Expertise of industrial safetyThe high degree of danger of an industrial facility requires special attention to ensuring its safety, which in this case is called industrial safety, implying absolute protection of people from the consequences of possible accidents and minimisation of the risk of their occurrence.
Safety certification in this case necessarily includes an assessment of the possibility (permission to use) of operating equipment at such a facility.
RNP or Industrial Safety Appraisal
Up until now, safety certification of industrial equipment commenced with obtaining a special permit from Rostechnadzor for its use (application) at a facility classified as hazardous (grades I-IV).
However, as of January next year, the situation will change in accordance with legislative changes (Federal Law No. 22, March 2013) - safety certification of industrial equipment will be carried out without RNP. For industrial safety certification, a certificate under the TR CU will be sufficient - for equipment covered by one of the then current Technical Regulations. But for equipment and industrial facilities that are certified under GOST R, which are hazardous, there will be an industrial safety review, whose conclusion will essentially replace the traditional RNP - in its absence, safety certification is not carried out. As the reform of the legislation has not yet been completed, there is a high probability that there will be exceptions in both groups, so the list of documents required in each specific case should be clarified in advance by specialists.
What Sites Need Industrial Safety Expertise
At present the EPB is mandatory for industrial facilities involved in
gas and oil production and refining
Special chemicals, petrochemical and coke producing industries
natural gas consumption and distribution; - metallurgical
metallurgical;
explosive;
Heating networks and installations
etc. - pressure equipment, lifting equipment, etc.
The purpose of safety certification is to confirm the possibility of prolonging the safe operation of equipment at such facilities; the EPB conclusion in this case is not limited in term of validity, so monitoring of the condition of the facility in dynamics is required. The frequency of monitoring differs for the various groups (according to the degree of hazard) - it is not foreseen at all for IV, no more often than once in three years for III and annually for I and II. EPB safety certification includes not only analysis of documentation, but also (if required) onsite observation of work process as such (RosTest consultation is free).
Importantly, an industrial safety assessment is mandatory not only when the equipment is commissioned, but also for any significant change to the facility - modernisation, mothballing, reorganisation, etc.