Accreditation according to EN 45004 as a guarantee for a correct, reliable and objective mandatory inspection of sprayers in Flanders, Belgium

摘要

The Department of Mechanisation, Labour, Buildings, Animal Welfare and Environmental Protection of the Agricultural Research Centre of the Ministry of the Flemish Community was the first to obtain an accreditation certificate according to EN 45004 forthe mandatory inspection of sprayers in Flanders, Belgium. A group of independent experts verifies whether the inspection has fulfilled all necessary steps in the procedure and whether all measurements are executed according to the highest quality standards described by EN or ISO standards or own procedures. But what does this all mean in practice? Does this certificate change the daily practice of the inspection? What are the benefits and the costs of an accreditation certificate? After one year the services of the Flemish mandatory inspection of sprayers can summarise their experience as follows: a far better traceability of the inspection, more precise measuring devices due to a constant control, validation and calibration of them, a greater commitment of the inspectors towards the quality of their work, more reliable results and as a consequence more respect from the fanners for the inspection on the whole. These are clearly all benefits that make up for some disadvantages: a larger administration and higher costs for maintenance, repair and replacement of measuring devices.