On the directions of development of the activities of inspection bodies in the national accreditation system

Abstract

A fairly large number of testing laboratories (centers) and certifi cation bodies are accredited in the Russian Federation. According to the Federal Service for Accreditation, there are 327 inspection bodies in the Russian Federation out of almost 9,000 accredited persons. The analysis showed that the number of inspection bodies is insuffi cient and is constantly increasing even in the conditions of the current volume of work performed and areas of activity.Reducing the risk of accidents can be ensured by changing the requirements for periodic inspection by granting the appropriate status to accredited inspection bodies. Giving the right to assess the inspection bodies allows to strengthen the preventive function of improving the safety of structures and facilities.The possibility of expanding the scope of activities of inspection bodies in a number of areas is substantiated. These proposals will enable authorities, specialists in the fi eld of technical regulation, and experts from inspection bodies to prepare on their basis further steps to expand the areas of work of inspections.The experience of European countries shows that inspectorates can take on a wide range of tasks from the state, performing their assessments qualitatively and impartially on the basis of ISO/IEC 17020:2012. In the Russian Federation, there are also a large number of areas that can be submitted for professional assessment by inspection bodies.