Pressure Equipment Testing

The objectives of pressure equipment inspection are to promote the safety and health of persons in the workplace and of the public, comply with occupational health and safety legislations, limit the potential damage to property, protect the environment through the control, reduction or elimination of risk associated with the pressure equipment, determine the condition of the pressure equipment, detect potential failures at early stages, reduce the risk of injury by potential failure and increase the pressure equipment life.

These objectives are achieved by verifying that fabrication and operation comply with design conditions, verifying that pressure equipment is safe and fit for service under the specified operating conditions until the next planned inspection, verifying that maintenance, repairs, and alterations are performed which will maintain the integrity of the pressure equipment, indicating repairs, replacements or alteration which may be need and assessing remaining safe life of the pressure equipment.

In all states and territories in Australia, it is obligation on the pressure equipment owners to comply with the regulatory requirements. For example, 

In Victoria, certain types of pressure vessels and boilers must be registered with Worksafe Authority and inspected regularly. The registration must be renewed every three years and the inspection frequency shall be in accordance with AS 3788. There are fines of up to $40,000 for person/companies who allow unregistered plant to be used in a workplace. Any pressure vessel or Boilers with a Hazard level of A, B or C as determined by AS 4343 must be registered with Worksafe Victoria and inspected in accordance with AS 3788. This means a simple air receiver or compressed air tank of 100MPa.L (100L x 1MPa pressure or 1000L x 100kPa) will need inspection and registration. A vessel containing other harmful gases or liquids under pressure will require inspection and registration at less than 100MPa.L expansive energy levels.

The occupation Health & Safety (Plant) regulations 1995, states that employers have an obligation to ensure that “plant is inspected to the extent necessary to ensure that the risk associated with the use of the plant is monitored.” Worksafe Victoria or NSW does not perform mandatory inspections of plant. It is the responsibility of the owner of the plant to ensure that the plant is maintained in a safe condition and that the necessary inspections are performed. The code of practice for plants recommends that advice on pressure vessel inspections can be obtained from AS 3788. This standard recommends AICIP certified inspectors as one of the authorities for inspection and certification of pressure equipment. AS 3788 also provides guidance on inspecting pressure equipment of hazard level D and E.

These vessels also need inspection but can be performed in-house. The above stated information has been extracted from the following link http://www1.worksafe.vic.gov.au/vwa/home.nsf/pages/so_plant_registration.

LMATS  Melbourne and Sydney laboratories comprises a team of Qualified AICIP Inspectors, Metallurgist, Engineers, Scientist, Engineering Technologist and Non-destructive testing Technologist. The combination of these professionals from different speciality ensures that the pressure equipment owners are benefited by implementation of most cost effective inspection regime that will comply to the local regulatory requirements and AS 3788, AS 4343 and API 650.

LMATS Melbourne and Sydney laboratories performs inspection of pressure vessels, Pressure piping, Air receivers, Boilers, Deaerators, Tanks, Road Tankers, Process vessels, Transportable vessels, Heat exchangers, coolers, Condensers, Plant and structural inspection.