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- Market Surveillance for Pressure Equipment
- Mission & activities
Mission and activities
The Market Surveillance for Pressure Equipment at the SVTI is the competent inspection body designated by the Federal Department of Economics, Education and Research (EAER), represented by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, Product Safety Division, for the market surveillance of pressure equipment and simple pressure vessels in Switzerland, enforcing product safety legislation in the field of pressure equipment.
Market surveillance for pressure equipment carries out random checks to ensure compliance with the safety regulations for pressure equipment and follows up on justified indications that pressure vessels or pressure equipment do not comply with the statutory regulations.
Inspections usually take place on site and include
- verification of the declaration of conformity and the technical documentation
- visual inspection of the equipment
- if required, functional check or further follow-up tests.
In order to carry out its mandate, the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA) is authorised to request the documentation and information required to proof conformity with the legislation, to take samples, to arrange tests, and to enter business premises during working hours.
In case of a technical or formal defect of the equipment the MSA informs the responsible person for placing the product on the Swiss market (manufacturer or importer) of the result of the inspection and gives opportunity to make a statement (right to be heard). If necessary, it orders the measures by decree and sets a reasonable deadline for compliance. A fee is charged if it results that the product does not comply with the legal requirements. The legal basis for the exercise of market surveillance can be found in the 5th section of the Product Safety Ordinance.