Source: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/?id=7601&view=chapter
Timestamp: 2016-05-26 08:48:08
Document Index: 52981605

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 6', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 1', 'art 7601', 'art 1', 'art 7601', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 7601', 'art 2', 'art 7601', 'art 7601', 'arts 3', 'arts 3', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 7602', 'arts 7601', 'art 1', 'art 7601', 'art 7601', 'art 2', 'art 7601', 'art 2']

7601 - Minnesota Administrative Rules
Print RulesCommerce DepartmentChapter 7601
7601.0100
7601.0200
7601.1000
NIST HANDBOOK 44 INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.
7601.1010
NIST HANDBOOK 44; COMPLIANCE REQUIRED.
7601.1020
NIST HANDBOOK 133 INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.
7601.2000
PROTECTION FROM ENVIRONMENT.
7601.2010
7601.3000
RAILWAY TRACK SCALES; PLANS.
7601.3010
RAILWAY TRACK SCALE PERMITS.
7601.3015
7601.3020
RAILWAY TRACK SCALE FOUNDATION.
7601.3030
APPROACH RAILS AND PIERS.
7601.4000
VEHICLE AND LIVESTOCK SCALES; PLANS.
7601.4010
VEHICLE AND LIVESTOCK SCALE FOUNDATIONS.
7601.4020
VEHICLE AND LIVESTOCK SCALE APPROACHES.
7601.4030
ANIMAL AND LIVESTOCK SCALES; PRINTER REQUIRED.
7601.4040
ANIMAL AND LIVESTOCK SCALES; TOLERANCES.
7601.5000
HOPPER SCALES.
7601.6000
TEMPERATURE CORRECTION FOR MEASURING LP GAS.
7601.7000
PLACING IN SERVICE PROGRAM; PURPOSE AND POLICY.
7601.7020
7601.7030
7601.7040
7601.7050
PRIVILEGES OF VOLUNTARY REGISTRANT.
7601.7060
RESPONSIBILITIES OF VOLUNTARY REGISTRANT.
7601.7070
PLACED IN SERVICE REPORT.
7601.7080
STANDARDS AND TESTING EQUIPMENT.
7601.7090
PROBLEM RESOLUTION; CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION.
7601.7100
LISTS OF REGISTERED PERSONS.
7601.8000
BIODIESEL BLEND QUANTIFICATION METHOD "MN BIODIESEL 2005" INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.
7601.9000
REGISTRATION PROGRAM FOR LPG METER INSPECTORS; PURPOSE.
7601.9010
7601.9020
INSPECTION SEALS.
7601.9030
7601.9040
7601.9050
7601.9900
VOLUME CORRECTION FACTOR TABLE.
Scope. The terms used in this chapter have the meanings given them in this part.
Animal scale and livestock scale. "Animal scale" and "livestock scale" mean platform scales designed and used to weigh livestock. An animal scale is used to weigh a single animal. A livestock scale is used to weigh several animals. Both have an enclosure and gates built on the scale platform.
Commercial; commercial use; commercial purpose. "Commercial," "commercial use," and "commercial purpose" refer to weights and measures used or located on premises where they could be used to:
Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Department of Commerce.
Department. "Department" means the Department of Commerce.
Director. "Director" means the director of the Weights and Measures Division of the Department of Commerce.
Division. "Division" means the Weights and Measures Division of the Department of Commerce, and employees of the Weights and Measures Division having statutory authority delegated by the director.
Hopper scale. "Hopper scale" means a scale designed and used to weigh bulk commodities in a container, hopper, box, or tank mounted on the scale.
Minimum division. "Minimum division" means the value of the smallest subdivision or unit that a scale, meter, or other weighing or measuring device is designed to indicate or display.
Minnesota seal. "Minnesota seal" means a security seal placed on commercial weighing and measuring equipment by the division to prevent unauthorized adjustment of the equipment.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "National Institute of Standards and Technology" and "NIST" mean the United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP). "National Type Evaluation Program" and "NTEP" mean a program of weighing and measuring device evaluation and certification operated by the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM).
