This document specifies an acceptance sampling system for inspection by attributes indexed by limiting quality (LQ). The sampling system is used for lots in isolation (isolated sequences of lots, an isolated lot, a unique lot or a short series of lots), where switching rules, such as those of ISO 2859‑1, are not applicable. Inspection levels, as provided by ISO 2859‑1 to control the relative amount of inspection, are not provided in this document. In many industrial situations, in which switching rules might be used, they are not applied for a number of reasons, not all of which might be valid:

a) production is intermittent (not continuous);

b) production is from several different sources in varying quantities, i.e. "job lots";

c) lots are isolated;

d) lots are resubmitted after inspection.

The sampling plans in this document are indexed by a series of specified values of limiting quality (LQ), where the consumer's risk (the probability of acceptance at the LQ) is usually below 0,10 (10 %), except in some instances.

This document is intended both for inspection for nonconforming items and for inspection for nonconformities per 100 items.

It is intended to be used when the supplier and the consumer both regard the lot to be in isolation. That is, the lot is unique in that it is the only one of its type produced. It can also be used when there is a series of lots too short for switching rules to be applied.