Bureau of Engineering

Project Delivery Manual

Chapter: 24 FACILITY STARTUP

Procedure: 24.2 EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION AND TESTING

Revised: April 2, 2009

PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a guideline on equipment installation

and testing and to ensure that the appropriate types and amount of manufacturers
services are specified in the contract documents. This procedure will discuss the types
of services that can be provided by manufacturers and establishes the responsibilities of
the parties to be involved in the performance and administration of the services.

REFERENCES

N/A

RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Manager (PM): The PM is responsible for the overall completion of the
project. Equipment installation and testing is a key component of a successful project.
The PM is also responsible for working with the various design disciplines and specialty
designers to incorporate in the contract documents the type and extent of services
required from the equipment manufacturer. The PM should also coordinate with the CM
to see that these specified services are satisfactorily provided.

Project Engineer (PE): On complex projects the PM may bring in a Project

Engineer (PE) to assist the PM with his/her responsibilities.

Construction Manager (CM): The CM is responsible for ensuring that all the
manufacturers services specified in the contract documents are satisfactorily
performed. It is important that test scheduling and notification of the various parties
involved are coordinated well in advance so that adequate manpower can be mobilized
and the facility operation can be adjusted to avoid any possible disruption or process
upset.

Contractor: The Contractor is responsible for installing the equipment correctly.

The Contractor is also responsible for mobilizing its equipment suppliers for the
specified services. The Contractor shall notify the CM, a specified number of days in
advance, of any manufacturers services that may require the presence of qualified
personnel from design, construction, inspection, and operations and maintenance

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Project Delivery Manual

groups. Such lead time will prevent any disruption or process upset in the facility
operation.

Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA): The BCA provides construction

inspection services to ensure that the requirements of the contract documents are
satisfied. The responsibility of BCA includes facilities testing, pre-delivery inspection
and testing of materials, fabricated products, and equipment at the source, and
functional and performance testing.

Startup Team: It is the responsibility of the startup team to help the CM to

facilitate the startup of the facility. The startup team would have expertise in the areas
of control systems, electrical, instrumentation, mechanical and operations disciplines.
The team would use this expertise to facilitate the startup activities. The team may
include representatives from the owner/client/operations groups as well as construction
management and field engineers. The startup team may also include an independent
third party.

ATTACHMENTS / LINKS

N/A

PROCEDURE

The CM should develop a manufacturers services plan early in the construction

stage. Prior to the installation of equipment requiring manufacturers services, the CM
should ensure that all parties involved with the project are notified in advance of the
manufacturer being on site.

There are two types of contracts in which manufacturers services may be

required. The first is a construction contract, where a general contractor is the principal
party to the contract. In this case, an equipment manufacturer or supplier is a
subcontractor of the general contractor. The CM deals directly with the general
contractor.

The second type of contract is a supply or procurement contract where the City
procures the equipment directly from the manufacturer or authorized supplier. In this
case, the equipment manufacturer or supplier is party to the contract and is considered
to be the principal contractor.

Depending on which type of contract is involved, the type and extent of the
manufacturers services and the corresponding certification, validation and training to be
required may vary.

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Manufacturers Services: There are three basic types of manufacturers

services associated with the construction, startup, and operation of new equipment.
The three types are as follows:

1. Certification: Certification is an acknowledgement by the manufacturer

that the equipment supplied has been properly installed and tested, and is
capable of being placed into service. Certification of equipment and
systems is required for all types of contracts. Certification requires one or
more jobsite visits by the manufacturers representative and a physical
determination as to the adequacy of the Contractors installation.
Manufacturers certification of mechanical equipment installation includes,
but is not limited to the following:

Physical inspection
Alignment and balancing (vibration)
Lubrication
Programming (controllers)
Calibration
Overload protection demonstration
Compliance with noise criteria
Training
Safety requirements and procedures
Acquisition of permits showing compliance with applicable
CAL/OSHA requirements and other regulatory agencies such as
the Air Quality Management District (AQMD)
Recommended spare parts list

Manufacturers certification for electrical equipment installation includes,

but is not limited to the following:

