Standard Interpretation
Standard: 2016
Section: V1M2, Section 5.5.13.1
REQUEST:
d) Temperature measuring devices shall be calibrated or verified at least annually. Calibration or verification shall be performed using a recognized National Metrology Institute traceable reference, such as NIST, when available.
Question: do reference thermometers need to be calibrated annually? These are traceable to NIST.
TNI FINAL RESPONSE:
As long as the reference thermometer is not being used as a piece of support equipment such as described in 5.5.13.1 c, a reference thermometer is a reference standard as described in 5.6.3.1 and would need to be calibrated before and after any adjustment, and in accordance with the lab’s documented procedure.