Let’s talk about what qualifications are required to work in a chemical plant

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I have worked at a foreign-owned chemical company for nearly 10 years, and my main role has involved dealing with subcontractors or construction firms. To this day, I still have many questions regarding the qualification requirements for internal operations in petrochemical companies, so I’m posting this to discuss it with everyone. ============================================================= Preconditions for the discussion: 1. The discussions in this post do not cover projects related to the construction, renovation, or expansion of chemical plants, where qualification requirements are clearly defined (i.e., those that require administrative approvals). 2. The projects discussed here are all assumed to be internal projects within petrochemical enterprises. ============================================================= Resource sharing: Before posting this discussion thread, I have conducted some research and gathered relevant information; I will share what I’ve found first. According to the responses from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the scope of work that construction companies can undertake is determined in accordance with the 2014 version of the “Standards for Qualifications of Construction Enterprises”. After reviewing this standard, the relevant qualifications for petrochemical enterprises are as follows: General contracting qualification for petrochemical engineering ===> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General contracting qualification for mechanical and electrical engineering construction ===> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Specialized contracting qualification for building mechanical and electrical installation engineering ===> ====================== Now, let’s get to the main topic================================== Discussion topic: Small-scale technical improvement projects that are common in petrochemical enterprises, such as replacing a set of centrifugal pumps with leak-free shielded pumps, along with related equipment installation and electrical work. These projects are relatively small in scale, typically ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands. Can the qualifications for mechanical and electrical installation (general/generalized contracting or specialized contracting) handle such projects? In my opinion, a general mechanical and electrical contracting firm can undertake such work thanks to its relevant qualifications; however, the criteria for professional mechanical and electrical contracting specify that it involves the installation of equipment, wiring, and pipelines in various construction projects. Therefore, I believe that professional mechanical and electrical contracting qualifications are not sufficient for this task. What qualifications are required for carrying out daily or regular inspection and maintenance work on petrochemical plant equipment (such as the disassembly and repair of instruments and valves, maintenance of mechanical equipment, high-pressure cleaning inside reactors, etc.)? Some netizens have reported that the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development stated that no qualifications are required for inspection and maintenance work, but I personally believe that such work in the petrochemical industry is also quite dangerous, and therefore qualifications should be required. What qualifications are required for general industrial construction projects (such as company canteens and office buildings) in petrochemical enterprises? In my opinion, the essential nature of a project should not be altered just because it involves petrochemical companies; therefore, only construction qualifications are required, and no petrochemical-related qualifications are necessary. What qualifications are needed for installation projects related to non-petrochemical process pipelines in petrochemical companies (such as the installation of pipelines for industrial water, domestic water, deionized water, circulating water, steam, and other utility systems)? In my opinion, since non-process pipelines generally run within the petrochemical plant area, and some of these pipelines are auxiliary to the petrochemical plants, a general contracting qualification for petrochemical projects is required; as a minimum, a general contracting qualification for mechanical and electrical installation would suffice, but a specialized contracting qualification in mechanical and electrical fields is not adequate. What qualifications are required for the maintenance of structures in petrochemical enterprises, such as repairing road holes, fixing damaged doors and windows, and addressing roof leaks? No relevant information could be found; I personally believe that no qualifications are necessary. These are issues that I have not been able to fully understand over the years, and I earnestly ask for guidance from those who are more knowledgeable!