For the purposes of this Annex, "machinery" means either "machinery" or "safety

component" as defined in Article 1(2)

1

The body, its director and the staff responsible for carrying out the verification tests

shall not be the designer, manufacturer, supplier or installer of machinery which they

inspect, nor the authorised representative of any of these parties. They shall not

become either involved directly or as authorised representatives in the design,

construction, marketing or maintenance of the machinery. This does not preclude

the possibility of exchanges of technical information between the manufacturer and

the body.

2

The body and its staff shall carry out the verification tests with the highest degree of

professional integrity and technical competence and shall be free from all pressures

and inducements, particularly financial, which might influence their judgement or the

results of the inspection, especially from persons or groups of persons with an interest

in the result of verifications.

3

The body shall have at its disposal the necessary staff and possess the necessary

facilities to enable it to perform properly the administrative and technical tasks

connected with verification it shall also have access to the equipment required for

special verifications.

4

The staff responsible for inspection shall have:

-

sound technical and professional training,

-

satisfactory knowledge of the requirements of the tests they carry out and

adequate experience of such tests,

-

the ability to draw up the certificates, records and reports required to authenticate

the performance of the tests.

5

The impartiality of inspection staff shall be guaranteed. Their remuneration shall not

depend on the number of tests carried out or on the results of such tests.

6

The body shall take out liability insurance unless its liability is assumed by the State

in accordance with national law, or the Member State itself is directly responsible for

the tests.

7

The staff of the body shall be bound to observe professional secrecy with regard to

all information gained in carrying out its tasks (except vis-à-vis the competent

administrative authorities of the State in which its activities are carried out) under this

Directive or any provision of national law giving effect to it.

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