TR 44-02

CRITERIA FOR LABORATORY ACCREDITATION

IN THE FIELD OF HUMIDITY METROLOGY

Approved By:
Revised By:
Date of Approval:
Date of Implementation:

Chief Executive Officer:

Senior Manager:
Field Manager:
2014-11-21
2014-11-21

SANAS

Ron Josias
Mpho Phaloane
Neville Tayler

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TR 44-02

CONTENTS:

1.

Purpose and Scope ............................................................................................................... 3

2.

Definitions and References .................................................................................................... 3

3.

Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................... 4

4.

Environmental Requirements ................................................................................................ 4

5.

General Requirements........................................................................................................... 5

6.

Technical Requirements ........................................................................................................ 5

7.

The Accreditation Schedule ................................................................................................... 5

Appendix 1:

Accreditation Schedule........................................................................................... 6

Addendum 1: Amendment Record ............................................................................................... 7

SANAS

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TR 44-02

1.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this document is to define the specific environmental, general and technical
requirements to be met by accredited laboratories in the field humidity measurement and calibration.
This document is applicable to South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) Accredited
Laboratories in this field.

2.

Definitions and References

References
[1]
[2]

OHS Act, 1993

OHS Act, 1993

[3]

NPL, UK 1996

[4]

ISO/IEC Guide
99-12:2007
2007.

Environmental Regulations 1987 - Lighting

General Admin Regulations 1994 Handling of Hazardous
Chemical Substances
A Guide to the Measurement of Humidity
Issued by the NPL and Institute of Measurement and Control
ISBN 0-904457-24-9
International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in
rd
Metrology, (VIM) 3 Edition BIPM, IEC, IFCC, ISO, IUPAC, OIML,

Definitions

Absolute Humidity
The mass of water vapour present in a unit volume of moist air of a given temperature and
-3
pressure. SI (metric) units are grams of water per cubic metre of air (g.m ). [3]

Dew Point
The temperature at which dew, or condensation forms, on cooling a gas. This is in effect the
temperature at which air becomes saturated in equilibrium with water, expressed in degrees
Celsius (C) or occasionally other units of temperature.[3]

Step Response Time

Duration between the instant when an input quantity value of a measuring instrument or
measuring system is subjected to an abrupt change between two specified constant quantity
values and the instant when a corresponding indication settles within specified limits around its
final steady value. [4]

Repeatability Condition of measurement

repeatability condition
condition of measurement, out of a set of conditions that includes the same measurement
procedure, same operators, same measuring system, same operating conditions and same
location, and replicate measurements on the same or similar objects over a short period of time.
[4]

Repeatability
repeatability
measurement precision under a set of repeatability conditions of measurement. [4]

Relative Humidity
Relative humidity is the ratio of the amount of water vapour, e, in the air to the amount of water
vapour, es, that would be in the air if saturated at the same temperature and pressure, and can
be expressed
relative humidity (in %) = e/es X 100
Where e is the water vapour pressure, and es is the saturation vapour pressure of the prevailing
ambient temperature [3]
SANAS

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TR 44-02

Saturation Vapour Pressure

Maximum pressure of water vapour that can exist at a given temperature. Expressed in units of
pressure e.g. in pascals (Pa) or in non-SI units such as millibars (mbar) or millimeteres of
mercury (mm Hg). [3]

Water Activity (of a substance)

Water activity (aw) is the relative humidity which is eventually reached in a closed space where a
hygroscopic substance, such as a foodstuff, has been placed. It is the same as equilibrium
relative humidity except that it is expressed on a scale of 0 to 1 (no units) [3]

3.

Abbreviations
aw
CMC
MSDS
rh
SANAS

4.

Water Vapour Pressure

That part of the total pressure contributed by the water vapour. Expressed in units of
pressure e.g. pascals (Pa). [3]

water activity
Calibration and Measurement Capability
Material Safety Data Sheets
Relative Humidity
South African National Accreditation System

Environmental Requirements
Significant changes in relative humidity may occur with even slight variations in temperature and without
change in absolute humidity. For example, a 1C variance in temperature at 20C and 50% rh can
introduce an error of 3,2 %rh. [3]
Therfore an accredited laboratory working in the field of humidity measurements shall operate under the
following environmental conditions:
4.1

The laboratory should be maintained at a temperature of 23C 3C. Where measurements are
performed outside this specified requirement, the laboratory must ensure that appropriate
corrections are applied.

4.2

Rates of change and gradients of the ambient temperature and humidity must be kept to below
1 deg C per hour, and 10% rh per hour.

4.3

A high degree of cleanliness shall be maintained in the laboratory and adequate lighting shall be
provided. [1]

4.4

Localized isolation in the form of chambers, cabinets and enclosures may be utilized in order to
minimize the effects of thermal currents and temperature gradients and in so doing provide a
stable and homogeneous environment conducive to reduced measurement uncertainties.

4.5

The laboratory shall consider and include the stability of the environmental conditions on the
relative humidity when estimating the uncertainty of measurement.

