Safety valves are required to function reliably on those occasions when the valve in question must perform its intended function. Since such functions may occur on relatively rare occasions, it must be ensured through regular testing and maintenance that, when it must come into operation, the valve will function as intended.

In order to check that testing and maintenance have been carried out according to specifications, the test results are verified, as will be explained in more detail in connection with figure 1, by a authorised inspector, who issues a certificate of approval. In order to be able to carry out his/her work, the inspector must be acquainted with the test results for a valve, such as the work hitherto carried out on site. This naturally means long travelling times for the inspector, which limits the daily average number of valves for which a certificate can be issued.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of the generic type, which will enable a single inspector to issue many times more certificates per unit time and at a considerably lower cost than has hitherto been possible. This is achieved by the features specified in the characterising part of the claim.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of drawings attached, in which figure 1, as stated, illustrates a conventional method and figure 2 the method according to the invention.

In figure 1, 1, 2 and 3 generally denote a number of premises, on which there is at least one valve la, 2a and 3 a of the aforementioned type. The term premises relates here to a locality, indoors or outdoors, where the valve is fitted in order to perform its function and where the valve is tested and maintained.

Testing and servicing/maintenance are identified in figure 1 by operations blocks lb, lc, 2b, 2c and Xb, Xc. From the test lb, 2b Xb, test data ld, 2d and Xd are derived, which together with an identity assigned to each valve are stored in a database 4.

This contains addressable storage spaces for valve identification 4a, 4b... 4x, test data 4p, servicing and repair 4s and approval 4g.

Provided that the test shows that the valve in question meets the requirements laid down, an authorised inspector 5 issues an approval, which is stored in the database 4 under the identity belonging to the valve.

Testing, servicing and approval, and storage in the database are carried out in the same way at the other premises 2,3 for the valves 2a and Xa. It must be noted with regard to this that geographically the premises may be situated at considerable distances from one another.

By means of a password, authorised persons can have access to information regarding the valves la, 2a and Xa stored in the database 4.

In figure 2,1,2 and X again generally denote three premises with valves la, 2a and Xa, which are subject to servicing lc, 2c Xc and testing lb, 2b and Xb. From the testing, test data Id, 2d and Xd are derived, which with an identity belonging to each valve aie stored in the database 4 in the same way as explained in connection with figure 1.

According to the invention, an authorised inspector 5 is assigned a password for the database 4 for accessing the test result for each valve through its identity. The inspector, in a manner known in the art, compares the test data with the criteria laid down for approval of each valve. If the inspector finds that the valve in question fulfils the criteria, he issues a certificate of approval and stores this in the database under the current valve identity, as illustrated in figure 2. It will be noted that the inspector may be located anywhere, for example in his office, at home or in the car.

Communication with the database 4 is effected by a connection that can be established via the Internet.

In order to issue a certificate of approval for valve 2a, for example, the inspector 5 establishes contact with the database 4, via the Internet, for example, and by means of his password the inspector 5 secures access to the memory space 4pb in which test data for the valve 2a are stored. These are compared with the said criteria for approval and if the test data fulfil these, the inspector opens the memory space 4gb and enters the certificate of approval. As an aid, the inspector 5 naturally has a computer with a keyboard and a screen, on which a certificate form is displayed in a manner known in the art, which supports the input of the certificate of approval.

When the certificate of approval for the valve 2a has been issued, the inspector can attend to the next assignment without needing to change location in order to do this.