Verify compliance and functionality of process control installations

Occupational Standard: Industrial Automation & Control Technology

Management Level V

Competency Title :Verify compliance and functionality of process control

installations

Competency Code ELE IAC5 07 0511

Competency Descriptor: This Competency covers pre-commissioning testing and

visual inspection for verifying that installed process control apparatus in non-
hazardous areas is safe and complies with requirements. It encompasses procedures
for safely conducting safety tests, conducting visual inspections, identifying
noncompliance defects and reporting requirements.

Elements
1. Prepare to inspect and test a process control installations
2. Visually inspect the installation
3. Conduct functional and safety testing.
4. verify compliance and functionality of process control installations
5. Report inspection and test findings

1. Prepare to inspect and test a process control installations

 Initial verification procedures
In order to make sure that this work is carried out satisfactorily the inspection and
test procedure must be carefully planned and carried out and the results correctly
documented.
We inspect and commission material after the completion of work for three key
reasons to ensure:
 compliance with BS 7671
 compliance with the project specification (commissioning)

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 that it is safe to use.

 Compliance with BS 7671
BS 7671 Part 6 states that every electrical installation shall, either during
construction, on completion, or both, be inspected and tested to verify, so far as is
reasonably practicable, that the requirements of the Regulations have been met.
In carrying out such inspection and test procedures, precautions must be taken to
ensure no danger is caused to any person or livestock and to avoid damage to
property and installed equipment.
BS 7671 requires that the following information be provided to the person carrying
out the inspection and test of an installation:
 the maximum demand of the installation expressed in amperes per phase
 the number and type of live conductors at the point of supply
 the type of earthing arrangements used by the installation, including details
of equipotential bonding arrangements
 the type and composition of circuits, including points of utilization, number
and size of conductors and types of cable installed (this should also include
details of the ‘reference installation method’ used)
 the location and description of protective devices (fuses, circuit breakers
etc.) details of the method selected to prevent danger from shock in the event
of an earth fault, e.g. earthed equipotential bonding and automatic
disconnection of supply
 the presence of any sensitive electronic devices.
It is important to remember that periodic inspection and testing must be carried out
on installations to ensure that the installation has not deteriorated and still meets all
requirements. Tests will also need to be carried out in the event of minor
alterations or additions being made to existing installations.

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 Compliance with the project specification

Once the installation is complete, we need to test it against the original
specification for the work. This is in order to check that the finished installation
matches the requirements laid out by the customer and is fit for use in the
environment where it will be used. The tasks involved in checking compliance
with project specification are as follows.
 Pre-Commissioning
 Pre-commissioning – this involves a full inspection of the installation and
the carrying out of all tests required before the installation is energized
(continuity, polarity and insulation resistance).
 Pre-Commissioning activities start when the plant, or system, achieves
Mechanical Completion. Frequently however, Pre-Commissioning activities
overlap Mechanical Completion activities and for this reason the plant
should be separated into easily manageable system package, each system
package will be Pre-Commissioned as a whole and isolations at the
boundaries of the system package will be maintained until the completion of
Pre-Commissioning activities.
 Pre Commissioning activities include: checking for design conformity,
checking the status of electrical, mechanical and instrument installations,
running-in of equipment, flushing and cleaning activities, drying, etc.
 Pre-commissioning activities are Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) and Factory
Acceptance Tests (FAT) as well as other similar activities.
 FAT’s are useful in protecting the business aspect of an investment, by
testing the equipment or system at the factory. This allows the system to
be tested and deficiencies corrected in a manufacturing environment
before it arrives on-site with surprises.

