What Is Surveillance?
Pre-shipment inspection is the check of goods by an independent party after production is complete but before loading, against the contract and the specification. In international trade, where the buyer must pay without having seen the goods, it is the last point of verification before the decision.
Why Is It Done?
The aim is to stop non-conforming goods from setting off. When the problem is found at the port of arrival, return, destruction or a discount negotiation follows and the cost multiplies; PSI prevents that cost at the place of production.
Who Requests It?
- Importers and buyer companies
- Banks issuing letters of credit and exporters required by an L/C condition
- Retail chains and brand owners
- Public procurement bodies
- Exporters shipping to countries running a pre-shipment conformity (PVoC) programme
Scope of Surveillance
- Quantity: counting of cartons, pallets and units
- Quality: visual examination and function check against specification
- Sampling and, where required, laboratory analysis
- Packaging: strength, inner packaging, protection and stacking arrangement
- Marking and labelling: language, content, barcode, origin declaration
- Dimension, weight and size check
- Verification of the production completion rate
- Suitability of the container or means of transport
- Consistency of shipping documents with the goods
Related Standards
- ISO/IEC 17020
- ISO 2859-1
- ISO 3951-1
- ISO 21067
Method and Equipment
- Calibrated scales and measuring instruments
- Sampling and sealing materials
- Photo and video recording equipment
- Barcode scanner
- Product-specific measuring instruments (moisture meter, colour card, etc.)
Surveillance Process
- 1Appointment and InstructionsThe survey instruction is received in writing: scope, method to be applied, sampling plan, specification and reporting expectations are clarified. The scope of the instruction also sets the limits of the report.
- 2Collection of Shipment DataContract or letter-of-credit terms, the proforma invoice, the packing list and earlier analysis reports are reviewed; the date and place of the survey are planned.
- 3Site PreparationThe surveyor attends the location; warehouse, terminal or vessel conditions and the suitability of weighing and measuring equipment are assessed.
- 4Carrying Out the SurveyQuantity determination, sampling, inspection and the required measurements are performed by the defined method; every step is documented with photographs and records.
- 5Sample HandlingWhere samples are taken they are sealed, labelled and distributed between the parties; a witness sample is retained. If analysis is required, samples are dispatched to the laboratory.
- 6Recording of FindingsAny nonconformity, damage or shortage found is recorded on the spot and reported to the principal.
- 7ReportingThe survey report is issued; its scope and the time and place of the survey are stated explicitly. Where a letter of credit so requires, a survey certificate is issued in the format demanded.
Surveillance Report
- Details of the survey company, the surveyor and the principal
- Date, time and place of the survey
- Description of the goods, batch/lot and reference documents
- Survey method applied and the sampling plan, if any
- Measurement and weighing results, equipment used and its calibration data
- Condition of packaging, marking and stowage
- Nonconformities, shortages or damage found
- Photographic records
- Sample seal numbers and retention details
- Statement of the limits of the survey's scope
- Production completion rate
- Sampling plan (AQL level) and number of defects found
- Accept / reject / conditional acceptance decision
Limits of the Report
A survey report records the condition of the goods AT THE TIME and AT THE PLACE of the survey, and no further. It is not a quality guarantee, a certificate of conformity or an insurance cover. Where the survey is based on sampling, the result represents only the sample drawn; it gives no absolute assurance for the whole lot. Changes arising during handling, transport or storage after the survey fall outside the scope of the report.
Accreditation
Surveillance activities are carried out under ISO/IEC 17020, which requires the impartiality of the survey body, the competence of its personnel and the validity of the survey methods. The impartiality rule is decisive: a survey body may not be a party to the trade in, or the manufacture of, the goods it surveys. EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation under ISO/IEC 17020, granted by accreditation bodies that are signatories to the ILAC mutual recognition arrangement; because accredited scope is defined per type of surveillance, it is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Surveillance Services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AQL and why does it matter?
The Acceptable Quality Level determines how many samples are examined in a sampling plan and at how many defects the lot is rejected. The AQL level must be agreed by the parties in advance; an AQL disputed afterwards makes acceptance of the report contentious.
Are PSI and PVoC the same thing?
No, they are not. PSI is a commercial survey between buyer and seller, carried out at the request of the parties. PVoC, on the other hand, is a mandatory conformity verification programme required by the importing country's legislation, whose output is a certificate of conformity presented at customs.
How complete should production be when the survey is carried out?
Common practice is for the bulk of production to be complete and a significant portion to be packed. A survey carried out too early has low representativeness; one carried out too late leaves no time for correction.
Is the surveillance report a quality guarantee?
No, it is not. The report documents the condition found at the time and place of the survey. Changes the goods undergo during subsequent transport, handling and storage are outside the scope of the report, and the surveillance body is not responsible for them.
How is the surveyor's independence ensured?
Surveillance is carried out under ISO/IEC 17020, which requires impartiality and the prevention of conflicts of interest. The surveillance body cannot be a party to the buying or selling of goods it surveys.
How long does it take to issue the report?
Preliminary findings are communicated the same day the fieldwork is completed. The final report depends on the arrival of laboratory results if analysis is required; the timeframe is specified in writing at the quotation stage.