Responsibility for B31.3 Inspection and Verifying Examinations

[vc88]

What is your interpretation? Situation: An "Owner" (petrochem) contracted an EPC to provide engineering, procurement and construction for a major expansion. The EPC contracted with a piping sub-contractor to provide the construction services. The EPC is serving as the "Owner's Agent" concerning Inspection. The sub-contractor "Manufacturer" is being required to provide a directly hired RT Level II to read, interpret and accept the film for piping welds made by the manufacturer, without any acceptance or rejection verification from the Owner's agent or the Owner. Is this compliant to the ASME Code???

 

[stanweld]

Review 340.4. a)"The owner's Inspector shall be designated by the owner and shall be the owner...an employee of an engineering or scientific organization...The owner's Inspector shall not represent nor be an employee of the piping manufacturer, fabricator or erector..."

(c) "In delegating the performance of inspection, the owner's Inspector is responsible for determining that a person...is qualified to perform that function."

 

[stanweld]

Please also review 340.3. While the owner's Inspector has the right to review the RT film, he does not have to exercise that right. He may accept the interpretation of the Level II without review.