Records, Inspection, and Testing

2 Other Equipment Used with Compressed Gases 6.D.2.1 Records, Inspection, and Testing 

High-pressure operations should be carried out only with equipment specifically built for this use and only by those trained especially to use this equipment. Reactions should neva- be carried out in, nor heat applied to, an apparatus that is a closed system unless it has been designed and tested to withstand pressure. To ensure that the equipment has been properly designed, each pressure vessel should have stamped on it, or on an attached plate, its maximum allowable working pressure, the allowable temperature at this pressure, and the material of construction. Similarly, the relief pressure and setting data should be stamped on a metal tag attached to installed pressure-relief devices, and the setting mechanisms should be sealed. Relief devices used on pressure regulators do not require these seals or numbers. 

All pressure equipment should be tested or inspected periodically. The frequency of tests and/or inspections varies, depending on the type of equipment, how often it is used, and the nature of its usage. Corrosive or othawise hazardous service requires more frequent tests and inspections. Inspection data should be stamped on or attached to the 

Testing the entire assembled apparatus with soap solution and air or nitrogen pressure to the maximum allowable working pressure of the weakest section of the assembled apparatus can usually detect leaks at threaded joints, 

Before any pressure equipment is altered, repaired, stored, or shipped, it should be vented, and all toxic, flammable, or other hazardous material removed completely so it can be handled safely. Especially hazardous materials may require special cleaning techniques, which should be solicited from the distributor. 

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Provide a means of recording inspection and test results so that any omissions can be checked at subsequent inspections. 

Purely experimental batches do not require QA approval. All approval must be based on a thorough QA review of the adequacy of the facility, its procedures, methods, records, inspections, and test results, prior to batch release. This applies to both internally manufactured batches and those made by contractors. 

Equipment Voltage Check by user Recorded visual inspection Recorded Inspection and test... 

Are the required inspections and tests and the records to be produced detailed in documented procedures or quality plans ... 

Are records maintained to provide evidence that product has been inspected and tested and meets the specified requirements ... 

Make provision in inspection and test records to capture details of inspection, test, and measuring equipment used. 

The way the requirement is worded implies that the purpose of the procedures is to verify that specified requirements are met rather than this be the purpose of carrying out the inspection and test. Whether the procedures verify that specified requirements have been met or whether the inspections and tests achieve this purpose is immaterial, as you need to verify that you have met the specified requirement and have records which demonstrate this. 

The standard requires that the required inspecting and testing and the records to be established be detailed in the qualify plan or documented procedures. 

The second part of the requirement deals with inspection and test records, which are also covered in clause 4.10.5. The difference between these requirements is that clause 4.10.1 requires you to document the records to be established (in other words define ) in the quality plan or procedures and clause 4.10.5 requires you to produce the records defined in the quality plan or procedures. Your inspection and test procedures therefore need to specify or contain the forms on which you intend to record the results of the inspections and tests performed. The details are covered later in this chapter, but there are two types of record to be considered the record that shows which inspections and tests have been performed and the record that shows the results of these inspections and tests. One may be a route card, shop traveler, or document which acts as both a plan of what to do and a record of the progress made and the other may be a table of results with specified parameters and accept/reject criteria. 

Make provision for the results of the inspections and test to be recorded. 

Provision for the results of the inspections and test to be recorded - these need to be presented in a form that correlates with the specified requirements. 

Your inspection and test records or verification records should be of two forms one which indicates what inspections and tests have been carried out and the other which indicates the results of such inspections and test. They may be merged into one record but when parameters need to be recorded it is often cleaner to separate the progress record from the technical record. Your procedures, quality plan, or product specifications should also indicate what measurements have to be recorded. 

The standard requires that the inspection and test records show clearlp whether the product has passed or failed the inspections and/or tests according to defined acceptance criteria. 

Provide secure areas for storing inspection and test records. 

In which document do you specify the inspection and test records to be established ... 

The inspection and test records should indicate the original rejection, the disposition, and the results of the re-inspection in order that there is traceability of the decisions that were made. 

Apart from inspection and test records (clause 4.10.5), the standard does not require records to be authenticated, certified, or validated. A set of results without being endorsed with the signature of the person who captured them lacks credibility. Facts that have been obtained by whatever means should be certified for four reasons ... 

The owner s Inspector is responsible to the owner to verify that all required examinations, inspections, and testing are complete. The owner s Inspector verifies that all required certifications and records have been completed. Also, the owner s Inspector is responsible for verification of the construction organization s quality systems program implementation. 

Last relief valve inspection and testing for Kettles and Catalyst Storage tanks. (Maintenance records)... 

These are processes, the results of which cannot be fully verified by subsequent inspection and testing of the product and where, for example, process deficiencies may become apparent only after the product is in use. Accordingly, continuous monitoring and/or compliance with documented procedures are required to ensure that the specified requirements are met. Records are maintained for all qualified process equipment and personnel. 

The inspection and test status of the product is identified by markings, authorized tags, labels, routing cards, inspection records, test software, and physical location, which indicate the conformance or nonconformance of the product with regard to inspection and tests performed. 

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