S.I. No. 255/1992 -- European Communities (Units of Measurement) Regulations, 1992.

S.I. No. 255/1992 -- European Communities (Units of Measurement) Regulations, 1992. 1992 255

S.I. No. 255/1992:

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (UNITS OF MEASUREMENT) REGULATIONS, 1992.

I, DESMOND O'MALLEY, Minister for Industry and Commerce, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), and for the purpose of giving effect to Council Directive No. 89/617/EEC of 27 November 1989¹ hereby make the following Regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Units of Measurement) Regulations, 1992.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 9th day of September, 1992.

2. The European Communities (Units of Measurement) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 235 of 1983 ), and the European Communities (Units of Measurement) (Amendment), Regulations, 1985 ( S.I. No. 228 of 1985 ), are hereby revoked.

3. (1) In these Regulations "the Directive" means Council Directive No. 80/181/EEC of 20 December, 1979² as amended by Council Directive No. 85/1/EEC of 18 December, 1984³ and Council Directive No. 89/617/EEC of 27 November, 1989.

(2) A word or expression that is used in these Regulations and is also used in the Council Directive has, unless the contrary intention appears, the meaning in these Regulations that it has in the Council Directive.

4. (1) The use of the units of measurement specified in Chapter 1 (set out in Schedule 1 to these Regulations) of the Annex to the Council Directive is hereby authorised and all units of measurement in the metric system shall be determined in accordance with that Chapter.

(2) Subject to Regulations 7, 8 (2) and 9--

¹ O.J. No. L357, 7.12.89, p.28.

² O.J. No. L39, 15.2.80, p.40.

³ O.J. No. L2, 3.1.85, p.11.

( a ) the unit of measurement, therm for gas supply, specified in Chapter IV of the Annex to the Council Directive may be used until the 31st day of December, 1992, and shall not be used thereafter,

( b ) the other units of measurement specified in Chapters III and IV of the Annex to the Council Directive and set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations may be used until the 31st day of December, 1993, and shall not be used thereafter,

( c ) for the specific fields of application specified in Chapters II and IV of the Annex to the Council Directive and set out in Schedule 3 to these Regulations, the units of measurement listed therein may be used until the 31st day of December 1998, and shall not be used thereafter, and

( d ) for the specific fields of application specified in Chapter II of the Annex to the Council Directive and set out in Schedule 4 to these Regulations, the units of measurement listed therein may be used until such date as may be specified in regulations under the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972).

5. The national standards for the metre (the unit of measurement of length) and the kilogram (the unit of measurement of mass) are described in Schedule 5 to these Regulations and deposited in EOLAS-- The Irish Science and Technology Agency. They shall be the standards by reference to which all other standards of those units and of any other unit of measurement derived wholly or partly from any of those units shall be maintained.

6. Section 19 of the Weights and Measures Act, 1878, shall cease to have effect insofar as it makes void any transaction made according to a weight or measure authorised by these Regulations and prohibits sales by any denomination of weight or measure authorised by these Regulations.

7. (1) ( a ) A unit which ceases to be authorised may continue to be used until the 31st day of December, 1999, as a supplementary indication accompanying an indication of a quantity expressed in an authorised unit.

( b ) The indication expressed in an authorised unit shall predominate and a supplementary indication shall be expressed in characters no larger than those of the corresponding indication in an authorised unit.

( c ) In case of conflict between an indication of quantity expressed in an authorised unit and a supplementary indication, the latter shall be disregarded.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), a unit of measurement which ceases to be authorised may continue to be used for--

( a ) products and equipment already on the market or in service on the commencement of these Regulations,

( b ) components and parts of products and of equipment necessary to supplement or replace components or parts of the said products and equipment.

(3) A person shall not on or after the 1st day of January, 1993, offer or supply for sale, rental or lease any weighing instruments, for retail use, other than instruments indicating only in metric units.

8. (1) These Regulations apply to measuring instruments used, measurements made and dimensions or quantities expressed in units, whether for trade or for any economic, public health, public safety or administrative purpose in the State.

(2) These Regulations shall not affect the use in the field of air and sea transport and rail traffic of units, other than those authorised by these Regulations, which have been laid down in international conventions or agreement binding the Community or the Member States.

9. (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this Regulation, a person who contravenes Regulation 4 (2) (as applied by Regulation 8) or 7 (3) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £800.

(2) Except in the case of a retail transaction or a transaction relating to packaged goods where an unauthorised unit of measurement is used without its metric equivalent, it shall not be an offence or unlawful to use in any transaction, by agreement between the parties thereto, any unit of measurement which was hitherto customarily used in trade in like transactions.

10. (1) The provisions of the Weights and Measures Acts, 1878 to 1961, and any other relevant enactment shall be construed together with and subject to these Regulations and, in the event of any inconsistency between these Regulations and any such provision, that provision shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, cease to have effect.

