📐 Standard & approval
ISO/IEC 17020 & ASME B30 Inspection in Saudi Arabia
ISO/IEC 17020 sets requirements for the impartiality, independence and competence of bodies that perform inspection, while the ASME B30 series sets safety, inspection and testing requirements for the lifting equipment itself. Together they answer two different buyer questions: is the inspection body credible, and is the inspection method right for the equipment. Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 is carried out by national accreditation bodies, and in Saudi Arabia that is the Saudi Accreditation Center (SAAC). This page explains what the two sets of standards mean in practice and how EES works to their principles; whether any body holds accreditation, and for what scope, is a document-backed fact to ask about rather than a phrase to take on trust.
Our work is aligned with these requirements
EES inspection, testing and training are aligned with the requirements of this standard.
Ask us for our current approval documentation and scope before you rely on it for a tender, contractor prequalification or site-access requirement.
What it means for contractors
- ✓ISO/IEC 17020 is a standard about the inspection body, not about the equipment. It covers impartiality and independence, competence of personnel, inspection methods and procedures, records, reports, complaints and appeals, and the management system behind them.
- ✓The standard distinguishes inspection body types (A, B and C) by how independent they are from the parties involved. Buyers who want an independent third-party opinion usually look for the most independent type, Type A, and for evidence that the body manages conflicts of interest.
- ✓Accreditation is scope-specific. A body accredited to ISO/IEC 17020 is accredited for particular inspection activities, listed in a scope of accreditation. Read the scope, not just the logo, and check that your equipment type and the work you need appear on it. Some clients also state which accreditation bodies they accept, so check the contract.
- ✓ASME B30 is a series of safety standards for cranes and lifting equipment, each part covering a type: B30.2 overhead and gantry cranes, B30.5 mobile cranes, B30.9 slings, B30.10 hooks, B30.20 below-the-hook lifting devices, B30.23 personnel lifting systems and B30.26 rigging hardware, among others. They set out inspection, testing and maintenance provisions for each type.
- ✓ASME B30 is a standard, not an inspection scheme. An 'ASME inspection' therefore means an inspection by a competent person applying the relevant part, and the report should name the part and edition used and make the inspector's competence evidence available.
- ✓Other codes sit alongside them depending on equipment and project: ANSI/ITSDF B56.1 for forklifts, ANSI/SAIA A92 for MEWPs, ISO 4309 for wire rope examination and discard, EN 13000 for mobile cranes, and, where NDT is part of the scope, personnel qualification under schemes such as ISO 9712 or ASNT SNT-TC-1A. Client instructions go on top.
How EES supports compliance
- ✓Impartiality: we record findings as found, and a failed item stays failed regardless of schedule pressure. Where a conflict of interest could exist, for example if we also supplied, repaired or maintained the equipment being inspected, we declare it before the work starts.
- ✓Competence: inspection work is assigned to personnel with experience and training for the equipment type, and we tell you on request who will inspect and what their relevant training and experience are.
- ✓Documented method: each inspection follows a checklist per equipment type that references the standard (the relevant ASME B30 part, B56.1, A92, ISO 4309 or others), the manufacturer's criteria and the client's requirements, and the report names them.
- ✓Traceable records: reports carry unique numbers, equipment identification and a named signatory, and we keep records so we can confirm a report's authenticity if a client or auditor asks.
- ✓Disputed findings can be raised with us and reviewed against the evidence and the standard cited, which is the practical meaning of the complaints-and-appeals principle in ISO/IEC 17020.
- ✓Accreditation status: ask for current accreditation documents and their scope and compare them with your equipment. Our inspections follow these principles whether or not a client requires an accredited body, and if your contract does, we tell you before booking what we can provide.
Related services
Inspection, testing and training that support this requirement.
Third-Party Certifications
Independent inspection reports, Certificates of Conformity and competency cards.
Learn more →Crane Inspection & Certification
Mobile, tower, overhead and crawler crane inspection with certificates.
Learn more →Heavy Equipment Testing & Inspection
Third-party inspection and load testing for cranes, excavators, bulldozers and forklifts.
Learn more →Lifting Equipment Inspection & Load Testing
Third-party load testing of cranes, hoists, slings, shackles and lifting accessories.
Learn more →Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): MPI, DPI & UT
MPI, DPI, UT and visual testing of welds, lifting equipment, structures and pressure parts, with a written procedure and report for each method.
Learn more →FAQs
What is ISO/IEC 17020 and why does it matter for lifting equipment inspection?＋
ISO/IEC 17020 sets requirements for the operation of bodies that perform inspection, including impartiality, independence, competence, methods, records and reports. It matters because an inspection is only as credible as the body behind it, so clients and auditors look for evidence that the inspector is competent, independent and follows documented methods.
Is EES accredited to ISO/IEC 17020?＋
Accreditation is specific to a scope and is verified by documents, so please ask us for current accreditation documentation, its scope and its reference, and compare it with your contract. We work to the principles of ISO/IEC 17020 on impartiality, competence, documented methods and records, and we confirm in writing before you book what we can provide for your project.
Does ASME certify inspectors or inspection companies for cranes and lifting gear?＋
ASME B30 is a set of safety standards, not an approval scheme for inspection companies. The inspection itself is carried out by a competent person applying the relevant part. What matters to a client reviewer is that the report names the standard, part and edition used, the method and the inspector, and that the inspector's competence evidence is available on request.
Who is responsible for accreditation of inspection bodies in Saudi Arabia?＋
National accreditation is the role of the Saudi Accreditation Center (SAAC). Some clients also state which accreditation bodies they accept for inspection work, so check your contract or ask the client's quality team, and always read the scope of accreditation against the equipment you need inspected.