WEIGHTS & MEASURES

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The County Auditor is required by Ohio law to inspect all commercial devices used in retail trade for weighing or measuring. This includes checking price verification systems (scanners) and packages, such as meats, firewood, mulch, and milk. Each Inspector is required to complete eighteen hours of continuing education every year under Ohio regulations. If a device is found to be inaccurate, the Auditor, through their Inspectors, can reject the device, condemn the device, or in extreme cases, confiscate the device. If the device is rejected, the Auditor must affix a seal to it indicating it has been rejected. In Hamilton County, stickers are also affixed to devices that are not sealed or are condemned. If a package is inaccurate, the Auditor can order the packages to be repacked, order them off sale, or in extreme cases, confiscate the packages. In the case of scanners, the Auditor will normally give a merchant three chances to reduce the error rate to below 2%. If the error rate is still over 2% on the third inspection, a written Notice of Inaccuracy is given to the store manager, with a copy sent to the corporate headquarters. In all cases, for devices, packages, or scanners, if an establishment does not comply with Ohio’s Weights & Measures laws, the Auditor will turn the matter over to the County Prosecuting Attorney.

The procedures followed by the Weights & Measures Inspector are defined by the Ohio Department of Agriculture - Division of Weights and Measures (ODA/WM).

In all cases, for devices, packages, or scanners, if an establishment does not comply with Ohio's Weights and Measures laws, the Auditor will turn the matter over to the County Prosecuting Attorney. In extreme cases, the matter is turned over to the ODA/WM which in turn asks for the assistance of the Ohio Attorney General's Office.

The FTC has developed resource guides to help consumers find the appropriate agencies to contact about consumer-related matters. These guides contain lists of nonprofit, state and local agencies for the states listed below. The addresses are:

For Ohio (Including Michigan, West Virginia. Pennsylvania, Maryland & Delaware)

Cleveland Regional Office
Federal Trade Commission
1111 Superior Avenue, Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44114-25071111 Superior Avenue, Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44114-2507
For Consumer Complaint Calls: (216) 263-3410(216) 263-3410
Fax: (216) 263-3426

For Kentucky & Indiana (Including Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa & Missouri)

Chicago Regional Office
Federal Trade Commission
55 East Monroe Street, Suite 1860
Chicago, IL 60603-570155 East Monroe Street, Suite 1860
Chicago, IL 60603-5701

For Consumer Complaint Calls: (312) 960-5633(312) 960-5633
Fax: (312) 960-5600

New! FTC Consumer Help Line
(877) 382-4357(877) 382-4357