Best Practices

Best Practice is a recommendable practice, method or technique that describes the process of developing and following a standard way. The Best Practice is the professional procedures accepted or prescribed as being correct or most effective that comes a superior result used as a benchmark.

The Top 10 Reasons for fixed equipment mechanical integrity (FEMI) Failures in the Hydrocarbon Process IndustriesBased on my 45+ years of experience working with FEMI issues in the refining and petrochemical processing industry,...Here are my top 10 primary reasons for continuing FEMI failures in the hydrocarbon process industry:

1. Inadequate or lack of identifying and managing the highest priority FEMI risks in each process unit
2. Inadequate or lack of comprehensive Corrosion Control Documents (CCD’s) for each process unit
3. Inadequate or lack of a thorough, comprehensive piping inspection program
4. Inadequate or lack of a comprehensive program for Integrity Operating Windows (IOW’s) for FEMI
5. Inadequate or lack of a comprehensive Management of Change (MOC) process for FEMI issues
6. Inadequate implementation of all the guidance contained in the latest editions of industry codes and standards for FEMI
7. Inadequate or lack of comprehensive programs to learn from the bigger FEMI failures in the industry before similar failures at your site
8. Insufficient inspection planning and not using the best available technology for nondestructive examination (NDE)
9. Inadequate or lack of comprehensive FEMI record-keeping and data analysis
10.Insufficient FEMI training and knowledge transfer for all those with a role in maintaining FEMI

Risk Based Inspection as a part of Plant Integrity Management: Prepared by TWI and Royal & SunAlliance Engineering for the Health and Safety Executive