Overview
EN ISO 19932-3:2025 - Equipment for crop protection - Knapsack sprayers - Part 3: Inspection of knapsack sprayers in use (ISO 19932-3:2025) specifies requirements and test methods for inspecting knapsack sprayers carried on the back or shoulder for use with plant protection products (PPPs). The standard focuses on the sprayer’s condition, potential risk to the operator and the environment, and performance needed for good application. It applies to lever-operated, compression and engine- or electric motor-driven knapsack sprayers that use hydraulic pressure atomisation and have a nominal tank volume greater than 6.0 L.
Key topics and technical requirements
The document defines inspection areas and verification methods without prescribing new technical designs. Key topics include:
- General requirements for safe use and inspection procedures.
- Harness and carrying system checks to ensure operator safety and correct positioning.
- Spray tank integrity, filling/emptying, and leak testing to prevent PPP loss and contamination.
- Controls and measuring systems: levers, valves and regulators that affect dosing and reproducibility.
- Hoses, filters and nozzles inspection to verify unobstructed flow and correct spray output.
- Spray output and lance: verification of nozzle condition and distribution performance.
- Power-driven components (for engine/electric models): pump, power transmission, fuel tank, exhaust and high-voltage parts where applicable.
- Specific requirements for lever-operated tanks, compression sprayers (pressure relief and funnel features), and engine-driven models.
- Information for use - required user instructions and safety information.
The standard explicitly excludes knapsack combustion engine-driven air-blast sprayers (covered by ISO 28139:2019/Amd 1:2024), rotary atomiser CDAs and portable fogging/spatial application equipment.
Applications and who uses it
EN ISO 19932-3:2025 is used for:
- Routine in-field inspection and maintenance of knapsack sprayers.
- Regulatory compliance and surveillance schemes tied to pesticide-use legislation.
- Manufacturer and dealer quality checks and pre-sale inspections.
- Training materials for extension services, agronomists, and farm operators on safe PPP application.
- Certification bodies and inspection services that assess conformity with EU Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable pesticide use.
Typical users: agricultural service technicians, equipment inspectors, growers, distributors, national regulators and crop protection advisors.
Related standards
- ISO 19932 series (other parts covering design or test methods for new sprayers).
- ISO 28139:2019/Amd 1:2024 (air-blast knapsack sprayers).
- EU Directive 2009/128/EC - Annex II mapping (Annex ZA of the EN ISO text links clauses to Directive requirements and provides a route to presumption of conformity when cited in the Official Journal).
Keywords: knapsack sprayers inspection, EN ISO 19932-3:2025, plant protection products, PPP, lever-operated sprayer, compression sprayer, engine-driven sprayer, spray tank leak test, nozzle inspection, pesticide application equipment.