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This standard provides general and specific requirements for the qualification of pipeline personnel. The implementation of this standard is intended to minimize pipeline failures caused by human error. This standard does not impose a requirement to perform specific tasks that affect the safety or integrity of the pipeline. It does, however, set the requirements for qualification of individuals in the event these types of tasks are performed.
This standard establishes the requirements for identifying covered tasks that impact the safety or integrity of pipelines, for qualifying individuals to perform those tasks, and for managing the qualifications of pipeline personnel. Design and engineering tasks are excluded because assurance of their quality is provided by the fact that appropriately educated or experienced individuals perform these tasks using guidelines and procedures for the conduct of their work. In addition, the quality of the work product is generally confirmed procedurally through review, and ultimately by field inspection and testing of the design required by the applicable ASME Code (B31.4 for hazardous liquid pipelines and B31.8 for gas pipelines) and jurisdictional authority. Design and engineering tasks involving analysis and integration of data associated with integrity management are excluded from this standard.
This standard applies to individuals performing any covered task. The standard allows qualification exemptions when provisions exist for validating the correct performance of covered tasks. Such provisions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Acceptance testing performed by a non-qualified individual under the direction and observation of a qualified individual, which validates the work product of the task
b) Performance of covered tasks in conformance with standards developed through the ANSI process
c) Certification by the organization performing the covered task that the work product is in conformance with the standards or specifications established for the job, given that this certification is supported by the performing organization’s quality assurance or inspection program
d) Inspections of the work product, performed by a qualified individual, either during or after completion of the task, thereby verifying that the task was performed correctly and in accordance with the established specification or procedures
e) Pressure testing by a qualified individual to confirm the integrity of the item
f) Quality assurance through pressure testing to confirm the integrity of the pipeline component
Non-mandatory appendices, which include a covered task list, have been added to provide additional guidance to assist pipeline operators in developing or modifying their personnel qualification programs.
It is recognized that this standard is being issued at a time when numerous entities have previously developed and implemented qualification programs. Therefore, as part of implementation of this standard, the implementer should determine what changes to provisions of its existing program (e.g., span of control, subsequent qualification intervals, evaluation methods) are required to meet this standard. An individual qualified to perform a covered task under the existing program could be considered to be qualified under the program described by this standard. Individuals currently qualified under an existing program can maintain their qualifications by meeting the subsequent qualification requirements established in this standard. A documented performance evaluation should be performed, either during the implementation period or at the time of subsequent qualification, if not previously performed for a task that requires performance evaluation for initial qualification under this standard.
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B31Q - 2006 Pipeline Personnel Qualification.
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