The Offshore Installations (Emergency Pipe-line Valve) Regulations 1989

Inspection and testing

8.—(1) There shall be carried out in respect of every emergency shut-down valve–

(a) at intervals not exceeding 3 months, an inspection of the valve and of the mechanism for actuating it for the purpose of identifying any external leak, external damage or external corrosion;

(b) at intervals not exceeding 6 months, a testing which shall include the partial closing of the valve, and its re-opening, by a person positioned by it; and

(c) not less than 2 months or more than 4 months after every testing for the purposes of sub-paragraph (b) above, a testing which shall include the full closing and re-opening of the valve by the activation of the associated installation’s emergency shut-down system.

(2) The period within which the first inspection and testing for the purposes of sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (1) above is to be carried out in respect of an emergency shut-down valve shall commence with the date on which these Regulations first apply to the pipe-line in question.

(3) A record of each inspection or testing carried out for the purposes of paragraph (1) above shall be made and this shall state in relation to the inspection or testing–

(a) the identity of the emergency shut-down valve and the pipe-line;

(b) the names of the owner of the pipe-line, the owner of the associated installation and the manager of that installation;

(c) the date on which it was carried out;

(d) the name, qualifications and employer (if any) of every person engaged in carrying it out;

(e) particulars of the procedures and any equipment used to carry it out; and

(f) any damage or defect revealed and the action taken or proposed to be taken to remedy it.

(4) Every record made in accordance with paragraph (3) above shall be preserved together with any document produced in the course of the inspection or testing in question and a copy of the record and documents shall be kept–

(a) for a period of 2 years from the inspection or testing, on the associated installation; and

(b) for a period of 5 years from the inspection or testing, at a principal place of business in the United Kingdom of the owner of the pipe-line in question.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4) above“document” has the same meaning as in Part I of the Civil Evidence Act 1968(1).

(1)

1968 c. 64.