Proactive market surveillance of reflective safety vests (visibility vests) completed

During the period from 1st April 2021 to 7th December 2021, regional proactive market surveillance of reflective safety vests (visibility vests) was conducted. The surveillance was conducted by the Western Balkan countries under the patronage of The German National Metrology Institute (PTB). The surveillance in Bosnia and Herzegovina was conducted through cooperation of the Market Surveillance Agency of BiH, Federal Administration for Inspection Affairs, Republic Administration for Inspection Affairs and Inspectorate of Brčko District of BiH, in accordance with the Order on personal protective equipment (Official Gazette of BiH, 75/10). 

Safety requirements for visibility vests are prescribed by the Order on personal protective equipment and the applicable standard, so administrative verification of documentation, visual inspection and laboratory testing of products were performed in accordance with these requirements.

Objectives of the proactive surveillance were to assess the situation on the market of BiH in terms of safety of visibility vests, withdraw the products that could pose a danger to users, enhance consumer safety and raise awareness of economic operators on placing safe products on the market.    

During the implementation of proactive surveillance, 11 inspections were carried out and they included administrative verification of documentation, visual inspection and laboratory testing. In total, 8 models od visibility vests were controlled. Non-compliances were found in 5 models, out of which 4 models posed a serious risk to consumers.

Either voluntarily or by order of inspection bodies, economic operators withdrew 5 non-compliant models of reflective vests from the market (total of 10,733 products).