Office of Weights & Measures

Training Edition

Inside this Issue

FEATURED TRAINING

Scheduled and Requested Metrology

Training and Laboratory Auditing 

Program Problems 1

• Available Courses 3

• Scheduled Training Oppor‐

unities 4

Training and Events Calendar 2

1

Volume 6 Issue 1

January 29, 2015

OFFICE OF WEIGHTS AND

MEASURES

General Inquries: (301) 975‐4004; e‐mail:

owm@nist.gov

Office Chief, Carol Hockert: e‐mail:

carol.hockert@nist.gov

Newsletter Editor: Linda Crown; (301) 975‐

3998; e‐mail: linda.crown@nist.gov

In the Field

Is there a W&M topic that you would like to

have appear in the Weights and Measures

Connection?

How can we better serve our W&M commu‐

nity?

Do you have a safety tidbit to share?

Do you have a W&M event that you wish to

post in the Connection’s calendar?

Submissions can be sent to the Editor, Linda

Crown at Linda.Crown@nist.gov

Scheduled and Requested

Metrology Training and

Laboratory Auditing 

Program Problems 

Byline: Georgia Harris

NIST Office of Weights and Measures Laboratory Metrology Program offers

a systematic program of metrology training seminars important to your

Metrology Laboratory operations. As laboratory manager or as a metrologist,

you should be aware of the changes that have been made in the courses of‐

fered and the requirements that accompany the changes. 

Did you know that there are no more Basic and Intermediate Metrology Sem‐

inars? That’s right. These courses have not been taught since 2011 and 2012

respectively! So, if your performance plans and job announcements indicate

that successful completion of these seminars is a requirement, they need to

be updated.

Does this mean individuals that completed Basic and Intermediate Seminars

(and the associated Laboratory Auditing Program [LAP] problems for states)

need to attend refresher training and complete the new seminars? In general,

the answer is no. However, if someone attended the older seminars and has

not been working in the laboratory for the last three years, refresher training

is essential for several reasons – least of which is the need for demonstrating

hands‐on proficiency. In addition, there have been many procedure changes

and updates that have occurred in the past few years, and people that have

not been a part of the laboratory program will need updated training on the

new procedures to be successful. In fact, if an individual attended training

but has not been working in the laboratory, and has not completed the ap‐

propriate LAP problems, refresher training is required. The NIST Hand‐

book 143, Program Handbook Table 2 (as published in 2007) and the updated
W&M Connection 2 Volume 6 Issue 1

Training and Events

Calendar 

2015

Registration for training in the NIST Office of

Weights and Measures is handled by Yvonne

Branden at yvonne.branden@nist.gov.

Course descriptions can be viewed on the Of‐

fice of Weights and Measures website at

http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/calendar.cfm

and clicking on the name of the course. 

February 5 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ State Lab Annual Submission ‐ As‐

sessments

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5371

February 9 ‐ 13 (5 days)

Fundamentls of Metrology

Class No. 5347

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

February 12 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Conducting an Effective Manage‐

ment Review

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5295

February 18 ‐ 19 (2 days)

Handbook 130, Price Verification

Class No. 5350

Salt Lake City, UT

February 24 ‐ 26 (3 days)

Train the Trainer

Class No. 5352

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

February 26

NTEP Belt‐Conveyor Sector Meeting

St. Louis, MO

Contact: info@ncwm.net

February 26 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Internal Auditing Best Practices

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5296

March 2 ‐ 6 (5 days)

Fundamentos de Metrología

Class No. 5348

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

March 9 ‐ 12 (4 days)

Handbook 133, “Checking the Net Contents

of Packaged Goods,” Basic

Class No. 5363

Southgate, CA

(continued on pg 3)

version of Table 2 will be combined to reflect the acceptance of prior training

and completion of LAP problems as well as the new series of courses (avail‐

able on the OWM website: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/labmetrology/lab‐

resources.cfm).

The core metrology seminars now include: Fundamentals of Metrology (1

week) with a pre‐requisite that includes successfully passing a mathematics

pre‐test; Mass Metrology (2 weeks); and the Volume Metrology (1 week). 

