A person who is the owner, technical manager, or inspector of a type-A inspection body that carries out LPG tank inspections also serves as the LPG responsible manager (legally responsible person for safety according to national legislation) of a gas distribution company. The gas distribution company owns the LPG tanks and rents the LPG tanks to fuel stations. The responsibility for inspecting the rented tanks remains with the distribution company.
ISO/IEC 17020:2012 Annex A-A1-(b) reads as “The inspection body and its personnel shall not engage in any activities that may conflict with their independence of judgment and integrity in relation to their inspection activities. In particular, they shall not be engaged in the design, manufacture, supply, installation, purchase, ownership, use or maintenance of the items inspected.”
Does employing such a person, contradict Annex A-A1-(b)?
March 2024
Personnel of a Type A inspection body cannot be engaged in activities of design, manufacture, supply, purchase, ownership, use or maintenance of the type of item inspected.The requirement for the personnel in the ISO/IEC 17020:2012 standard specifies a restriction in activities. In the case of the FAQ there is a clear conflict of interest because the technical manager of the inspection body is performing activities of responsible manager in a company that owns, maintains, and supplies the type of item inspected.
It is not allowed for type A inspection bodies.