Accuracy of single measurements

Single measurements are widely used in industry, trade and science, yet the problem of the estimation of the accuracy of this type of measurements is neither addressed nor even recognized in traditional Metrology. In particular, the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement is devoted to multiple measurements only and does not mention single measurements. This paper studies the problem of estimating the inaccuracy of single measurements and describes solutions to this problem. The proposed methods are based on metrological characteristics of measuring instruments rated in accordance with Recommendation R34 of International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML). These characteristics are usually given in manufacturer certificates or provided by calibration laboratories. This paper treats single measurements as the basic type of measurement and multiple measurements as sets of successive single measurements.