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 The SAT verifies proper equipment and operation on-site. For many
projects, especially those with single equipment systems, the SAT may
constitute the majority if not all the Commissioning inspection and
testing requirements. Further, SAT’s (and FAT’s with caution) may
include elements sufficient for aspects of a regulated activity verification.
If a FAT is provided, the SAT could be a reduced regimen. However, be
careful in that changes made after the FAT in the factory (outside a
controlled setting) could affect acceptable outcomes.
The following are typical elements of FAT’s/SAT’s, as applicable:
 Confirm fundamental scope definitions (or Acceptance Criteria) and
Specifications
 Functionality –operate equipment/systems during test
 Alarms and safeties
 PLC/Controls thorough checkout/challenge
 Utilities
 Maintenance needs
 Calibration
 Labeling
 Training and turnover
Setting-to-Work
Setting-to-work and other regulation and adjustments are needed prior to
energizing the system or full startup. This could include factory representative
start-up, calibration, and other considerations needed before fully operating the
equipment and beginning other aspects of Commissioning.
 Inspection

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An action comprising careful search of an item carried out either without

dismantling, or with the addition of partial dismantling as required, supplemented
by means such as measurement, in order to arrive at a reliable conclusion as to the
condition of an item. There are three grades of inspection described which operate
at progressively deepening levels of study.
 Visual inspection
An inspection that identifies, without the use of access equipment or tools, those
defects, e.g. missing bolts, which will be apparent to the eye.
 Close inspection
An inspection which encompasses those aspects covered by a visual inspection
and, in addition, identifies those defects, e.g. loose bolts, which will be apparent
only by the use of access equipment, e.g. steps (where necessary), and tools. Close
inspections do not normally require the enclosure to be opened, or the equipment
to be de-energized.
 Detailed inspection
An inspection which encompasses those aspects covered by a close inspection and,
in addition, identifies those defects, e.g. loose terminations, which will only be
apparent by opening-up the enclosure, and/or using, where necessary, tools and test
equipment.
Inspection is the process by which the construction and installation is verified as
in accordance with the detailed design, specified construction standards and
materials and any relevant legal or regulatory demands related to these areas. From
the examples above confirm the pump model number and verifying the air handler
was properly leveled are Inspection activities.
Inspection activities generally do not include testing, and often are better handled
on forms separate from testing. (There are exceptions when for succinctness or

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clarity Inspection items are included with Tests.) Inspections are usually visual
confirmations. The questions to ask when developing an Inspection checklist are,
 What needs observing to ensure the equipment is properly installed?
 What needs inspecting to ensure project definition requirements, Acceptance
Criteria and other regulatory issues are met?
 What inspections are needed to reasonably ensure any subsequent regulated
verification will pass?
 How will Inspection activities be structured/documented so repetition during
any regulated verification is not required?
When these basic questions are answered, common sense will prevail. There is no
need to create volumes of documents of marginal value. Yet, documentation must
be adequately thorough. The key is to be specific with Inspection line items to
ensure documentation is traceable.
 Commissioning Defined
 Commissioning activities normally consist of activities associated with
running or operating the plant and include operating adjustments necessary
for satisfactory operation of the plant or part thereof. Also included are
“Functional checks” which are methods used to prove that an item of
mechanical equipment or control system functions correctly.
 Commissioning is a well planned, documented, and managed engineering
approach to the start-up and turnover of facilities, systems, and equipment to
the End-User that results in a safe and functional environment that meets
established design requirements and stakeholder expectations. That is,
Commissioning verifies what was specified was installed; that it functions
properly, and it was successfully turned over to the user and reasonably
ensures the next step verification for regulated industries will be successful.

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Given this definition, engineers have always commissioned projects to a degree.

For example, when a new pump is installed, the proper rotation and flow rate is
verified. Before it is installed, the model number and materials of construction are
confirmed.
Another example is an HVAC system. The air handler is confirmed to be leveled
and adjusted. The controls are tested. At the end, a test and balance contractor
adjusts circuit setters for proper water flow rates, and to adjust dampers for proper
airflow. At the end of a project, the operators and maintenance staff are trained.
To have a record of what was installed, as-built drawings and Operations and
Maintenance manuals are developed. This is commissioning. All these activities
can be summarized in distinct Commissioning categories: Pre-Commissioning
activities, Setting-to-Work, Inspections, Testing, and Turnover
 Why Commission?
Commissioning is necessary to ensure facilities, equipment, and systems are
installed and function properly, and are successfully turned over. A documented
Commissioning approach offers traceable verification, and ensures a systematic
approach that minimizes commissioning over sights. Effective Commissioning
minimizes punch list items, and improves startup by eliminating problems up front.
Further, certain Commissioning activities may be used to support documentation
requirements for regulated industries.
Commissioning – includes all tests which require power to be available, e.g. the
measurement of the earth-fault loop impedance and functional testing of residual
current devices (RCDs).
As commissioning involves the initial energizing of an installation, this task has to
be carried out in a controlled manner with the knowledge of everyone involved.
This means that all other persons working on site at the time of the energizing must

