Mechanical Integrity Program procedures

Erequent start/stop Minimize frequent start/stop by proper sizing of of equipment may equipment (e.g. pump capacity) lead to equipment, Implement mechanical integrity program failure. Develop procedure to investigate causes for frequent reset of control Minimize frequent start/stop of equipment ... 

Equipment used to process, store, or handle highly hazardous chemicals must be designed constructed, installed and maintained to minimize the risk of release. A systematic, scheduled, test and maintenance program is preferred over "breakdown" maintenance " that could compromise safety. Elements of a mechanical integrity program include 1) identification and categorization of equipment and instrumentation, 2) documentation of manufacturer data on mean time to failure, 3 ) test and inspection frequencies, 4) maintenance procedures, 5) training of maintenance personnel, 6) test criteria, and 7) documentation of test and inspection results. 

Maintenance includes athorough check of equipment or a device to give maximum assurance that the equipment or device will operate effectively and safely. It may be necessary to disassemble and reassemble the equipment or device to ensure a through examination. Maintenance procedures should follow manufacture s recommended guidelines or accepted practices developed by recognized authorities, such as NFPA. Documentation of maintenance activities should be part of the facility s mechanical integrity program and all documentation should be part of the equipment history file. 

Quality assurance, it will be seen, is critical to establishing mechanical integrity. The OSHA rule covering PSM states that the quality assurance program is an essential part of the mechanical integrity program and will help to maintain the primary and secondary lines of defense..These lines of defense are the protective systems and procedures that one adopts to prevent hazardous releases. They might include ... 

Mechanical Integrity PSSR verifies maintenance task procedures are in place and workers have been trained on the tasks and applicable safe work practices. PSSR verifies equipment has been reviewed for placement in the mechanical integrity program and that it was designed and installed according to codes, standards, and manufecturers recommendations. 

Maintenance is part of the Mechanical Integrity program. It covers the personnel, both operator and contractor, involved in the maintenance program, including their training and procedures. 

Elements of a mechanical integrity program include identifying and categorizing equipment and instrumentation, inspections and tests and their frequency maintenance procedures traiifing of maintenance personnel criteria for acceptable test results documentation of test and inspection results and documentation of manufacturer recommendations for equipment and instrumentation. 

You might ask, What would the PSM regulation require A portable sandblast rig would normally not be included in the covered process within a refinery or chemical plant. But, a facility that had such PSM programs would probably have influences in the Mechanical Integrity area that encourages strict adherence to welding procedures and emphasizes use of original manufacturers methods and standards. 

There are other equivalent tests which can show that the vessel is mechanically strong. For pumps, integrity data would involve the frequency of seal repairs, bearing repairs, nature and intensity of vibration, plugging, and corrosion problems. With the mechanical integrity tests, other data is recorded, such as records of inspections and tests, maintenance procedures, establishment of criteria for acceptable test results, and documentation of inspection results. Preventive maintenance (PM) programs are a big part of the PSM. 

To further support its proposed SEMS rule, MMS had also provided data on 1443 ineidents that oeeurred over the same years, whieh involved 41 fatalities, 302 injuries, 10 losses of well eontrol, 11 collisions, 476 fires, 356 pollution events, and 224 crane and hoist mishaps. It concluded that the majority of these incidents were related to operational and maintenance procedures or human error, and that operating procedures and mechanical integrity accounted for the greatest number of spills. It also found there had been no discernible trend of industrial improvement over the seven-year study period despite its inspeetion program s issuance of corrective orders for some 150 findings of operator noneomplianee per year. 

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