(2) ( a ) A reference in any such enactment to a unit of measurement which by virtue of these Regulations ceases to be authorised shall be construed as a reference to the appropriate unit authorised by these Regulations.

( b ) A reference in any such enactment to a measurement in a unit of measurement which by virtue of these Regulations ceases to be authorised shall be construed as a reference to the equivalent measurement in a unit authorised by these Regulations.

SCHEDULE 1

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERRED TO IN REGULATION 4 (1)

1. SI UNITS AND THEIR DECIMAL MULTIPLES AND SUBMULTIPLES

1.1 SI base units

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol
Length	metre	m
Mass	kilogram	kg
Time	second	s
Electric current	ampere	A
Thermodynamic temperature	kelvin	K
Amount of substance	mole	mol
Luminous intensity	candela	cd

Definitions of SI base units:

Unit of length

The metre is the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of ½99 792 458 of a second.

(Seventeenth CGPM (1983), Resolution 1).

Unit of mass

The kilogram is the unit of mass; it is equal to the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram.

(Third CGPM (1901), page 70 of the conference report).

Unit of time

The second is the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium 133 atom.

(Thirteenth CGPM (1967), resolution 1).

Unit of electric current

The ampere is that constant current which if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section and placed one metre apart in a vacuum, would produce between the conductors a force equal to 2 x 10^-7 newton per metre of length.

(CIPM (1946), resolution 2, approved by the ninth CGPM (1948)).

Unit of thermodynamic temperature

The kelvin, unit of thermodynamic temperature, is the fraction ½73 16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water.

(Thirteenth CGPM (1967), resolution 4).

Unit of amount of substance

The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon 12.

When the mole is used the elementary entities must be specified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles or specified groups of such particles.

(Fourteenth CGPM (1971), resolution 3).

Unit of luminous intensity

The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source which emits monochromatic rays with a frequency of 540 x 10¹² hertz and whose energy intensity in that direction is 1/683 watt per steradian.

(Sixteenth CGPM (1979), resolution 3).

1.1.1. Special name and symbol of the SI unit of temperature for expressing Celsius temperature

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol
Celsius temperature	degree Celsius	°C

Celsius temperature t is defined as the difference t = T--T₀ between the two thermodynamic temperatures T and T₀ where T₀ = 273.15 kelvins. An interval of or difference in temperature may be expressed either in kelvins or in degrees Celsius. The unit of 'degree Celsius' is equal to the unit 'kelvin'.

1.2 Other SI units

1.2.1. Supplementary SI units

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol
Plane angle	radian	rad
Solid angle	steradian	sr

(Eleventh CGPM, 1960, resolution 12).

Definitions of supplementary SI units:

Plane angle unit

The radian is the plane angle between two radii which, on the circumference of a circle, cut an arc equal in length to the radius. (International standard ISO 31-1, December 1965).

Solid angle unit

The steradian is the solid angle which has its apex at the centre of a sphere and which describes on the surface of the sphere an area equal to that of a square having as its side the radius of the sphere.

(International Standard ISO 31-1, December 1965)

1.2.2. Derived SI units

Units derived coherently from SI base units and supplementary SI units are given as algebraic expressions in the form of products of powers of the SI base units and/or supplementary SI units with a numerical factor equal to 1.

1.2.3. Derived SI units having names and symbols

Quantity	Unit		Expression
Name	Symbol	In other SI units	In terms of base or supplementary SI units
Frequency	hertz	Hz		s^-1
Force	newton	N		m. kg. s^-2
Pressure, stress	pascal	Pa	N. m²	m^-1 kg. s^-2
Energy, work; quantity of heat	joule	J	N.m	m². kg. s^-2
Power⁽¹⁾, radiant flux	watt	W	J.s^-1	m². kg. s^-3
Quanity of electricity, electric charge	coulomb	C		s.A
Electric potential, potential difference, electromotive force	volt	V	W.A^-1	m².kg.s^-3.A^-1
Electric resistance	ohm		V.A^-1	m².kg. s^-3.A^-2
Conductance	siemens	S	A.V^-1	m^-2.kg^-1. s³.A²
Capacitance	farad	F	C.V^-1	m^-2.kg^-1. s⁴.A²
Magnetic flux	weber	Wb	V.s	m².kg.s^-2.A^-1
Magnetic flux density	tesla	T	Wb.m^-2	kg.s^-2.A^-1
Inductance	henry	H	Wb.A^-1	m².kg.s^-2.A^-2
Luminous flux	lumen	lm		cd.sr
Illuminance	lux	lx	1m.m^-2	m^-2.cd.sr
Activity (of a radionuclide)	becquerel	Bq		s^-1
Absorbed dose, specific energy imported, kerma, absorbed dose index	gray	Gy	J.kg^-1	m².s^-2
Dose equivalent	sievert	Sv	J.kg^-1	m².s^-2
⁽¹⁾ Special names for the unit of power: the name volt-ampere (symbol 'VA') when it is used to express the apparent power of alternating electric current, and var (symbol 'var') when it is used to express reactive electric power. The 'var' is not included in CGPM resolutions.