Place in service. "Place in service" means to authorize commercial use of newly installed or repaired weighing and measuring equipment pending an inspection by the division. This type of authorization may only be performed by a registered person.
Railway track scale. "Railway track scale" means a scale of appropriate capacity and design that is used to weigh a rail car.
Registered person, registrant. "Registered person" and "registrant" mean a person who has voluntarily registered with the division and who installs, services, repairs, or reconditions weighing and measuring equipment.
Registration certificate. "Registration certificate" means an annual certificate issued by the division to a person who voluntarily registers with the division and who installs, adjusts, services, repairs, or reconditions commercial weighing and measuring equipment.
Scale division. "Scale division" means the value, in units of mass, of the smallest subdivision or unit that can be indicated by a scale.
Sensitivity requirement. "Sensitivity requirement" means a performance requirement for a scale equipped with a nonautomatic indicator. It is a prescribed change in the rest position of the indicator, caused by a prescribed change in load on the scale. The requirement is stated in terms of scale divisions. For example, a load equivalent to two divisions must cause the prescribed change in the rest position of the indicator.
Soil bearing. "Soil bearing" refers to the load, in units of mass per area, that can be placed upon soil without causing deformation, settling, or soil failure.
Vehicle scale. "Vehicle scale" means a platform scale designed and used to weigh trucks, farm equipment, or other large industrial or highway vehicles in one draft or weighing operation.
Weighing and measuring equipment. "Weighing and measuring equipment" means all weights and measures of every kind, all instruments and devices for weighing and measuring, and any appliances and accessories associated with those instruments and devices, which are used, or located on premises where they could be used, to:
Statutory Authority: MS s 239.06
History: 20 SR 1928; L 2001 1Sp4 art 6 s 1; 30 SR 346
Director to grant. If a variance is requested in a manner prescribed by subpart 2 and if the approval criteria in subpart 3 are met, the director shall grant a variance to any part of this chapter, except a rule that specifies a tolerance or the value of a minimum division.
Request. An owner or operator of commercial weighing and measuring equipment may apply to the director for a variance to any part of this chapter. The request must be in writing and must:
Approval criteria. The director shall grant a variance when appropriate to maintain good commercial practices or when enforcement of the rules would cause undue hardship. The director shall consider the following criteria in evaluating a request for a variance:
Refusal to grant. The director shall refuse to grant a variance if the request does not meet the requirements of subpart 2, or if the director determines that the criteria for approval in subpart 3 have not been met.
Response by division to request. All requests will be answered by the division in writing, setting forth the reasons for granting or refusing to grant the requested variance.
History: 20 SR 1928
NIST Handbook 44 (2005). Weighing and measuring equipment manufactured, offered, or exposed for sale or sold or given away for use in trade or commerce in Minnesota must conform to the requirements and specifications of NIST Handbook 44. NIST Handbook 44 (2005), "Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices," as adopted by the 89th National Conference on Weights and Measures and published by the United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, (Washington, D.C., December 2004), is incorporated by reference subject to the following exceptions:
Handbook availability, location. NIST Handbook 44, as adopted by reference in subpart 1, is available to the public at the Minnesota State Law Library, Minnesota Judicial Center, 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55155, and is not subject to frequent change.
Compliance. A person who owns or operates weighing or measuring equipment for commercial purposes in Minnesota must use weighing and measuring equipment that meets all applicable requirements in NIST Handbook 44 as adopted under part 7601.1000. Only the director, or a department employee delegated by the director, shall determine the applicability of, and compliance with, the requirements of NIST Handbook 44.
Certification of weighing or measuring equipment. A person who sells, installs, owns, or operates commercial weighing or measuring equipment manufactured after January 1, 1996, must sell, install, or use only weighing or measuring equipment of a make, model, and type for which a "Certificate of Conformance" has been issued by the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM).
