Requirements for the annual inspection of pressure pipelines
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Our company completed the installation of the pressure pipelines in September of last year. The supervision inspection report issued by the local special inspection agency states that the next annual inspection is scheduled for September this year, while the next regular inspection will take place in September 2026. Regarding the annual inspection, I called to get some initial information; the cost is 10 yuan per meter. I checked the length of the pressure pipeline. I was shocked – it’s nearly 10,000 meters (over 80% of the pipes are DN50; I never imagined it would be this expensive). It’s simply unaffordable for small and medium-sized enterprises like ours. I don’t even dare to apply for an inspection now, because I want to know the fee structure. I asked at the counter of the Special Inspection Institute, and they said they were not aware of the fees. If an inspection is requested and the other party sends a billing notice, that’s the end of it. I know that non-destructive testing is not part of the annual inspection – can the annual inspection be carried out on my own?
It is generally not allowed to conduct annual inspections of pressure pipelines on one’s own. According to **relevant regulations, the inspection of pressure pipelines must be carried out by inspection agencies with the appropriate qualifications. This is to ensure the safety of the equipment and compliance with legal requirements. If you are concerned about the high inspection costs, it is recommended that you consult the local quality and technical supervision agency or the specialized equipment inspection institution for more detailed information on the fees, as well as to find out whether it is possible to reduce the burden through government subsidies or other means. Additionally, it is possible to ask whether partial inspection based on the actual usage of the pipeline is available, which could help reduce costs to some extent. In short, it is a safer approach to communicate properly with the relevant departments and obtain complete information before making a decision. .
It is possible, but when necessary, it should be carried out by unit safety management personnel who organize professionally trained staff to do so. For details, see Annex A of TSG D7005-2018
Thank you. For those who have received professional training, is it necessary to sign up for further training? In which institution are these trainings offered?
Then you need to consult the local special equipment regulatory authority, the higher-level supervising agency.
This is called an annual inspection, and companies can carry it out on their own. As for how to conduct the training, there are no specific regulations; it depends on the requirements set by the local regulatory authorities. In more lenient cases, companies organize the training themselves, while in stricter cases, the authorities designate an institution to do so. :lol
Here, as long as the person in charge is holding a Type A certificate for special equipment management, it’s sufficient.
The annual inspection required by regulations can be carried out by oneself or by a qualified agency, but in most cases it is merely a formality – an annual inspection report is issued; usually, a qualified external agency is hired for this task, and the price can be negotiated
1. The annual inspection of pressure vessels, also known as the annual self-inspection, can be carried out by oneself or by entrusting a third-party agency； 2. The fee is usually 10 yuan per meter; it can also be 5 yuan per meter. Some private companies charge 1 yuan per meter. The fee varies from region to region and from one provider to another ； 3. Self-inspection is not recommended, as the users have almost no knowledge of laws and regulations nor of the inspection procedures; accidents are almost inevitable in such cases ； 4. The price for commissioned testing can be negotiated; the techniques can be learned. If an agreement on the price cannot be reached, it is even less advisable to carry out the task on one’s own. The initial fee still needs to be paid ； 5. The burden of responsibility is very heavy ； 6. Setting aside the above factors, regular inspections generally still require to be carried out by specialized inspection agencies; self-prepared regular inspection reports are not acceptable to professionals from such agencies, as they are full of contradictions and errors. Such reports are ineffective in the eyes of professionals, and rectifying them can result in significant costs.
According to **laws and regulations, there is no requirement for those conducting annual inspections to hold a certificate; however, the reports must be signed by the person in charge of safety management or a safety manager, and these individuals are required to hold an A certificate.
Regarding costs, my personal suggestion is to have it done by a specialized inspection agency in order to further reduce the price. Reason: Short-term costs decrease, but long-term costs rise sharply, increasing risks. Article 83 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safety of Special Equipment: If a special equipment user commits any of the following acts in violation of the provisions of this Law, it shall be ordered to make corrections within a specified time limit ； If the violation is not corrected within the prescribed time, the use of the relevant special equipment shall be ordered to be stopped, and a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 100,000 yuan shall be imposed: (3) Failing to carry out regular maintenance and periodic self-inspections on the special equipment in use, or failing to conduct regular calibration and maintenance of the safety accessories and safety protection devices of such equipment, while also failing to keep records thereof ； If one only considers short-term operational costs, then it’s possible to violate the law without consequence, with a maximum fine of just 100,000.