Units derived from SI base units or supplementary units may be expressed in terms of the units listed in Chapter I.

In particular, derived SI units may be expressed by the special names and symbols given in the above table: for example, the SI unit of dynamic viscosity may be expressed as m^-1 .kg · s^-1 or N · s.m^-2 · or Pa · s.

1.3. Prefixes and their symbols used to designate certain decimal multiples and submultiples

Factor	Prefix	Symbol	Factor	Prefix	Symbol
10¹⁸	exa	E	10^-1	deci	d
10¹⁵	peta	P	10^-2	centi	c
10¹²	tera	T	10^-3	milli	m
10⁹	giga	G	10^-6	micro	µ
10⁶	mega	M	10^-9	nano	n
10³	kilo	k	10^-12	pico	p
10²	hecto	h	10^-15	femto	f
10¹	deca	da	10^-18	atto	a

The names and symbols of the decimal multiples and submultiples of the unit of mass are formed by attaching prefixes to the word 'gram' and their symbols to the symbol 'g'.

Where a derived unit is expressed as a fraction, its decimal multiples and submultiples may be designated by attaching a prefix to units in the numerator or the denominator, or in both these parts.

Compound prefixes, that is to say prefixes formed by the juxtaposition of several of the above prefixes, may not be used.

1.4. Special authorised names and symbols of decimal multiples and submultiples of SI units

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol	Value
Volume	litre	1 or L(¹)	1 l = 1dm³ = 10^-3 m^-3
Mass	tonne	t	1 t = 1 Mg = 10³ kg
Pressure, stress	bar	bar(²)	1 bar = 10⁵ Pa
⁽¹⁾ The two symbols 'l' and 'L' may be used for the litre unit.
(Sixteenth CGPM (1979), resolution 5).
⁽²⁾ Unit listed in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures booklet as among the units to be permitted temporarily.

Note: The prefixes and their symbols listed in 1.3 may be used in conjunction with the units and symbols contained in Table 1.4.

2. UNITS WHICH ARE DEFINED ON THE BASIS OF SI UNITS BUT ARE NOT DECIMAL MULTIPLES OR SUBMULTIPLES THEREOF

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol	Value
Plane angle	revolution*⁽¹⁾ (a)		1 revolution = 2 rad
	grade* or gon*	gon*
	degree	°
	minute of angle	'
	second of angle	''
Time	minute	min	1 min = 60 s
	hour	h	1 h=3 600 s
	day	d	1 d = 86 400 s
⁽¹⁾ The character (*) after a unit name or symbol indicates that it does not appear in the lists drawn up by the CGPM or CIPM or BIPM. This applies to the whole of this Annex.
(a) No international symbol exists.

Note: The prefixes listed in 1.3 may only be used in conjunction with the names 'grade' or 'gon' and the symbol 'gon'.

3. UNITS DEFINED INDEPENDENTLY OF THE SEVEN SI BASE UNITS

The unified atomic mass unit is one-twelfth of the mass of an atom of the nuclide ¹²C.

The electronvolt is the kinetic energy acquired by an electron passing in a vacuum from one point to another whose potential is one volt higher.

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol	Value
Mass	unifed atomic mass unit	u	1u » 1.660 565 5 x 10^-27 kg
Energy	electronvolt	eV	1eV » 1.602 189 2 x 10^-19 J

The value of these units, expressed in SI units, is not known exactly.

The above values are taken from CODATA Bulletin No. 11 of December 1973 of the International Council of Scientific Unions.

Note: The prefixes and their symbols listed in 1.3 may be used in conjunction with these two units and with their symbols.

4. UNITS AND NAMES OF UNITS PERMITTED IN SPECIALISED FIELDS ONLY

Quantity	Unit
Name	Symbol	Value
Vergency of optical systems	dioptre*		1 dioptre = 1 m^-1
Mass of precious stones	metric carat		1 metric carat = 2 x 10^-4 kg
Area of farmland and building land	are	a	1 a = 10²m²
Mass per unit length of textile yarns and threads	tex*	tex*	1 tex = 10^-6 kg.m^-1
Blood pressure and pressure of other body fluids	millimetre of mercury	mm Hg	1 mm Hg = 133,322 Pa.
Effective cross-sectional area	barn	b	1 b = 10^-28 m

Note: The prefixes and their symbols listed in 1.3 may be used in conjunction with the above units and symbols, with the exception of the millimetre of mercury and its symbol. The multiple of 10 a is, however, called a 'hectare'.