There are now only two sets of LAP problems – the Fundamentals of Metrol‐

ogy and the Advanced Mass. The new Fundamentals of Metrology LAP prob‐

lems rely on students completing proficiency tests in both mass and volume,

plus a series of technical audits that reinforce training, support internal tech‐

nical audits, and provide additional support and evidence for measurement

traceability. The LAP problems are required prior to metrologists being rec‐

ognized as Approved Signatories at designated levels, which includes the au‐

thority and responsibility for approving the technical content of calibration

certificates. OWM is adding a time limit requirement on the Fundamentals

of Metrology LAP problems; the problems are required to be completed

within one year of completion of the training. For those who have not yet

completed the Basic and Intermediate LAP problems, they have until Decem‐

ber 31, 2015, to turn them in, at which time they will no longer be accepted. 

For those laboratories wishing to expand their Scope to include mass calibra‐

tions via dissemination techniques and Mass Echelon I Recognition (OIML

Class E1 and E2 for example), the Advanced Mass Metrology Seminar (9 days)

is required. The Advanced Mass Metrology seminar is the last of the core

courses to undergo a complete redesign based on our OWM International

Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) accredited

processes and system. It now incorporates the Advanced Hands‐on seminar,

which has been eliminated. An updated description of the new course is

available on our website and the first redesigned Advanced Mass Seminar is

scheduled for June 1 to 11, 2015, and is already FULL. This course was first

taught in 1993 and has only been offered in alternating years; however, it has

not been offered since 2011 to allow for the redesign of the course. People

who attended earlier versions of the Advanced Mass Metrology seminar and

have not yet completed the Advanced LAP problems also have only until De‐

cember 31, 2015, to submit problems. For those attending the new Ad‐

vanced Mass Metrology Seminar, there will be a two‐year time limit for

completing the Advanced Mass LAP problems. 

Seminars are scheduled several months or years in advance and posted on

the OWM Training Calendar and the Laboratory Metrology Training Schedule.

But, you don’t have to wait for OWM to schedule a training event. In fact, by

logging into the OWM Contacts System, anyone can request additional

courses that are not currently scheduled. In this way, OWM staff will have a

better idea of what the current metrology training needs are and can regu‐

larly add courses throughout the year.
W&M Connection 3 Volume 6 Issue 1

March 16 ‐ 27 (2 weeks)

Mass Metrology Seminar

Class No. 5333

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

March 17 ‐ 19 (3 days)

New Administrator Workshop

Class No. 5368

NIST/Gaithersburg

March 19 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Contract Review

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5343

March 24 ‐ 26 (3 days)

Livestock and Animal Scales

Class No. 5369

Nashville, TN

March 26 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Document Control and Record

Keeping

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5344

April 1 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ NISTIR 6969, SOP 8, Part 1

(Continued on pg 5)

In addition to the core metrology seminars, OWM also has a number of we‐

binars scheduled throughout the year with many additional webinars that

can be scheduled based on need (see the accompanying list). The majority

of the webinars are based on laboratory quality management systems and

some are designated for “State Laboratories only.”

The schedule and course lists have been sent to State Directors and laboratory

staff along with their annual recognition feedback letters and certificates.

But, you can still take a look at the list of courses and log‐in to request your

next seminar or webinar! If you think another course subject would be value‐

added, please send an e‐mail in with your suggestions!

Georgia Harris, Laboratory Metrology Program: gharris@nist.gov

Link to OWM Contacts System: https://tsapps.nist.gov/WMD/default.aspx

Instructions on How to Request Training & Transcripts Using the Contacts

System: http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/upload/InstructionsHowToRe‐

questTrainingTranscripts.pdf

WEBINARS (COURSE NUMBERS)

• BASIC UNCERTAINTY CONCEPTS (1320)

• DOCUMENTING TRACEABILITY & CALIBRATION INTERVALS (1330)

• PT ANALYSIS USING NIST TOOLS (1245)

• SUPPLIER EVALUATION (1205)

• CALIBRATION CERTIFICATE EVALUATION (1201)

• CALIBRATION METHOD VALIDATION (1211)

• CONDUCTING AN EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT REVIEW (1210)

• CONTRACT REVIEW (1206)

• DOCUMENT CONTROL & RECORD KEEPING (1204)

• INTERNAL AUDITING BEST PRACTICES (1220)

• MEASUREMENT ASSURANCE BASICS (1310)

• NISTIR 6969 SOP 8 PART 1 (30221)

• NISTIR 6969 SOP 8 PART 2 (30222)

• NISTIR 7383 SOP 19/18 PART 1 (30223)

• NISTIR 7383 SOP 19/18 PART 2 (30224)

• OWM & NVLAP APPLICATION (SUBMISSION) 

PROCESSES (30231)

