Tru-Fit : Only Method to Comply with HSE Good Practice Vs. Visual/Gauge Inspection of SBT Fitting Faults Required for ALARP and EI Guidelines

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Hampson, Rory (2025) Tru-Fit : Only Method to Comply with HSE Good Practice Vs. Visual/Gauge Inspection of SBT Fitting Faults Required for ALARP and EI Guidelines. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. (https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00092526)

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Abstract

Small Bore Tubing (SBT) connector faults cause >£500M in lost production in hydrocarbon industries annually in the UK alone. Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is commonly performed, where HSE and Energy Institute (EI) require risk to be kept to ALARP legally, demonstrated by adopting HSE and industrial Good Practice. Industrial literature shows close visual inspection and gap gauges fail to meet HSE and industry good practices of 80%CRR-20%FCRR or a 90% Probability of Detection (PoD) at 95% confidence, resulting in 75% of inspected under-tight fittings unnecessarily opened with significant risk, but are used due to lack of alternatives. Tru-Fit, a novel SBT fault grading system, has been developed to fill this valuable gap, allowing informed RBI by plant duty holders.  In this work inspections of 183 laboratory samples representing 4 main fault conditions and healthy SBT fittings from several manufacturers were performed to ENIQ-61 using Tru-Fit, Visual, and Gauge inspection. TPR(CRR), and FPR(FCRR) were calculated and compared with industry figures and good practice requirements.  Tru-Fit was the only method to meet HSE and EI Guidelines good practice for ALARP with TPR >99% and FPR<0.5%, critical for integrity management using RBI, whereas Visual and Gauges both fell short with TPRs of 46% and 30% respectively, commensurate with industrial datasets.  Tru-Fit for new construction, RBI, in-service inspection, and maintenance for industrial plant and equipment is strongly recommended to build an effective strategy for management of SBT and ensure Duty Holders good practice obligations required by regulatory bodies, health & safety and the Energy Institute Guidelines are being complied with. Using Tru-Fit can enhance safety, reduce risk, and save significant costs by minimising downtime, maintenance, lost production, and safety issues.

ORCID iDs

Hampson, Rory ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7903-7460;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)