The purpose of this chapter is to implement:

(1) RCW 19.94.216(1) and 19.94.325(2), which allows the director of the Washington state department of agriculture to establish reasonable fees for inspection, tolerance testing and calibration services performed on weights and measures standards by the metrology laboratory; and

(2) RCW 19.94.175(3), which allows the director to establish fees for inspecting and testing weighing and measuring devices when the inspections and tests are specifically requested by the device’s owner.

The following definitions apply to this chapter.

"Calibration" means the comparison of a measurement standard or instrument with another standard or instrument to detect, correlate, report, or eliminate, by adjustment, any inaccuracy of the compared standard or instrument.

"Department" means the Washington state department of agriculture (WSDA).

"Director" means the director of the department or the director's designated representative.

"Laboratory" means the metrology laboratory operated by the department.

"Tolerance testing" means a measurement operation performed to determine whether the actual value of a standard, artifact, or instrument is within a permitted tolerance of its nominal value.

Weights and measures standards submitted to the laboratory for tolerance testing or calibration must be in a physical condition that allows the laboratory to perform the requested service.

(1) Weights and measures standards, whose physical condition, prevents the laboratory from performing the requested service may be:

(a) Returned to the sender at the sender's expense; or

(b) Repaired, if possible, by the laboratory.

(2) When possible, the laboratory will make repairs:

(a) At the rate of one hundred dollars per hour; and

(b) Only after a signed written repair agreement between the department and the owner of the weights or measures standard is concluded.

(3) All repair fees charged by the laboratory are in addition to any testing or calibration fees charged by the laboratory.

The metrology laboratory charges the following fees for services performed:

The fees in the following table apply to inspecting and testing weighing or measuring devices when the inspection or test is:

(1) Specifically requested by the device's owner or his/her representative; or

(2) Performed on devices used by an agency or institution that receives money from the legislature or the federal government.

(1) All railroad track scale owners in Washington state must provide a suitable:

(a) Facility or facilities for testing track scales;

(b) Car or other device for testing track scales.

(2) The department must use the car, device, or facility provided to test the accuracy of all track scales.

(3) Track scale owners (railroad companies) must move the car, device, or facility to locations designated by the department without charge.

(4) The cost of providing and maintaining the car, device, or facility must be equitably and reasonably apportioned by the department among all railroad track scale owners.