• PROFICIENCY TESTING FOLLOW UP ACTIONS & ROOT

CAUSE ANALYSIS (1240)

• SOFTWARE VERIFICATION & VALIDATION (1200)

• STATE LABORATORY ANNUAL SUBMISSION PROCESS (1230)

• UNCERTAINTY BUDGETS FOR SOP 14 (30230)

• UNCERTAINTY BUDGETS FOR SOP 19 (30229)

Available Courses

• UNCERTAINTY BUDGETS FOR SOP 4 (30227)

• UNCERTAINTY BUDGETS FOR SOP 5 (30228)

SEMINARS (COURSE NUMBERS)

CORE COURSES

• FUNDAMENTALS OF METROLOGY (211)

• MASS METROLOGY SEMINAR (212)

• VOLUME METROLOGY SEMINAR (213)

• LENGTH METROLOGY SEMINAR (214)

SPECIALTY AND ADVANCED SEMINARS

• LABORATORY ADMINISTRATION SEMINAR (37)

• ADVANCED MASS SEMINAR (205)

• BALANCE & SCALE CALIBRATION & UNCERTAINTIES (230)

2015 RMAPS (COURSE NUMBERS)

• CAMAP (226)

• MIDMAP (229)

• NEMAP (227)

• SEMAP (225)

• WRAP (222)

• SWAP (228)
W&M Connection 4 Volume 6 Issue 1

WEBINARS (2 hours)

TITLE CLASS NUMBER DATE INSTRUCTOR

INTERNAL AUDITING BEST PRACTICES 5296 FEBRUARY 26, 2015 ELIZABETH GENTRY

5339 OCTOBER 22, 2015 ELIZABETH GENTRY

CONTRACT REVIEW 5343 MARCH 19, 2015 ELIZABETH GENTRY

5334 AUGUST 13, 2015 ELIZABETH GENTRY

DOCUMENT CONTROL AND RECORD KEEPING 5344 MARCH 26, 2015 ELIZABETH GENTRY

5335 AUGUST 27, 2015 ELIZABETH GENTRY

ANNUAL SUBMISSION (FOR STATE LABS ONLY) 5355 SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 GEORGIA HARRIS

SOP 8 – 1 AND 2 (2 WEBINARS) 5364 APRIL 1, 2015 VAL MILLER

5365 APRIL 2, 2015 VAL MILLER

SOP 18 – 1 AND 2 (2 WEBINARS) 5366 APRIL 8, 2015 VAL MILLER

5367 APRIL 9, 2015 VAL MILLER

SEMINARS

TITLE CLASS NUMBER DATE INSTRUCTOR 

FUNDAMENTOS DE METROLOGÍA 5348 (SPANISH) MARCH 2‐6, 2015 GEORGIA HARRIS

LOCATION: NIST, GAITHERSBURG, MD

MASS METROLOGY SEMINAR 5333 MARCH 16‐27, 2015 VAL MILLER

(MUST HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 5340 OCT 26‐NOV 6, 2015 VAL MILLER

FUNDAMENTALS OF METROLOGY SEMINAR)

LOCATION: NIST, GAITHERSBURG, MD

VOLUME METROLOGY SEMINAR 5356 AUGUST 17‐21, 2015 GEORGIA HARRIS &

LOCATION: NIST, GAITHERSBURG, MD VAL MILLER

ADVANCED MASS SEMINAR 5349 JUNE 1‐11, 2015 GEORGIA HARRIS &

LOCATION: NIST, GAITHERSBURG, MD VAL MILLER

REGIONAL MEASUREMENT ASSURANCE PROGRAM

TITLE CLASS NUMBER DATE

SEMAP, FLORIDA 5357 APRIL 13 ‐ 16, 2015 

WRAP, WASHINGTON 5358 MAY 4 ‐ 7, 2015 

NEMAP, MASSACHUSETTS 5359 SEPTEMBER 14 ‐ 17, 2015 

SWAP, MISSOURI 5360 SEPTEMBER 28 ‐ OCTOBER 1, 2015

MIDMAP, WISCONSIN 5361 OCTOBER 5 ‐ 8, 2015

CAMAP, PUERTO RICO 5372 OCTOBER 19 ‐ 23, 2015

Scheduled Training Opportunties
W&M Connection 5 Volume 6 Issue 1

July 19 ‐ 23 (5 days)

NCSL International Conference 2015

Metrology and the Quality of Life

Orlando, FL

Information: www.ncsli.org

August 10 ‐ 14 (5 days)

Fundamentals of Metrology

Class No. 5373

NIST/Gaithersburg

August 13 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Contract Review

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5334

August 17 ‐21 (5 days)

Volume Metrology Seminar

Class No. 5356

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

August 19 ‐ 20 (2 days)

NTEP Grain Analyzer Sector Meeting

Live Web Meeting

Details unavailable at this time.