5. COMPOUND UNITS

Combinations of the units named in Schedule 1 form compound units.

SCHEDULE 2

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERRED TO IN REGULATIONS 4 (2) (b)

UNITS IN GENERAL USE

Quantities, Names of Units	Symbols and Approximate Values
Energy
therm	1 therm = 105.506 x 10⁶ J
Length
inch	1 in. = 2.54 x 10^-2 m
foot	1 ft. = 0.3048 m
yard	1 yard = 0.9144 m
mile	1 mile = 1609 m
Area
square foot	1 sq. ft. = 0.929 x 10^-1 m
square yard	1 sq. yd. = 0.8361 m
acre	1 ac = 4047 m
Volume
fluid ounce	1 fl. oz. = 28.41 x 10^-6 m³
gill	1 gill = 0.1421 x 10^-3 m³
pint	1 pt. = 0.5683 x 10^-3 m³
quart	1 qt. = 1.137 x 10^-3 m³
gallon	1 gal. = 4.546 x 10^-3 m³
Mass
ounce (avoirdupois)	1 oz. = 28.35 x 10^-3 kg
troy ounce	1 oz. tr. = 31.10 x 10^-3 kg
pound	1 lb. = 0.4536 kg

UNITS IN SPECIALISED FIELDS OF APPLICATION

Field of Application	Unit
Name	Symbol	Approximate Value
Spirit Drinks	gill	gill	1 gill = 0.1421 × 10^-3 m³
Goods sold loose from bulk	ounce	oz.	1 oz. = 28.35 × 10^-3 kg
	pound	lb.	1 lb. = 0.4536 kg

Until the date specified in Regulation 4 (2) (b) of these Regulations, the units listed above may be combined with each other or with those in Schedule 1 to these Regulation to form compound units.

SCHEDULE 3

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERRED TO IN REGULATION 4 (2) (c)

Field of Application	Unit
Name	Symbol	Approximate Value
Beer, cider, waters, lemonades and fruit juices in returnable containers	pint fluid ounce	pt fl. oz.	1 pt. = 0.5683 x 10^-3 m³ 1 fl. oz. = 28.41 x 10^-6 m³
Land registration	acre	ac.	1 ac. = 4047 m
Marine navigation	fathom	fm.	1 fm. = 1.829 m
Milk in returnable containers	pint	pt.	1 pt. = 0.5683 x 10^-3 m³
Road traffic signs, distance and speed measurement	mile yard foot inch	mile yd. ft. in.	1 mile = 1609 m 1 yd. = 0.9144 m 1 ft. = 0.3048 m 1 in. = 2.54 x 10^- m

Until the date specified in Regulation 4 (2) (c) of these Regulations, the units listed in this Schedule may be combined with each other or with those in Schedule 1 to these Regulations to form compound units.

SCHEDULE 4

LEGAL UNITS OF MEASUREMENT REFERRED TO IN REGULATION 4 (2) (d)

Field of Application	Unit
Name	Symbol	Approximate Value
Dispensing of draught beer and cider	pint	pt.	1 pt. = 0.5683 x 10^-³ m³
Transaction in precious metals	troy ounce	oz. tr.	1 oz. tr. = 31.10 x 10^-³ kg

Until the date referred to in Regulation 4 (2) (d), the units listed in this Schedule may be combined with each other or with those in Schedule 1 to these Regulations to form compound units.

SCHEDULE 5

NATIONAL METRIC STANDARDS

Part 1

Description of national standard of the metre

The Irish copy of the international metre being a bar about 1030 millimetres long, of simple H section, 24 millimetres wide by 24 millimetres high, made of 58% mickel steel having the upper face of web in neutral plane and a polished scale engraved thereon, bearing the inscription

An Méadar Náisiúnta, Éire 1969

The metre bar has also the following markings on the face:

( a ) NI 58% No. 15481 20°C

( b ) SIP Geneve Made in Switzerland

( c ) X NI 58% at its left extremity

( d ) 5036 at its right extremity

Part 2

Description of national standard of the kilogram

The Irish copy of the international prototype of the kilogram being a mass of stainless steel "Immaculate V" (25% chrome, 20% nickel) in the form of a cylinder of revolution, of diameter approximately equal to its height, and has rounded edges.

It is constructed of a single polished piece, without an interior cavity or attached pieces; on the upper face is placed the following identification mark:

1 Kg

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 9th day of September, 1992.

DESMOND O'MALLEY

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations are made to give effect to Council Directive 89/617/EEC amending Council Directive 80/181/EEC as amended by Council Directive 85/1/EEC on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to units of measurement. The Regulations provide for the phased withdrawal of practically all remaining imperial units of measurement.

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S.I. No. 255/1992 -- European Communities (Units of Measurement) Regulations, 1992.