SANAS

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TR 44-02

5.

6.

7.

General Requirements
5.1

Laboratories operating in the field of humidity may be accredited for the calibration of
dewpoint hygrometers, relative humidity hygrometers, humidity generators, water activity
meters, saturated and unsaturated salt solutions, environmental chambers, and limited
temperature calibration.
(Refer to the Schedule of Accreditation Appendix 1)

5.2

Laboratories performing the calibration of the temperature indicating or recording component of

thermo-hygrometers or thermo-hygrographs respectively are limited to a BMC of 1 C and
range of 15 to 50C, unless the laboratory is accredited as a temperature calibration laboratory.

5.3

The laboratory will measure and report the measured value in the units applicable for each
specific parameter. Generally, the units will be C (dew point), C (frost point), %rh relative
humidity, aw (water activity).

5.4

The laboratory is required to have MSDS for all standards fluids, and chemicals, including
saturated and unsaturated salt solutions, and cleaning materials used within the laboratory. [2]

Technical Requirements
6.1

The laboratory is required to have procedures in place for the storage and usage of standards in
order to ensure their ongoing integrity.

6.2

The laboratory shall have and apply procedures for all calibrations.

6.3

The laboratory shall have the necessary standards and equipment required to perform the
calibration measurements in accordance with their accreditation schedule.

6.4

All measurements shall be taken only after adequate stabilization time. This period shall be
addressed in the calibration procedures, taking in to account possible differences in response
time due to different time constants of the reference standard and the hygrometers or salt
solutions under test.

6.5

The calibration of environmental and climatic chambers requires the availability of suitable
instrumentation capable of data storage. Laboratory procedures shall address the number of
temperature and relative humidity sensors required, and the spatial distribution thereof, and this
shall be dependant on the volume of the chamber. Guidance may be obtained from IEC 68-266:1994 Environmental testing. The calibration procedure shall address the time period over
which the measurements are to be performed

6.6

It is recommended that the humidity be measured at each point in the chamber where the
temperature is measured. The application of corrections based on spatial temperature
measurements, will result in humidity values with a larger uncertainty.

6.7

Laboratories should take cognisance of effects of barometric pressure on humidity

measurements

6.8

Laboratories shall record and report the temperature at which the measurement of water activity
or relative humidity has been made.

The Accreditation Schedule

The accreditation schedule shall follow the following format; the functions will be determined by the
laboratory application, ranges and uncertainties are approximate.
See Appendix 1

SANAS

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TR 44-02

APPENDIX 1: Accreditation Schedule

SCHEDULE OF ACCREDITATION
Permanent Address of Laboratory:
SuperLab
25 Popular Street
Tree Park
Port Southern Africa

Technical Signatories

: Dr I. Dolittle
Mr D Green

Postal Address:
P O Box 22222
Port Southern Africa
X000

Nominated Representative

: Mrs M Brown

Tel : (055) 321-4567

Fax : (055) 321-6789
E-mail: dolittle@mweb.co.za

Issue No.
Date of issue
Expiry date

: 01
: October 200X
: October 200X

ITEM

MEASURED QUANTITY, TYPE OF

GAUGE OR INSTRUMENT

RANGE OF MEASURED
QUANTITY

CALIBRATION AND
MEASUREMENT
CAPABILITIES EXPRESSED
AS AN UNCERTAINTY ()

- 75 C to - 60 C
- 60 C to 17 C

0,4 + (0,073* t + 60) C

0,4 C

0 % rh
11 % rh
33 % rh
53 % rh
75 % rh
90 % rh
95 % rh

2 % rh
2 % rh
2 % rh
2 % rh
2 % rh
2 % rh
2 % rh

Dew-point Hygrometer

Salt Solution: Saturated & unsaturated

15 C to 30 C
(note the rh may also be expressed as a
range)

Digital Hygrometers /
Thermo hygrometers
15 C to 30 C

10 to 90 % rh
15 C to 50 C

2 % rh
1C

Analogue RH Indicators

10 to 90 % rh

5 % rh

Humidity Recorders
Thermo-Hygrograph

10 % rh to 90 % rh
15 C to 50 C

5 % rh
1C

Data Loggers

10 % rh to 90 % rh
15 C to 50 C

3 % rh
1C

0,100 aw to 0,750 aw
0,750 aw to 0,950 aw

0,020 aw
0,025 aw

5 % rh to 95 % rh

4 % rh

Water Activity

Environmental Chambers

On-site calibration of item 7 above

Page 1 of 1

SANAS

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TR 44-02

Addendum 1: Amendment Record

Proposed By:

Section

Change

FM / STC
FM
FM / STC
FM / STC
FM / STC
FM

References
Definitions
Abbreviations
General
Technical
Appendix 1

Updated reference to the GUM

Updated added defintions for Repeatability (conditions), Step response time
BMC changed to CMC
Added 5.4
Moved 6.1 to 5.4
Updated schedule to new format

SANAS

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