New Guidelines for Managing Asset (Mechanical) Integrity

Ensuring the initial and ongoing integrity of process equipment, including instrumentation and safety systems, has become known as asset integrity management or AIM. Asset Integrity and Reliability is a fundamental component of successful, risk-based process safety programs. However, facilities continue to be challenged to develop and maintain successful AIM programs. CCPS’ Technical Steering Committee commissioned Guidelines for Asset Integrity Management as an update and expansion of the previous CCPS document Guidelines for Mechanical Integrity Systems, to continue assisting facilities in meeting this challenge. The change in terms from mechanical integrity to asset integrity reflects international usage, consistent with the elements in CCPS’ more recent Guidelines for Risk Based Process Safety, and a recognition that a much broader set of assets needs to be properly designed, installed and maintained at process facilities than those requiring “mechanical” integrity.

In addition, the term equipment is often associated with an individual piece of equipment such as a pump, compressor or vessel. The term asset better reflects how equipment and its associated instrumentation, utilities and connections function together as a system and the integrity of which must be maintained holistically as a system.

The new, expanded Guidelines document includes updated information on failure modes, damage mechanisms, and good practices for managing asset integrity throughout the life cycle of a facility. Guidance and examples are provided for selecting and maintaining critical safety systems. This presentation summarizes the new Guidelines and highlights changes made from the original document.