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be informed that power will be applied to the installation, so that all precautions
can be taken to prevent danger.
The commissioning process is intended to confirm that the installation complies
with the designer’s requirements. As such, commissioning includes the functional
testing of all equipment, isolation, switching, protective devices and circuit
arrangements.
 Safe to use
The final act of the commissioning process is to ensure the safe and correct
operation of all circuits and equipment which have been installed, and that the
customer’s requirements have been met. This will also confirm that the installation
works and, more importantly, will work under fault conditions; after all, it is under
fault conditions that lives and property will be at risk.
The testing of electrical installations can cause some degree of danger; it is the
responsibility of the person carrying out the tests to ensure the safety of themselves
and others. Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note GS38 (Electrical test
equipment for use by electricians) details relevant safety procedures and should
be observed in full.
When using test instruments the following points will help to achieve a safe
working environment.
 The person carrying out the tests must have a thorough understanding of the
equipment being used and its rating.
 The person carrying out the tests must ensure that all safety procedures are
being followed, e.g. erection of warning notices and barriers where
appropriate.
 The person carrying out the tests should ensure that all instruments being
used conform to the appropriate British Standard, i.e. BS EN 61010 or older

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instruments manufactured to BS 5458 (provided these are in good condition

and have been recently calibrated).
 The person carrying out the tests should check that test leads including
probes and clips are in good condition, are clean and have no cracked or
broken insulation. Where appropriate the requirements of GS38 should be
observed, including the use of fused test leads.
 Competence of the inspector
A final consideration when carrying out inspection and tests is the competence of
the inspector. Any person undertaking these duties must be skilled and experienced
and have sufficient knowledge of the type of installation. It is the responsibility of
the inspector to:
 ensure no danger occurs to people, property and livestock
 confirm that test and inspection results comply with the requirements of BS
7671 and the designer’s requirements
 express an opinion as to the condition of the installation and recommend
remedial works
 make immediate recommendations, in the event of a dangerous situation, to
the client to isolate the defective part.
 Testing
Testing is the process by which adjustments to, and regulation of, individual
systems are demonstrated as within the required tolerances, system components are
demonstrated as delivering the required capacity or duty, the functions of the
systems are demonstrated delivering the required capacity of duty, the functions of
the system are demonstrated to be as specified and appropriate.

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Referring again to the commissioning examples earlier in the article, checking the
pump’s flow rate and performing test & balance on the HVAC system are all
testing activities.
Essentially, testing is needed on what was installed to ensure the equipment or
system operates as specified and required. The questions to ask when determining
test requirements are,
 What level of testing is needed to ensure the equipment is properly
functioning as specified?
 What tests are needed to ensure fundamental design requirements,
Acceptance Criteria, and other regulatory issues are met?
 What testing is needed to ensure (within reason) any required regulatory
verification will pass?
 How can the testing be documented/structured so it will not need to be
repeated during any regulated verification?
As with Inspection, when the basic questions are answered, common sense will
prevail. There is no need to create volumes of useless test documents when the
documentation is adequately thorough. As with Inspection, a documented paper
trail is recommended to demonstrate (and document) that equipment and systems
are adequately tested.
The project is not fully commissioned until Turnover is also completed. Training,
Project Close out (documentation), and Commissioning Document training Unless
staff is properly trained, they will be unable to safely and efficiently operate and
maintain the facility, equipment, or system. The common sense questions to ask
before determining training requirements are:

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1. On which equipment/systems is training required?