Acquisition of Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or City of Los Angeles

Laboratory certification
Physical inspection
Motor winding integrity (megger), performed by the electrical
contractor or subcontractor
Feeder and branch wire integrity (hi-pot), performed by the
electrical contractor or subcontractor
Protection demonstration (protective relay schemes and fault
current protection)
Load testing (power generation and distribution)
Panel fabrication
Training
Safety requirements and procedures

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Recommended spare parts list

Manufacturers certification of instrumentation and control (I&C) equipment

installation includes, but is not limited to the following:

Acquisition of Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or City of Los Angeles

Laboratory certification
Physical inspection
Instrument calibration
Signal tracing
Software debugging (computerized control)
Panel fabrication
Training
System compatibility testing
Safety requirements and procedures
Recommended spare parts list

Following the successful performance test and prior to startup, the

equipment manufacturer shall provide the City, a written certificate of
proper installation and operation. The certificate will indicate the date of
the test, that the equipment has been properly installed, that proper
electrical and mechanical connections have been made, and that the
equipment is operating in accordance with specified performance
requirements. The certificate must also state that all items of the
equipment satisfy all legal requirements for the various regulatory
agencies and possess UL labels or other approved certification labels.

2. Validation: Validation is the process of demonstrating that the equipment

and system supplied under the contract meets the requirements specified
in the contract documents and approved during the submittal process.
Validation occurs after certification and prior to the startup process and is
often referred to as functional testing. The ability of equipment to deliver
the required capacity or otherwise serve the intended purpose must be
determined before startup is initiated.

The Contractor performs all functional testing. The testing is monitored by

the inspector and the CM. The Contractor is responsible for supplying
water or other process fluid for functional testing. The Contractor bears all
costs for oils, lubricants, process chemicals and consumables required to
complete the test.

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The Contractor prepares a written Draft Functional Test Procedure. The

Draft Functional Test Procedure should include, but is not limited to the
following items:

Brief equipment description

Control loop description
Step-by-step procedures for demonstrating manual and automatic
mode operation
Success criteria
Failure criteria

At a minimum, failure criteria should include, but not be limited to the

following:

Failure of a pumping unit or motor

Performance of a mechanical unit (e.g. pump and motor) outside of
its specified acceptable ranges for vibration, noise, temperature,
cavitation, efficiency, and capacity
A failure of any ancillary component that cannot be returned to
service within 30 minutes of failure
Three failures of an ancillary component regardless of the amount
of time it takes to return to service and regardless of whether or not
the failures are due to the same cause
Bypassing, deactivating, or in any way disabling a protective
device, alarm, or control to facilitate the completion of the test

The Inspector, CM, and Startup Team if formed, review the Draft
Functional Test Procedure for completeness and potential conflicts with
routine facility operations and maintenance. Written review comments are
prepared and forwarded to the Contractor. The Contractor prepares a
Final Functional Test Procedure based on the comments and submits it to
the CM for approval. Upon approval of the Final Functional Test
Procedure, the Contractor mobilizes staff to perform the test. The
functional test would be witnessed by the Inspector, CM, and Startup
Team if formed.

Only after successful validation should equipment be placed into service.

3. Training: Training of operation and maintenance personnel, when

specified, may be a service to be provided by the manufacturers. The
manufacturer must provide an experienced, competent and authorized
representative to perform the services during the period of testing and
startup. The contract documents should require the Contractor to have

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the manufacturers representative revisit the job site as often as necessary

until the equipment installation and operation are satisfactory to the CM
and the inspector. The number of days necessary for the manufacturers
representative to perform the required services, such as installation,
testing, inspection, and training should be specified in the contract
documents. The CM should determine this by coordination with the
designer, equipment supplier, and facility operations and maintenance
staff. An adequate number of workdays should be specified for the
following: Inspection, adjustment, and certification of the equipment
installation, functional and performance testing pre-startup classroom and
hands on training for operations and maintenance personnel, startup and
startup training.

RELATED PROCEDURE

Procedure 24.1 Overview of Facility Startup

Page 6 Procedure 24.2 Equipment Installation and Testing