Qualified Inspectors (IIAR 6, Part 9)
Who is allowed to perform inspections on an ammonia refrigeration system? ANSI/IIAR 6-2019 §5.4.2 succinctly states that “Equipment inspections shall be performed by a qualified inspector(s)“. According to the definition in Chapter 2, a Qualified Inspector is
“A person who is experienced with closed-circuit ammonia refrigeration systems, has knowledge of the process, and has demonstrated proficiency and understanding to perform inspections”
While the standard does not prescribe how to demonstrate proficiency, here are several examples of credentials that could be used to examine an inspector’s qualifications:
- Engineering License
- RETA Certification (CARO, CIRO, CRES, or CRST)
- Completion of an Industrial Refrigeration Consortium MI Course
- Completion of a hands-on refrigeration course (GCAP, Lanier Tech, etc.)
- Specialized training for predictive maintenance (vibration analysis, oil analysis, non-destructive testing, etc.)
Appendix A.5.4.2 puts the onus on the owner for verifying the inspectors used are qualified:
“The owner or owner’s designated representative should confirm that the inspector is qualified to perform the inspection…“
In addition to using qualified inspectors, §5.4.2 requires that every fifth year, annual inspections be performed by a “qualified inspector who shall not be influenced by the facility’s record keeping, operations, maintenance, or management. This person shall not present a conflict of interest and shall report instances of deficiencies.”
We’ve written about 5-Year Mechanical Integrity Inspections in the past, but IIAR 6 has now clarified the minimum requirements. In short, it is the intent of IIAR 6 that every 5th annual inspection be performed by a person who has not performed annual inspections in the previous four years. Appendix A.5.4.2 makes it clear that the owner need not hire a 3rd party, but instead should evaluate the inspector to ensure that they would not be biased or present a conflict of interest.
This is Part 9 of a series on IIAR 6. You can access previous blogs in this series below:
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