Risk-based inspection

Risk Based Inspection (RBI) is an Optimal mainte- The purposes of RBI include:
nance business process used to examine equipment such
as pressure vessels, heat exchangers and piping in indus1. To improve risk management results
trial plants. It examines the Health, Safety and Environ2. To provide a holistic, interdependent approach for
ment (HSE) and business risk of active and potential
managing risks
Damage Mechanisms (DMs) to assess and rank failure
probability and consequence. This ranking is used to op3. To apply a strategy of doing what is needed for
timize inspection intervals based on site-acceptable risk
safeguarding integrity and improving reliability and
levels and operating limits, while mitigating risks as apavailability of the asset by planning and executing
propriate. RBI analysis can be qualitative, quantitative or
those inspections that are needed
semi-quantitative in nature.
4. To reduce inspections and shutdowns and provide
Accuracy is a function of analysis methodology, data
longer run length without compromising safety or
quality and consistency of execution. Precision is a funcreliability
tion of the selected metrics and computational methods.
Risk presented as a single numeric value (as in a quantitative analysis) does not guarantee greater accuracy compared to a risk matrix (as in a qualitative analysis), because of uncertainty that is inherent with probabilities and
consequences.

5. To safeguard integrity
6. To reduce the risk of failures
7. To increase plant availability and reduce unplanned
outages

RBI is most often used in engineering industries and is

predominant in the oil and gas industry. Assessed risk
levels are used to develop a prioritised inspection plan.
It is related to (or sometimes a part of) Risk Based Asset Management (RBAM), Risk Based Integrity Management (RBIM) and Risk Based Management (RBM). Generally, RBI is part of Risk and Reliability Management
(RRM).

8. To provide a exible technique able to continuously

improve and adopt to changing risks
9. To ensure inspection techniques and methods consider potential failure modes

3 Standards

Inspections typically employ non-destructive testing

(NDT).

International engineering standards and recommended

practices outline requirements, methodologies and the
implementation of RBI.

Prioritization

API 580 Risk-Based Inspection Recommended Practice

ASME PCC-3 Inspection Planning Using Risk-Based
Methods

Items with high probability and high consequence (i.e.

high risk) are given a higher priority for inspection than
items that are high probability but for which failure has
low consequences. This strategy allows for a rational investment of inspection resources.

API 581 Risk Based Inspection Resource

DNV-RP G101Risk Based Inspection Of Oshore Topsides Static Mechanical Equipment
API 571 Damage Mechanisms Aecting Fixed Equipment in the Rening Industry

Objectives

RBI assists a company to select cost eective and appro4 References

priate maintenance and inspection tasks and techniques,
to minimize eorts and cost, to shift from a reactive to
a proactive maintenance regime, to produce an auditable (1) Chapter 008, Risk-Based Inspection Technique by
system, to give an agreed operating window, and to im- Mohamed El-Reedy (Author) Publisher: Gulf Professional Publishing (17 July 2012) ASIN: B00DGSWO4S
plement a risk management tool.
1

5 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.1

Text

Risk-based inspection Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk-based_inspection?oldid=627962562 Contributors: Varlaam, Melaen,

Woohookitty, Rjwilmsi, Williamborg, Bgwhite, SmackBot, TomGreen, Ben.c.roberts, Frap, Matchups, John knight, Thijs!bot, MarshBot,
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Anonymous: 18

5.2

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5.3

Content license

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