FDA Scale Calibration Standards

Scales are commonly used in the food and drug industries. Federal code requires test equipment used in these industries be properly maintained and calibrated. The Food and Drug Administration uses these federal codes to enforce calibration requirements.

Maintenance

• Maintenance must be regularly scheduled for all measuring devices. Scale maintenance includes calibration with certified weights and operational checks that show consistent readings and physical damage.

Equipment

• Standard weights are used to calibrate scales. These weights must themselves be calibrated and traceable to the National Institute of Science and Technology. Traceability is a sequence of calibrations, each with a higher standard of accuracy. Calibration standards must be more accurate than the equipment they are being used to calibrate.

Record Keeping

• Food-and-drug companies must have written records of calibration schedules, as well as results and corrective actions taken if calibration fails. Records must also include the scale's calibration certificate and the standard weights' certification.

Procedures

• Written calibration procedures must include step-by-step instructions, required tolerances and adjustment procedures. These internal procedures can be excerpted from the scale manufacturer's manual.