Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is becoming more and more prevalent as an inspection planning method in PSM facilities. Inspectors are becoming more knowledgeable in the methodology, inspection managers are understanding the benefits, and turnaround planners see how it can help focus and reduce turnaround time.
A major setback I see from facilities new to RBI is they want to do their first assessment on their highest consequence unit, typically an HF Alkylation Unit. While, in theory, this sounds like a great idea (it has high visibility and you think you can knock out the obvious high consequence unit), in practice, it causes some headaches for plant personnel. Some pieces of equipment in these units have such HIGH inherent risk, you could inspect them every single day, and you would never reach your risk target. This type of equipment has to be handled in a different manner. It should be put into a special emphasis program where any chance you have to inspect, open, or do anything with this equipment, you do it. This puts owner-users in a difficult position because they have trouble justifying the use of RBI, since it just created even more work for them. (Typically, they miss the fact that they were able to identify the amount by which their high-consequence equipment outweighs everything else).
The next issue I encounter is timing of assessments. Typically, facilities new to RBI will look short term. They have a turnaround in the fall and are getting pressure to tighten up the scope. So, they try to complete an RBI assessment to push out their inspections. The problem with this arises when they find out scope didn’t decrease, it INCREASED! This is why the optimal timing for your assessment, if you can help it, is two years before scope freeze.
I know what you are thinking: “That’s crazy! I can barely handle my day-to-day responsibilities, plus planning for the coming turnaround, plus dealing with the daily issues that arise; how can I even think about something two years before it happens?” Here’s the secret: it’s worth it.
If you complete your RBI study two years prior to scope freeze, you leave yourself with maximum flexibility for execution and compliance. Any external or thinning inspections requiring online UT can easily be completed as scheduling allows. This timeframe also allows for decisions to be made concerning labor-intensive environmental cracking inspections. RBI allows for these inspections to be completed either internally (typically at the turnaround) or externally (any time before turnaround), which then provides owner-users full utilization of resources and timetables. By prioritizing your future inspections now, you can potentially avoid costly last minute surprises.
Author: Branden Stucky