EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS

SUMMARY

Risk based inspection (RBI) as a method for prioritising the inspection of plant has received considerable attention over the last few years and methods have been developed nationally, for example by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and by a number of private organisations, particularly in the petrochemical industry. A co-ordinated approach to these developments is currently underway in Europe (RIMAP).

A survey of approximately 50 UK organisations carried out by HSL in 1999 showed that approximately half were using an approach to plant inspection based on risk. It was clear however, that a wide range of systems were in use including commercial software packages and in-house systems specific to individual plants. Given the disparate nature of some of these systems and the likelihood that RBI assessments might produce very different results depending on which methodology was used, HSE took the view that a study should be undertaken using a number of example cases to tease out the differences between the systems. This is the subject of the current investigation. The work (Programme JR32082) has been jointly funded by HSE’s Technology Division (TD) and the Hazardous Installations Directorate (HID). The programme was essentially in two parts. Firstly, a case study round robin was undertaken by HSL, the subject of this report, and secondly, a review of European developments has been carried out by Mitsui Babcock Technology, the details of which are reported in Reference 8.

This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy