Metric News
EU Metric-Only Labeling Directive Revised
The EU Metric Directive (80/181/EEC), scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2010, has been modified to allow the continuation of both supplemental (U.S. customary, inch-pound) and metric units for consumer goods sold in the EU. The rule was published on May 7, 2009 in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The Directive instructs the European Commission to produce a report to the Parliament and Council regarding the smooth functioning of the internal market and international acceptance of SI units by December 31, 2019, including proposals where appropriate.
Demonstrated progress will be important for U.S. stakeholders to achieve long-term acceptance of supplemental units in the EU. Modifying the U.S. Fair Package and Labeling Act (FPLA), which currently requires dual labeling, to permit optional metric labeling is an example where greater international marketplace acceptance of SI units can be achieved.
SI (Metric) Measurements Help U.S. Healthcare Industry Increase Patient Safety
In April 2008 the Joint Commission, formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), an independent, not-for-profit healthcare organization accreditation and certification body, issued a Sentinel Alert to accredited organizations that all pediatric patients should be weighted in kilograms (kg) at the time of admission, including outpatient and ambulatory clinics, or within 4 hours of admission in an emergency situation. The Joint Commission states that kilograms should be the standard nomenclature for weight on prescriptions, medical records, and staff communications. Medication errors are believed to be the most common type of medical error and are a significant cause of preventable adverse events.
U.S. healthcare institutions, such as the Monroe Carell Jr. Chidren's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee and the Austin Medical Center, Mayo Health System, Austin, Minnesota, are increasingly switching to exclusive SI measurements for patient care to lower the potential for patient safety errors and increase quality patient care. Examples include modifying scales to measure in only grams and kilograms, using Celsius thermometers instead of Fahrenheit, measuring length in terms of meters, and maintaining metric record and documentation systems. Hospitals are working to education patients in areas such as the newborn nurseries and emergency rooms, where customary (inch-pound) units have historically been used.
Hydrogen Energy to Expand Use of the SI
New technologies present opportunities for increasing the use of the SI (metric system). For example, the U.S. National Work Group for the Development of Commercial Hydrogen Measurement Standards - Fuel Specification Sub-committee has proposed Hydrogen Fuel Method of Sale based on basis of the kilogram (kg) and the pascal (Pa) in commercial sales and on street signs. If implemented, the U.S. approach would be consistent with the global hydrogen marketplace in terms of the method of sale.
Learn more about Developing Commercial Hydrogen Measurement Standards.
NIST Offers U.S. Interpretations of Recent SI (Metric) Changes
NIST has issued a new American version of the English language SI Brochure, the eight edition of the international standard reference guide to the metric system. The SI plays an essential role in trade and commerce and is the common language of scientific and technological research and development.
The 2008 edition of NIST Special Publications (SP) 330, the International System of Units (SI), cover correct U.S. usage of metric units. In another update, NIST SP 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), complements SP 330, and is published to assist NIST authors and others in correct SI usage and unit conversion. An extensive conversion factor appendix offers help in measurement unit conversions and in appropriate rounding-off of data. SP 811 also provides an editorial checklist for reviewing manuscripts' conformity with the SI and the basic principles of physical quantities and units. A color diagram has been added that illustrates the utilization of the SI base units in defining the 22 derived units with special names and symbols.
Page Creation: January 8, 2009
Page Last Modified: October 27, 2009