History: 20 SR 1928; 30 SR 346
NIST Handbook 133. NIST Handbook 133 (Fourth Edition, January 2005), "Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods," as adopted by the 89th National Conference on Weights and Measures and published by the United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, (Washington, D.C., December 2004), is incorporated by reference. If NIST Handbook 133 contains any provision contrary to the laws of Minnesota, the rules of the Minnesota Department of Commerce, or the packaging or labeling rules of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota laws and rules govern and supersede contrary provisions of NIST Handbook 133.
Handbook availability, location. NIST Handbook 133, as adopted by reference in subpart 1, is available to the public at the Minnesota State Law Library, Minnesota Judicial Center, 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55155, and is not subject to frequent change.
Outdoor scales. The director shall require special protection from the environment for an outdoor scale if the division finds that the scale is adversely affected by weather or other environmental factors. Environmental protection includes:
Fertilizer scales. A hopper, tank, or mixer scale used for weighing dry or liquid bulk fertilizer must be completely enclosed in a building.
Grain hopper scales. A hopper, tank, or mixer scale used for weighing grain or grain by-products must be completely enclosed in a building.
Manufacturer's plans. Before installing a railway track scale, the scale manufacturer shall furnish complete design, assembly, and construction plans to the purchaser.
Installer's plans. The scale purchaser shall furnish installation plans to the director. The plans must show the scale location, the foundation drawings, and all commodity-handling equipment that could affect the operation of the scale. The plans must also include the information on soil bearing required by part 7601.3020, subpart 1.
Soil bearing. The owner, operator, or installer of a railway track scale shall complete a soil bearing test, performed by a registered engineer, before constructing the scale foundation. The soil bearing test must determine the load-bearing capacity of the soil that will lie under the completed scale foundation. The engineer's report, including a statement that the soil bearing is suitable for the scale to be installed, must be submitted to the director before constructing the scale foundation. The director shall review and approve the report before issuing a permit for a scale installation.
Materials and construction. Foundation walls, floors, footings, and weighing element support piers must be constructed of reinforced, poured concrete that conforms to the scale manufacturer's design requirements and drawings. The concrete must be uniform and continuous. Reinforcing material in the piers and walls must be securely tied to the reinforcing material in the adjacent walls and floor.
Dimensions. The foundation must be deep enough to provide a finished pit seven feet deep, measured from the top of the finished foundation wall to the top surface of the finished pit floor.
Length. For a railway track scale installed after January 1, 1995, the length or combination of lengths of the weighing element or elements must be sufficient to allow single draft weighing.
Aboveground scale; concrete pier foundation. An aboveground railway track scale foundation must meet the requirements in items A to H.
Approach rails. A railway track scale must be installed with approach rails at the end of the scale. The approach rails must be at least 50 feet long and must be parallel to the scale rails in both the horizontal and vertical planes.
Approach panels. A reinforced concrete approach panel must be installed at each end of the scale. The panels must:
Scales installed by buyer. For a vehicle or livestock scale needing assembly or foundation construction by the scale buyer, the manufacturer shall provide to the buyer complete plans, drawings, and instructions for assembling and installing the scale and for building the foundation. The director may require a scale buyer to submit plans to the division before construction.
Aboveground vehicle and livestock scales. The owner, operator, or installer of an aboveground vehicle or livestock scale shall submit complete plans and drawings of the scale and foundation to the director before installing the scale. The drawings must show the finished grade level of the area that will surround the scale site. The director shall review and approve the drawings, and must respond in writing to the scale owner or operator.
Floating concrete slab foundation. The owner, operator, or installer of an aboveground vehicle or livestock scale to be installed on a floating concrete slab foundation shall comply with subpart 2 and shall complete a soil bearing test, performed by a registered engineer, before constructing the scale foundation. The soil bearing test must determine the load-bearing capacity of the soil that will lie under the completed scale foundation. The engineer's report, including a statement that the soil bearing is suitable for the scale to be installed, must be submitted to the director before constructing the scale foundation. The director shall review and approve the report and respond in writing to the owner or operator.
