Whose approval for on-stream welding is required?

Whose approval for on-stream welding is required?

• A. The owner/user.
• B. The inspector.
• C. The piping engineer.
• D. The contractor.

Answer: (A)

On-stream welding is welding done while the plant is in operation, which carries greater risk to process safety and continuity. The party that can authorize this work is the owner or user of the facility because they oversee overall process safety, operating priorities, and liability. They can ensure proper isolation, permits, and risk controls are in place before welding is performed in service. The inspector’s job is to verify compliance with procedures and codes and to witness qualifications, not to grant permission to weld in operation. The piping engineer may determine the welding requirements and procedures, and the contractor performs the work under those directives, but final approval to proceed while in service comes from the owner/user.

On-stream welding is welding done while the plant is in operation, which carries greater risk to process safety and continuity. The party that can authorize this work is the owner or user of the facility because they oversee overall process safety, operating priorities, and liability. They can ensure proper isolation, permits, and risk controls are in place before welding is performed in service.

The inspector’s job is to verify compliance with procedures and codes and to witness qualifications, not to grant permission to weld in operation. The piping engineer may determine the welding requirements and procedures, and the contractor performs the work under those directives, but final approval to proceed while in service comes from the owner/user.