QUALITY MANAGEMENT

In mine action, the quality of the process and the end product is assured by a two-stage approach:

Stage 1 (QA = quality assurance) involves the accreditation and monitoring of the operating company or organization before and during the entire clearance process. To achieve this, demining organizations need to establish an effective management organization, develop and maintain procedures, and apply these procedures in a strict and reliable manner.

Stage 2 (QC=quality control) involves the process of an inspection of cleared land before it is formally released to clients and beneficiaries for use. This combined application of quality assurance (before and during the clearance process) with post-clearance quality control is necessary to achieve an acceptable level of confidence that the land is safe for its intended use. The quality of clearance very often must be acceptable to both the national mine action authority and the client who use the cleared land.

Quality control is always performed by a second mine action company and never by the operator himself.