Choosing inspection checks from the product's risks

Identify what could make the product unsafe, unusable, misdescribed or hard to sell, then choose pre-shipment checks accordingly. For each material failure, set a check, a method and an acceptance rule. Appearance checks alone may miss faults requiring a functional test, measurement or separate laboratory evidence.

Start with possible failures

Describe each failure and what it causes. A wrong size may prevent fit; a missing component may prevent use. A mark on a concealed surface may matter less than one on a display face. Weigh severity against the agreed product and customer promise, then decide which failures inspection must detect.

Use the latest approved specification and sample. Include issues found in prototypes, earlier orders or supplier changes where records exist. If a requirement cannot be checked on finished goods, arrange an earlier production check or suitable test rather than treating it as verified at final inspection.

Make each check repeatable

For a dimension, specify the measurement location, unit and permitted range. For a function, state the operating steps and expected result. For a finish comparison, identify the approved reference and viewing conditions. For packaging, list the required contents, markings and carton configuration.

Have the inspector record observations and actual measurements, not only ticked pass boxes. Request photographs where appearance or location matters, and a clear “not checked” where access, equipment or time prevents a check. Where variants share a component but carry different labels, cover both the shared feature and each variant’s label.

Inspection Methods by Failure Type

Match verification to the consequence

Set the lot, selection method and acceptance rules before the visit. Sampling can inform lot acceptance, but leaves uncertainty about uninspected units. A safety concern may require product-specific testing and evidence, even when the visual sample is larger.

For consumer products supplied in Australia, determine whether a mandatory standard applies to the actual product. Such requirements can concern performance, composition, construction, packaging or labelling.

Before commissioning the inspection, confirm the relevant variants are available and that the inspector has the access, equipment and competence to perform the planned checks. The resulting brief should let the buyer explain the decision without changing the rules after seeing the results.