(154c) The Excitement of Testing and Balancing in the Commissioning Phase of a Project

The most exciting time in a project occurs when approaching mechanical completion as the commissioning begins to ramp up.  The Testing and Balancing (TAB) team leaps into action to bridge the overlap between the mechanical completion checklist and the first phases of the commissioning runs.  A successful TAB team is an integrated partnership comprised of dedicated and passionate engineering, construction, and operations personnel.

While key members start earlier to shepherd the transition, the multi-organizational TAB team rallies during the Pre Startup Safety Inspection activities.  As first fills are loaded and mass starts to move through the system, the action oriented excitement begins as problems are identified, diagnosed, and solved with quick think on your feet agility.  Construction personnel coexisting with systems containing chemical loads is a delicate balance requiring planning, training, and communication amongst motivated teammates with clear project leadership skills.