Fiberglass AST
Inspection RP
The Fiberglass Tank & Pipe Institute has published FTPI 2007-1
Recommended Practice for the In-service Inspections of Aboveground
Atmospheric Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Tanks and Vessels©.
This Recommended Practice was developed over three years in response
to requests by aboveground fiberglass tank users, engineering
companies and governmental bodies. Members of the Institute and an
industry peer review group have shared their fabrication, operation
and maintenance expertise on aboveground fiberglass tank in
corrosion resistant applications to make this publication possible.
The Institute was incorporated in 1987 as a non-profit organization.
Its purpose is to provide a forum through which the fiberglass
reinforced thermoset plastic (FRP) industry can work together
effectively toward the common goal of advancing the use of all
fiberglass products in the tank and piping marketplace, i.e.,
coordinating studies and statistics, combining talents and resources
to provide standard-setting organizations with superior technical
data, and disseminate information to the government, industry and
the public.
The Recommended Practice peer review group included the
Environmental Protection Agency US Office of Emergency Management;
N. Y. State Dept. of Environmental Conservation Spill Response &
Bulk Storage Tank Section, Lyondell Chemical Inc., two fiberglass
Inspection companies, three fiberglass Consultants and Engineering
companies and both Institute and non-Institute aboveground
fiberglass tank manufacturers.
FTPI 2007-1: The Recommended Practice is a 27 page document
that includes recommended inspector qualifications, periodic
preventive maintenance inspections, certified external inspections,
certified integrity inspections, internal inspections and alternate
non-intrusive inspection methods. The document also includes report
forms for monthly, annual and periodic preventive maintenance and
certified inspections and a section on aboveground fiberglass tank
fabrication information.
The purpose of this Recommended Practice is to provide procedures
for conducting periodic preventive maintenance (PM) inspections and
certified inspections of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP)
atmospheric tanks and vessels in corrosive industrial and commercial
service after a set period of time and when there is a change of
service. The procedures are intended to:
- minimize
maintenance costs,
- ensure
compliance with environmental and safety requirements,
- minimize system
failures and
- ensure that
proper engineering, construction and maintenance practices are
in place.
PM Inspections:
The Preventive Maintenance inspections are required to document tank
or vessel inspections in written reports using where applicable the
minimum information included in FTPI 2007-1 standardized check
lists. In addition, the reports shall contain conclusions,
recommendations and supplemental sketches with dimensions and/or
photographs. The photographs shall have a minimum resolution of 3
mega pixels with the photograph locations identified.
PM Inspector Qualifications: The Preventive Maintenance (PM)
inspector shall be a person familiar with the equipment to be
inspected, this FTPI 2007-1 Recommended Practice, and is designated
by the equipment owner or operator. Periodic preventive maintenance
tank and vessel inspections are the process of ongoing data
collection through exterior inspections using investigative tools
and methods. The inspection data should be documented in a manner
that provides for a long-term trend evaluation.
Qualified inspectors shall have education and experience equal to at
least one of the following:
- A degree in
engineering plus one year of experience in the inspection of FRP
tanks or vessels.
- A 2-year
certificate in engineering or technology from a technical
college, and two years of experience in manufacturing, repair,
operation or inspection of FRP tanks or vessels manufactured in
accordance with applicable standards or codes.
- The equivalent
of a high school education, and three years of experience in
manufacturing, repair, operation or inspection of FRP tanks or
vessels manufactured in accordance with applicable standards or
codes.
Certified External
Inspections: Certified external tank and vessel inspections
shall be performed by a certified tank or vessel inspector as
follows:
- every 5 years
for tanks or vessels in Hazardous Substance service, or
- every 10 years
for tanks/vessels greater than 10,000 gallons capacity and in
other service, or
- if evidence of
material stress appears, or
- tank or vessel
leaks occur, or
- before there is
a change in service to a dissimilar stored material, or
- if a tank or
vessel is relocated.
Certified
Integrity Inspections: Certified integrity tank and vessel
inspections shall be performed by a certified tank or vessel
inspector as follows:
- every 20 years
for tanks/vessels in Hazardous Substance service, or
- every 20 years
for tanks/vessels greater than 10,000 gallons capacity and in
other service, or
- if evidence of
material stress appears, or
- tank or vessel
leaks occur, or
- before there is
a change in service to a dissimilar stored material. or
- if a tank or
vessel is relocated.
Certified
Inspector Report: The report of Certified Inspections shall be
delivered to the owner. These reports shall include the inspector’s
recommendations, which shall include one or more of the following:
- No remedial
action
- Further
investigation or analysis
- Repairs
- Changes in tank
or vessel operation
- Replacement
RP FTPI-2007
Applications and Availability: Recommended Practice FTPI 2007-1
may be used for the inspection of aboveground fiberglass tanks or
vessels in Animal Fats, Vegetable Oil (AFVO) oily water, or other
materials subject to the SPCC Rule or in Hazardous Substance
service. Those interested in purchasing a copy of the FTPI 2007-1
Recommended Practice for the In-service Inspections of Aboveground
Atmospheric Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Tanks and Vessels 2007
may order it by forwarding a company check in the amount of $195.00
to cover development and mailing costs to Fiberglass Tank & Pipe
Institute, 11150 S. Wilcrest Dr., Suite 101, Houston, Texas
77099-4343.
Sdc 10/22/07 rev.12/18/07
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