Information to be posted at:

https://www.ncwm.net/ntep/sectors/gra

in‐analyzer/registration

August 25 ‐ 26 (2 days)

Weighing Sector Meeting

Denver, CO

Information at: 

http://www.ncwm.net/sems/event_de‐

tail/2015_weighing

August 27 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Document Control and Record

Keeping

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5335

September 14 ‐ 17 (4 days)

NEMAP**

Class No. 5359

Massachussetts

September 15 ‐ 16 (2 days)

NTEP Measuring Sector Meeting

Denver, CO

Information at:

http://www.ncwm.net/meetings/ntep/m

easuring

September 16 ‐ 17 (2 days)

NTEP Software Section Meeting

Denver, CO

Information at:

http://www.ncwm.net/meetings/ntep/so

ftware

September 24 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ State Laboratory Annual Sub‐

mission Process**

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5355

September 27 ‐ October 1 (5 days)

Western Weights and Measures Associa‐

tion (WWMA) Annual Meeting

Boise, ID

Contact: Jerry Buendel, 

jbuendel@agr.wa.gov

September 28 ‐ October 1 (4 days)

SWAP**

Class No. 5360

Missouri

October 5 ‐ 7

Central Weights and Measures Associa‐

tion (CWMA) Interim Meeting

St. Charles, MO

Contact: Sherry Turvey,

sherry.turvey@kda.ks.gov

October 5 ‐ 8 (4 days)

MidMAP**

Class No. 5361

Wisconsin

October 19 (5 days)

CaMAP**

Class No. 5372

San Juan, PR

October 19 ‐ 23 (5 days)

HB 133, “Checking the Net Contents of

Packaged Goods,” Basic

Class No. 5346

Frankfort, KY

October 22 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Internal Auditing Best Prac‐

tices

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5339

October 26 ‐ November 6 (2 weeks)

Mass Metrology Seminar

Class No. 5340

NIST/Gaithersburg

2016

January 10 ‐ 13

National Conference on Weights and

Measures (NCWM) Interim Meeting

San Diego, CA

Information at: 

http://www.ncwm.net/sems/event_de‐

tail/2016‐interim‐meeting

February 11 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Conducting an Effective Manage‐

ment Review

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5336

March 3 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ Internal Auditing Best Practices

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5337

*Invitation Only

**Limited to State Laboratory Program

Participants

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5364

April 2 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ NISTIR 6969, SOP 8, Part 2

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5365

April 8 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ NISTIR 7383, SOP 19 (18)

Part 1

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5366

April 9 (2 hr)

Webinar ‐ NISTIR 7383, SOP 19 (18)

Part 2

2:00 p.m. ‐ 4:00 p.m.

Class No. 5367

April 13 ‐ 17 (5 days)

Handbook 133, “Checking the Net

Contents of Packaged Goods,” Basic

Class No. 5362

Indianapolis, IN

April 13 ‐ 16 (4 days)

SEMAP**

Class No. 5357

Florida

April 14 ‐ 16 (3 days)

Train the Trainer

Class No. 5353

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

May 4 ‐ 7 (4 days)

WRAP**

Class No. 5358

Olympia, WA

May 4 ‐ 8 (5 days)

Northeast Weights and Measures As‐

sociation (NEWMA) Annual Meeting

Saratoga Springs, NY

Contact: James Cassidy, 

jcassidy@cambridgema.gov

May 18 ‐ 22 (5 days)

Central Weights and Measures Associ‐

ation

(CWMA) Annual Meeting

Columbus, OH

Contact: Sherry Turvey, 

sherry.turvey@kda.ks.gov

June 1 ‐ 5 (5 days)

HB 133, “Checking the Net Contents of

Packaged Goods,” Basic

Class No. 5345

Indianapolis, IN

June 1 ‐ 11 (2 weeks)

Advanced Mass Seminar (Rev 2015)

Class No. 5349

NIST/Gaithersburg, MD

July 18 ‐ 21 (4 days)

National Conference on Weights and

Measures (NCWM) Annual Meeting

Philadelpha, PA

Contact: info@ncwm.net