For several years IMPEL worked on the subject of inspection planning in the project Doing the right thing (DTRT). DTRT introduced the environmental inspection cycle. Important steps in that cycle are setting priorities and defining inspection targets and related performance indicators. When authorities started implementing DTRT it became apparent that they needed further support in particular with regard to these two steps. Therefore IMPEL decided to develop some additional tools in these areas.
The guidance given in this report focuses on setting inspection targets and performance monitoring. In another project a tool was developed for setting priorities (EasyTools project). Together with DTRT they provide authorities with a comprehensive set of guidelines for planning of inspections.
This guidance document has been written primarily to assist inspection authorities to set and monitor targets for inspecting regulated facilities, but it can also be used more widely. For example, inspection authorities that also have powers to take enforcement action against illegal dumping of waste can use the methodology set-out in this guidance to set and monitor targets for dealing with these sites in a systematic way.