Whiteboard Discussion: Graduating from Qualitative vs. Quantitative Risk-Based Inspection

Overview

Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is an analytical methodology used to identify and understand risk, its drivers, and where equipment stands in its lifecycle. RBI programs require a qualitative or quantitative assessment of both the probability of failure (PoF) and the consequence of failure (CoF) associated with each equipment item, including piping circuits, within a specific process unit.

It is commonly believed that qualitative RBI programs require less effort and time than semi-quantitative programs, but this may not always be true. In this Whiteboard Discussion, Greg Alvarado provides a brief recap of several key differences between qualitative and semi-quantitative RBI programs. He then presents ideas on how to approach "graduating" from qualitative to semi-quantitative programs in a gradual, iterative process.