Inspection, examination,and testing during/after piping construction

[engr2GW]

Hi,
In ASME B31.3; Many times the contract company does the examinations and pressure/leak tests. But the code says the inspector has to be the owner's person or delegate independed of the contractor, to ensure that the examination and testing were done right and to visually inspect the welds and construction. The minimum qualification for this inspector is 5yr experience with engr. degree or 10yrs without degree in design, fabrication, or inspection of industrial piping. Can a construction foreman with 10yr experience without degree be considered an inspector to ensure that the examination is done right or are there special training for an inspector as stated in B31.3?

in ASME B31.4; its states the qualification of an inspector as follows:
436.2 Qualification of Inspectors
Inspection personnel shall be qualified by training
and experience. Such personnel shall be capable of performing
the following inspection services:
(a) right-of-way and grading
(b) ditching
(c) line up and pipe surface inspection
(d) welding
(e) coating
(f) tie-in and lowering
(g) backfilling and clean up
(h) pressure testing
(i) special services for testing and inspection of facilities,
such as station construction, river crossings, electrical
installation, radiography, corrosion control, etc., as
may be required

is this the actual person who will do the testing and examination or just to inspect it when it's done by the contractor? or is the operator/owner supposed to have some one that has the above mentioned employee.

in ASME B31.8; it does not say a thing about inspection, it just talked about (hydrostatic or pneumatic) testing in various class location and a little about NDE, does tha type of inspection and inspectors stated in 31.3 and 31.4 above are not necessary here as long as the contrator does the testing job stated in the code?

Thank you.

 

[stanweld]

Under B31.3, the Inspector may be an employee of the Owner or a person from another company (Engineer, NDE firm, subcontractor, etc.)appointed by the Owner. The Inspector may not be a person employed by the Construction Contractor responsible for installing the pipe.

 

[waterpipe]

You have the answer to your second question within your post where the ASME B31.4 saying is mentioned: "Such personnel shall be capable of performing the following inspection services".
So the actual person just do the inspection services.

Please note that doing the inspection services might include performing some tests. The Inspector attends to hydrostatic test but it is not him or her who perform the hydrostatic test. The same Inspector might have a thickness meter and control the coating thickness by himself or herself to control that the coating meets the thickness requirement.

In general, I think the Inspector scope of the work depends on the project delivery method as well. The control and Inspection tasks and requirements are different between DBB, EPC and BOT projects.

But you know what I'm thinking right now? If ASME states that the Inspector can not be employed by the construction contractor, then does it mean that BOT projects can not be done under ASME code? Well, I am an engineer not a contract lawyer. let's see what others will add here to learn from.

 

[stanweld]

Under B31.8,841.22, "The operating company shall provide suitable inspection. Inspectors shall be qualified either by experience or training. The inspector shall have the authority to order the repair or removal and replacement of any component that fails to meet the standards of this Code."

Both B31.8 & B31.4 are based on 49CFR Parts 192, 194 & 195, which apply as law in the USA to the Owner/Operator of the pipeline. As such the Owner/Operator must control the inspection of the work. If he chooses an Inspector unwisely, he does so at his own peril. This is not to imply that the Contractor has no such responsibility to perform inspections and tests required under the Contract.

 

[engr2GW]

It's all clear now. Thanks stanweld, waterpipe!