Purpose and Basic Information

Complaint Procedure of the Inspection Service SAP

Purpose and Meaning of the Complaint Procedure

(as on Jan. 1st, 2011)

Purpose of the complaint procedure is the verification of the inspection/control proceedings and -decisions on demand of the inspected people or companies by controlling wether the inspectors maintained the inspection/control regulations (guidelines, checklists, evaluation and approvement criteria) during a specific, clearly defined incidence. It also gives the inspected/controlled people or companies the possibility to clarify eventual misunderstandings or to hand in additional information to re-evaluate a result.

In legitimate cases the purpose is

• to correct accidental mistakes in calculations, evaluations of the situation on site a.s.o.
• to alternate decisions based on missing or insufficient information.
• to review eventual shortcomings in the proceedings of the inspectors and adjust the results according to the specified regulations.

It is NOT the purpose of the complaint procedure and the involved bodies

• to discuss or change the guidelines of controls and inspections.
• to discuss or adjust terms not belonging to the Inspection Service's duties, as for instance the penalties implied by our clients (usually, the label owner).
• to discuss or adjust the quality management conditions of the Inspection Service SAP.

The complaint procedure consists of two levels. On the first level, a written objection to the CEO of the Inspection Service SAP can be expressed, which is answered by a written objection decision which can be appealed against. On the second level it is possible to recur against the decision of the CEO Inspection Service SAP with a written appeal to the Complaint Committee SAP. Their judgement is final and not appealable.

This objection procedure is part of the internal quality management system of the Inspection Service SAP and therefore approved by the Swiss Accreditation Service SAS.

Authorization to use the Complaint Procedure

Authorized to object and appeal to inspection and control decisions are people and companies subjected to inspections and controls as well as people and companies who are directly liable for penalties imposed on inspection and control results due to contracts and agreements with the Inspection Service SAP. Additionally, the concerned contractor (client) of inspections and controls is in certain cases authorized to use the complaint procedure.