taken into consideration.
The Role of Metrology in Providing Mark of Confidence in Sustainable and High Quality Industrial Production and Trade
When production capacities and production infrastructure of countries are taken into consideration, the requirements of metrology have to be respected in order to produce high value added products which define development level of countries. The key indicator in evaluation of a country’s metrology system is legal arrangement of metrology infrastructure.
Legal metrology aims at securing measurement validity and appropriate supervision for products in phases of production process and commercial use in order to provide sustainable and high quality trade and production. The requirements of legal metrology can be considered as definition of methods and principles concerning measurement and supervision processes, implementation of them and notification of all liable sectors about the subject matter. Any service and operation concerning legal metrology have been the duty of Directorate General for Metrology and Standardization in Turkey.
Technological Methods in Supervision of Fuel Meters
Fuel and LPG meters have been controlled by our ministry but social awareness about the subject is not at stake. There is a need for a system that would inform the consumers about the supervision of the meters they use. In this context, a small but effective system has been proposed by using the structure of Measurement Tools Following System.
The proposed system would be helpful in terms of consumer awareness and service of complaint. The database that has been formed would not only enable retroactive analysis of the complaints in terms of meter and station but also contribute to revise surprise audit. In addition to this, the barcode on the meters can be used by the supervisors to reach the record of the meter in Measurement Tools Following System with the aim of accelerating auditing process. Furthermore, the proposed barcode application has been stated to be applicable not only for LPG meters but also for other measurement tools such as weights and taximeters.
Energy Efficiency and Use of Heat Flow Meter
Because of the fact that our energy resources are limited, an important part of the natural gas used in our country with heating purpose has been imported. This situation gives cause for external dependence on energy and high foreign currency payment. Natural gas use has been expected to increase in the forthcoming period on account of population growth, urbanization and industrialization. As a consequence, increasing energy efficiency is one of the priority targets of our country. In this direction, Energy Efficiency Law prepared by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources laid down conditions for buildings having central heating to use systems that provide share of heating costs in terms of amount with central/local heat control devices.
Setting up heat share system would provide not only equal distribution of heating costs for users but also high energy conservation. Moreover, high energy savings would contribute to national economy.
An Analysis on Inspection of Tachographs
Tachographs are devices used for recording information of vehicles such as bus and towing truck in terms of operating time of the drivers and transaction. Europe made tachograph use obligatory in 1970 and Turkey made it obligatory in 1983. Three different types of tachography devices as analogous, digital and electronic are used in Turkey.
The inspection of tachographs are not fulfilled by the drivers as necessary. For this reason, both the inspection of tachography devices in the vehicles and the inspection of check up stations that give service to tachography devices have to be performed in an efficient way.
The Reflections of Turkey’s European Union Membership Process on Legal Metrology
Legal metrology system has undergone a radical change in Turkey’s European Union Membership Process ongoing over fifty years, which has been an integral part of its strategic vision. Customs Union, an important corner in European Union membership process, constitutes the basic foundation of these changes.
Technical legislative alignment in legal metrology has two steps as incorporation of EU technical legislation to national law (alignment) and its application. Application step has two branches as conformity assessment and Market Surveillance and Inspection.
The Outcomes of Market Surveillance and Inspection
Market Surveillance and Inspection means control of the products in the market and the products in the process of market supply and distribution whether they have been produced safely in line with related technical regulations or not. Market Surveillance and Inspection and the main principles such as the duty and the responsibilities of producers, importers and public enterprises have been incorporated to national law with the law no 4703 ‘Law Concerning Preparation of Technical Legislation and its Application for Products.’ This law obligates producers to put products on the market in accordance with safety and technical regulations. On the other side, the law grants public enterprises authorization in terms of regulation of specific legislation concerning technical requirements for products and market surveillance and inspection.
World Metrology Day
Meter Convention has been signed in 1875 in Paris in order to regulate the studies concerning measurement units and standards and to coordinate the activities ongoing in different countries. Since the Meter Convention, which were signed by seventeen countries including the Ottoman Empire on May 20, 1875, has opened a new period in metrology, the day of May 20th is celebrated as ‘World Metrology Day’ every year.
Within the scope of World Metrology Day, that would be celebrated on May 20, 2014, sports activities and poster competition with the theme of ‘Solution in Global Energy: Accurate Measurement’ are going to be organized with the aim of contributing to metrology awareness and increasing the interest of university students about the subject.
Samsun Metal Industry Meets High Technology
Within the context of the operational program that aims to increase competitive power of the enterprises in the region, the projects serving this aim are carried out by the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology with European Union’s financial assistance.
One of the projects that is supported has been conducted by Samsun Chamber of Commerce and Industry and an accredited laboratory that would give metal, metrology and calibration focussed service at international level is going to be founded in the city. In Samsun, solely in metal sector, 1500 producers and 300 exporter SME’s are found. The city has 1.5 million ton metal production capacity and 15% of Turkey’s exports take place in ports of the city.
The projects carried out within the context of Corporate Capacity Building Program of Ankara Provincial Directorate of Science, Industry and Technology
The accreditation process that has started in January 2013 of Ankara Provincial Directorate of Science, Industry and Technology Calibration Centre has been completed with success in March 2014. This centre has become the first laboratory that has been entitled to take the TÜRKAK Accreditation Certificate within the laboratories of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology giving service in the region.
Ankara Provincial Directorate of Science, Industry and Technology has hold ‘Measurement Instruments Exhibition’ with the aim of presenting historical and scientific accumulation in measurement to public interest, protecting cultural heritage in order to hand down the next generations and increasing the awareness.