2. Who needs to be trained?
3. What training do they need? (Not everyone needs the same training).
4. How must training be recorded?
5. What are the required qualifications of the trainer?
Test instruments
All test equipment must be regularly checked to make sure it is in good and safe
working order. If you are checking the equipment your self, the following points
should be noted. If you have any doubt about an instrument or its accuracy, ask for
assistance; test instruments are very expensive and any unnecessary damage
caused by ignorance should be avoided.
 Project Closeout, Documentation
A project is not complete until all associated documentation is completed and
turned over to appropriate individuals. This includes as-built drawings and
specifications, Operations and Maintenance Manuals, etc.
 Commissioning Documentation
Good commissioning is well documented commissioning. Commissioning
documentation could be included in a Commissioning Report for more complex
projects. For more complex projects, a formal Commissioning Plan is helpful to
define the commissioning process. But before we discuss the elements for a higher
documented Commissioning process, let’s ensure us In VEST wisely in
Commissioning.
 In VEST Wisely in Commissioning
When establishing Commissioning requirements, it is important to remain focused
on common sense objectives to make the effort meaningful and cost effective. The
acrostic In VEST is helpful in establishing the focus:

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 Integrate: Integrate Commissioning with any other documentation required

for a regulated industry if permitted. Don’t automatically do things twice.
Integrate also means to include commissioning activities in various
vendors’/subcontractors’ scope of work, as well as design documents.
 Verify: Ask: does the Commissioning activity adequately verify the
equipment or system is what was specified and works as it should?
 Ensure Regulated Documentation Success: Ask: does the commissioning
effort sufficiently ensure any regulated testing or inspection activities will be
successful – first time?
 Sensible: Do enough but don’t overdo it
 Traceable: Document it. Remember the saying, “If you don’t document it,
you didn’t do it.”

 Establishing Commissioning and Documentation Requirements

Before developing Commissioning Documentation, establish the extent of
Commissioning needed, and design efficient and effective Commissioning around
the needs of the project (hopefully as expressed in well-written and thorough
project definition documentation.
Typical Commissioning Documents may include the following, depending on
project complexity.
 Overall Commissioning Plan – for large and more complex projects,
especially those in regulated environments – this is a master plan for
Commissioning when the approach needs preplanning and structure. On
smaller projects/single equipment, consider relying on Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP) requirements rather than a separate overall Plan.
 Pre Commissioning: Includes Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), Site
Acceptance Test (SAT), and possibly other early inspection/test activities.

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These are usually structured for individual systems, and can be included in
or required by Commissioning Plan or Test Plans. These could be stand
alone for individual equipment/systems, and/or include essential elements of
the Commissioning Test/Inspection Plans.
 Commissioning Test and Inspection Plans: These could be stand alone
for individual equipment/systems. These may also supplement areas not
covered by FAT’s/SAT’s. Further, self-contained Commissioning Checklists
can be used for simple/small work. Don’t create unnecessary volumes of
documentation.
 Commissioning Checklists: For smaller/simpler projects, consider a single
Commissioning Checklist in lieu of more extensive documentation above.
These over all checklists may include the following:
 Verify item specified was installed
 Utility connection
 Functionality checkout
 Verify calibration completed
 Verify closeout documentation completed
 Verify training or orientation completed
 CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) entry
 Other internal requirements
Note:
When sufficient Commissioning direction is provided in specifications or in
drawings and for non-regulated applications, at a minimum consider developing a
detailed checklist to ensure commissioning is completed, and documentation is
turned over. This is especially useful in non regulated applications where a high-
level of documentation is not required.

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Now that we’ve reviewed the typical Commissioning documentation, we need to

consider values to which we will Commission. When we perform Commissioning,
we need to evaluate equipment and systems to specific quantifiable criteria.
The following is a hierarchy diagram of typical commissioning documentation:

Commissioning
Plan

Commissioning Plan may Pre Commissioning Commissioning Test

include: Activities Plans
-Basic scope of work (in or directed by Com. (In or directed by
-Record keeping requirements Plan) Com. Plan)
-Signatory requirements
-Reference any defined scope
narratives and acceptance
criteria
-Equipment/System List/
Boundaries and Impact
Assessment FAT
-Training Verification
Setting to Work,
-Turnover Requirements Initial
-Change Management Adjustments
approach
SAT
Inspections

Other
Testing

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