- Home
- Engineering
- Pressure Relief & Process Technology
- Documentation & Revalidation Audits
PRESSURE RELIEF SYSTEMS: DOCUMENTATION & REVALIDATION AUDITS
Prevent Equipment Failures & Meet Industry Standards
Missing or inadequate documentation can cause major issues for a facility, especially if there is an equipment failure. Without documentation, regulatory authorities can impose costly non-compliance fines on the facility or shut down production. In the USA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all plants to maintain essential documentation authenticating adequate design and maintenance of pressure vessels and storage tanks.
Revalidating and auditing pressure relief system (PRS) documentation will ensure no systemic issues exist and prevent regulatory fines, unexpected shutdowns, environmental or facility damage, and human injury.
Accurate and up-to-date documentation is critical to the safe operation of your facility and its equipment.
Documentation Audit
Equity will conduct a third-party engineering review to assess which systems meet or fail to meet the mandatory industry codes and standards, RAGAGEP, and corporate best practices.
Revalidation Audit
Equity will revalidate and audit calculations to identify any potential systemic weaknesses or operational risks. The audit is a cost-effective solution to verify basis for the design and the process.
Codes & Standards
All facility personnel need to meet regulatory requirements and follow established engineering practices when designing and maintaining process equipment. We understand the struggle to determine the appropriate RAGAGEP for your facility; our process technology team knows the latest industrial pressure relief guidelines and standards, including:
- Process Safety Management (PSM) CFR 1910.119 – a comprehensive guide, created by OSHA, to prevent the release of hazardous chemicals including toxic, reactive, explosive, and highly flammable liquids and gases into the environment.
- RAGAGEP – recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices apply to PSM; however, OSHA doesn’t require it. RAGAGEP requirements are, instead, defined by owner-operators.
- API STD 521 – basic PRS design rules, assumptions, and methodology are provided to determine relieving flow rates for common overpressure scenarios. Unfortunately, this standard doesn’t provide guidance for every situation.
- NB-370 National Board Synopsis – jurisdictional requirements by state or province for the USA or Canada.
Quality Assurance (QA) & Quality Control (QC)

Conduct pressure relief system audits on both new and revalidated PRDs to maintain quality and consistency and to ensure industry standards and corporate requirements are followed by all personnel, third-party contractors, and engineers.
Equity's Audit Workflow
Equity’s process technology team has extensive knowledge of several PRD mechanical designs, process unit operations, fluid dynamics (liquid, vapor, and 2-phase), and the latest industrial pressure relief guidelines and standards. Our QA and QC workflow includes:
- Review design basis documents and calculation techniques to meet industry standards and RAGAGEP
- Attend scenario review meetings to confirm comprehensive calculation basis
- Consult on the use of ASME Section VIII, UG-140 in lieu of PRD installations
- Provide support with API interpretations and industry best practices
- Audit relief device calculations for accuracy, consistency, and proper documentation verification
- Provide feedback to improve overall quality
- Review mitigation strategies, as appropriate
- Assist with risk assessment procedures for deficient installations
Once the documentation and revalidation audits are completed, it’s important to proactively improve PSV safety and compliance by combining equipment design and process optimization services with standardized corporate best practices. The Equity Engineering Practices (EEPs) help facilities make informed design and maintenance decisions, minimize deviations, and promote safety and reliability.
Recommended Reading
- Industry Insights /
- Library /
- Pressure Relief /
- Process Technology /
- Tanks /
- Library /
- Pressure Relief /
- Process Technology /
- 3% Rule /
- Library /
- Pressure Relief /
- Process Technology /
Pressure Relieving Systems Expertise
Our process technology team assists with the maintenance of safety-critical pressure relieving systems and developing practical mitigation solutions to meet risk management targets, compliance requirements, and business objectives.
Our experts:
- Have 100+ years of experience
- Have served as the API 520 task force chairman for more than 25 years
- Are the primary authors WRC 528 and WRC 562
- Serve as the lead investigators on API 579 and API 571