Generally. Vehicle and livestock scales installed after December 31, 1985, must be installed on a reinforced, poured, concrete foundation. Scales may be installed in a concrete pit, according to subpart 2, or above grade level according to subpart 3 or 4. The foundation must be designed to support the weight of the scale and the anticipated maximum load on the scale without significant settling or cracking. Weighing element stands or bases must be securely bolted to the foundation. Space between a stand or base and the foundation must be filled with nonshrinking grout.
Pit-type scale foundation. A pit-type vehicle or livestock scale foundation must meet the following requirements:
Aboveground scale; concrete pier foundation. An aboveground vehicle or livestock scale foundation must meet the requirements in items A to H.
Aboveground scale; floating concrete slab foundation. An aboveground vehicle or livestock scale may be installed on a floating concrete slab foundation. The foundation must meet the following requirements:
Before January 1, 1986. A vehicle scale installed before January 1, 1986, must have at least 12 feet or a distance equal to one-third of the deck length, whichever is greater, of straight hard surface driveway on either end of the scale not over one-third inch per foot out of level of the platform. The first six feet on both ends must be constructed of reinforced concrete.
After December 31, 1985. For a vehicle or livestock scale installed after December 31, 1985, each end of the scale must have a straight, paved approach that meets the following requirements:
Tolerance. For animal and livestock scales, the basic maintenance tolerance is one pound per 1000 pounds of test load (0.1 percent). The acceptance tolerance is one-half of the basic maintenance tolerance.
Shift test tolerance. A shift test must be conducted on animal and livestock scales. The maximum test load is one-fourth of the scale capacity. A scale may be approved if the sum of the indicated errors for two load-bearing readings in the same section is within tolerance.
Capacity. For a hopper scale, the load capacity of the hopper must be at least 80 percent of the capacity of the weight indicator. Load capacity must be determined by using the highest density material that will normally be weighed in the hopper.
Dust-control systems. Weighing accuracy of a hopper scale system must not be affected by air flow or by a fluctuation or differential in air pressure caused by a dust-control system. If scale accuracy can be affected by adjusting dampers or flow-control devices in the dust-control system, the dampers and devices must be sealed with a Minnesota seal to prevent adjustment.
Requirements. When liquefied petroleum gas is sold or delivered to a consumer as a liquid and by liquid measurement, the volume of liquid sold and delivered must be corrected to a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit through the use of the volume correction table, shown in part 7601.9900, and calculated under subpart 2, or through use of an approved meter with a sealed automatic compensating mechanism. A sale ticket must show the delivered gallons, the temperature at the time of delivery, and the corrected gallonage, or must state that temperature correction was automatically made.
Calculation. To convert from measured volume at another temperature to net volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit: measure the volume and temperature, determine the specific gravity at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, refer to the column in the volume conversion table, set forth in part 7601.9900, corresponding to the specific gravity, and read the volume conversion factor opposite the observed temperature. Multiply the observed volume by this factor to obtain the volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Registered persons. The director shall offer a voluntary registration program for persons who install, adjust, repair, service, or test commercial weighing and measuring equipment. The purposes of the program are to:
Nonregistered persons. A nonregistered person is not prohibited from repairing commercial weighing and measuring equipment. However, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 239, prohibits commercial use of equipment that has been repaired by a nonregistered person until the equipment has been approved by the division.
Performance. A registrant shall:
Placing in service required. A registrant shall place in service all commercial weighing and measuring equipment when the registrant, or a person under the direct supervision and observation of the registrant, has:
Reporting. When work authorized in part 7601.7050 is performed, a registrant shall:
Security seals. When a registrant removes a security seal from the adjusting or calibrating mechanism of a weighing or measuring device, the registrant shall:
Required equipment list. The director shall publish a list of the standards and test equipment required for registration in each category of weighing and measuring equipment service.
