The American Petroleum Institute issued three first-edition standards to enhance refinery safety and inspection programs.
“The three new standards help improve safety by offering guidance for reducing corrosion, improving efficiency of process safety inspections, and outlining steps for proper pressure equipment incident investigations,” API Standards Director David Miller said.
API said it has issued more than 600 recommended practices and technical reports since its standards program was established in 1925. More than 185 of those safe operating standards, recommended practices, and technical reports cover the refining and petrochemical industry, it said.
The three standards, which API announced on June 4, are:
• RP 583, Corrosion Under Insulation and Fireproofing: This standard will assist with industry inspection, and allow maintenance personnel to fully understand the complexity of corrosion under insulation and fireproofing, as well as the subsequent ways to reduce its occurrence at refineries, according to API.
• RP 584, Integrity Operating Windows: A key part of process safety is the facility’s inspection program, and this standard was written to assist industry in developing the most efficient and effective inspection program based on each unit’s unique operational history, the trade association said.
• RP 585, Pressure Equipment Integrity Incident Investigation: API said this standard describes how an effective investigation can be structured so organizations can learn from each incident, and use this knowledge to reduce the likelihood of future incidents.