Pressure Vessel Integrity Management Systems

Pressure Vessel Integrity Management Systems (PVIMS) are increasingly a vital component of the provincial pressure vessel safety directive. These management systems allow the governing jursidictional bodies to certify companies to conduct regular inspections of their own equipment by reviewing, implementing and auditing a quality system developed by the owner/user.

While these systems can bear significant cost, they also come with some benefits. By successfully implementing a PVIMS, the owner may be allowed to extend the inspection interval based on their inspection experiences in association with the jurisdictional authority. The owner may be able to reduce inspection frequencies (assuming that any particular vessel has been successfully operating without any troubles) and this in turn will reduce expenditures.

The PVIMS will also, and equally important, provide the user with vital systems to limit their liability in the event of a pressure equipment related safety concern. By having structure, accurate records, and demonstrated compliance by virtue of provincial approval, the company has positioned itself with a highly defendable record in respect to its inspection and regulatory compliance. Continued limitation of liability is achieved by continued adherence to the system. It is important for the company to recognize that the system is not an attempt to avert regulatory requirements, but a corporate philosophy with its chief intent being, “to hold the company’s officers duty to the public welfare as paramount”.

Beginning at the design and construction phase, a well founded Pressure Equipment Integrity Management System ensures appropriate work process and quality assurance steps are adhered to. Sapphire Technologies assists owners in following these important steps by providing qualified inspectors and appropriate input to execute and improve these programs.



Pipeline Integrity Management Systems
From system mapping and speciality chemical application to regulatory compliance and risk assessment, Sapphire Technologies is positioned to provide a well rounded, fully implemented pipeline program. Through partnerships with various firms, Sapphire Technologies can bring the level of assessment to your organization that is appropriate for your business from high level qualitative risk assessments that are extremely valuable for aligning work priorities to very detailed quantitative assessments that can identify not only which pipelines have high susceptibility to corrosion mechanisms but where on the particular lines that a inspection strategy should be focussed. This detailed assessment provides significant business benefit through alignment of inspection dollars to areas of highest risk.

Sapphire Technologies has developed rigorous inspection practices and ensures that our inspectors follow efficient and detailed work procedures to provide the appropriate level of documentation and advice to our clients. We have a quality reporting system that can easily fit into an asset management program.