Annual calibration required. A registrant shall annually submit the required standards and test equipment for inspection, testing, and calibration by the division's metrology laboratory, by the federal government, or by a NIST-certified metrology laboratory operated by an agency of another state government.
Director may inspect. The director may, at any time, inspect the work performed by a registrant. The director shall use these inspections to determine whether the registrant is performing repairs in compliance with Minnesota Statutes and department rules.
Problem resolution system, list of violations. Each of the following acts are considered a violation of department rules. When the director finds that a registrant has committed one or more of the following violations, the director shall impose an appropriate remedial action described in subparts 3 to 7. The conditions for determining the appropriate remedial action are included with each remedial action in subparts 3 to 7. Violations include:
Warning letter. The director shall issue a warning letter to a registrant if the director finds that the registrant has committed any of the violations listed in subpart 2, items A to H. The warning letter must state that the registrant has violated department rules, must specify the violations, and must state that the director may suspend or revoke the registration certificate for continued violations.
30-day suspension. The director shall suspend a registration certificate for up to 30 days if the director finds that a registrant has committed, on three or more occasions within a 90-day period, any of the violations in subpart 2, items A to H. The director shall inform the registrant in writing of the suspension, the reasons for the suspension, and the privileges that must not be exercised while the certificate is under suspension.
90-day suspension. The director shall suspend a registration certificate for up to 90 days if the director finds that a registrant has committed, on six or more occasions within a 90-day period, any of the violations in subpart 2, items A to H, or if the director finds that a registrant has committed the violation in subpart 2, item I, at any time. The director shall inform the registrant in writing of the suspension, the reasons for the suspension, and the privileges that must not be exercised while the certificate is under suspension.
Revocation. The director shall revoke a registration certificate if the director finds that a registrant has committed either of the violations in subpart 2, items J and K. The director shall inform the registrant in writing of the revocation, the reasons for the revocation, and the activities that are prohibited by the revocation.
Reinstatement. The director shall reinstate a registration certificate that has been revoked if the director receives an application for reinstatement from a person whose registration certificate has been revoked, if the applicant has paid all registration fees and calibration fees required in part 7602.0100, and the applicant has met all of the requirements of parts 7601.7010 to 7601.7040. The director must not reinstate a registration certificate that has been under revocation for less than 120 days.
History: 20 SR 1928; L 2014 c 222 art 1 s 58
"MN Biodiesel 2005" test method. The director, in consultation with the National Biodiesel Board and the Governor's Task Force on Biodiesel, shall publish a test method, known as "MN Biodiesel 2005," for the quantification of biodiesel blends for the purpose of enforcing the biodiesel requirement in diesel fuel. The director shall use this method for enforcement purposes until a suitable, nationally accepted method exists, such as a method adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials.
Location. The director shall make available a copy of the method, which is incorporated by reference, and any updates or changes, including a nationally accepted method at the time it is available. The current version must be kept at the Minnesota State Law Library, Minnesota Judicial Center, 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55155; provided to petroleum terminals in Minnesota; posted on the department's Web site; and available upon request. The method is not subject to frequent change.
History: 30 SR 346
Permit holders. The director shall accept applications for the registration program from registered permit holders as defined in part 7601.7000.
Application. An applicant shall provide the following information on an application form provided by the division:
Testing. If an applicant passes a written test and a field test, then the director shall authorize the applicant to inspect and test liquefied petroleum gas meters. The director shall develop and offer these tests to qualified applicants.
Permit required. An applicant must continue to maintain the status of registered placing in service permit holder.
Violations. In addition to part 7601.7090, subpart 2, each of the following acts and failures to act is considered a violation of this chapter:
Warning. The director shall issue a warning letter to a registered inspector if the director finds that the registrant has committed any of the violations listed in part 7601.7090, subpart 2, or any of the violations listed in this part.
Suspension. The director shall suspend for 30 days a registrant's permit if the director finds that the registrant has committed:
Revocation. The director shall revoke a registered inspector's permit if the director finds that the registrant has committed any violation after the director has suspended the registrant's permit.