15 Oct API 580 Risk based Inspection – Course Details and Syllabus

What is Risk Based Inspection?

Risk Based Inspection certification from American Petroleum Institute (API) for highly specialised inspectors, engineers, and other professionals in the petrochemical industry as a validation of their immense knowledge in risk based inspection methods. Professionals who hold a current API 510, API 570 or API 653 certification automatically qualify to appear for the API 580, risk based inspection certification exam. 

API 580 is a generic document which can be used to identify whether the quality of any Risk Based Inspection (RBI) methods meet the level of quality prescribed in RP.

API 580 certification will add a great deal of significance in the professional credentials of a professional in the petrochemical industry. API 580 certification is valid for three years, after which you have to renew the certification.

RBI is mostly used in engineering industries and in the oil and gas industry . The assessments are used in developing  prioritised inspection plans. It is related to RBAM (Risk Based Asset Management), RBIM( Risk Based Integrity Management) and RBM (Risk Based Management). Basically, RBI  can be said as a part of RRM(Risk and Reliability Management).  Risk based Inspections frequently employ NDT.

Objectives

Risk based Inspection allows companies to select appropriate maintenance and cost effective, inspection techniques and tasks which can in turn reduce the cost and efforts for shifting from a reactive to a proactive maintenance regime so that it can produce an audit-able system which gives an agreed operating window and also allows to implement a tool for risk management.

Purposes of RBI includes:-

1. Improve risk management results
2. Integrity Safeguarding
3. Provide a interdependent and holistic approach for managing risks
4. Provide a flexible techniques to continuously improve and adopt to the changing risk
5. Reduce outages which is unplanned and increase the  plant availability 
6. Improve availability and reliability of the asset by executing and planning those needed inspections 
7. Reduce shutdowns and inspections and provide longer run length which is performed without compromising the reliability or safety
8. Reduce failure risks

Qualification to take the API 580 certification Exam

As mentioned earlier, if you already have any API certifications like 510,570 or 653 then you are qualified to take the API 580 exam.

However, candidate who does not have a current API certification can also apply for the API 580 exams if they meet the level of education and experience as mentioned in below table

API 580 Certification exam details

The questions for the API 580 exam will be based on ‘API 580 Risk Based Inspection’ – third Edition 2016.

Just like other API certification exams, API 580 exam is 3.25 hours long and there will be a total of 80 questions.The API 580 is a closed book exam, paper and reference materials are not allowed in the examination. All questions will be of multiple choice nature.

API 580 Re-certification details

API 580 certification is only valid for a period of 3 years. After the 3 year period the certified candidates must apply for a re-certification. Re-certification involves a fee and candidates do not have to pass the full examination to re-certify.

Candidates are eligible to apply for a re-certification 90 days prior to the expiration date of their certification. Also, there is an additional 90 days grace period to apply for re-certification once the certification expires.

If the candidate does not apply for a re-certification after the 90 day grace period, their existing certification will expire. Once the certification is expired candidates have to apply for a new certification by remitting the full fees and must pass all examinations again to re-certify.

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