Confirming the continued effectiveness of safety barriers

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Verification represents the activities performed by a Verifier to confirm whether the assets Safety and Environmentally Critical Elements (SECEs) remain suitable, and are being maintained in adequate condition to meet the performance standards. It is based on a well-defined process of periodic assessment in order to confirm the continued effectiveness of an installations barriers.

A valuable verification scheme is 'positive confirmation' that the assurance processes are combining in an effective manner to provide sound management of all major hazards on an asset.

The in-service verification scheme will define activities for operational suitability and brownfield modification initial suitability.

DNV has produced a service specification - DNVGL-SE-0466 - to provide a framework for carrying out in-service verification which details a consistent and structured approach for assessing the condition of critical barriers for offshore and onshore facilities in-service. Naturally, this is aimed at operators within EU countries that need support on how to apply the new EU Directive on Safety of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations (2013/30/EU), but equally it can be applied in countries with limited regulatory requirements where operators can take advantage of a consistency in approach to safety barrier management. 

With verification hubs at key oil and gas locations around the world, we can provide a high quality of service wherever you are working. 

What we do: 

• Develop documented performance standards/requirements for each safety barrier, stipulating clear criteria used to assure its effectiveness
• Establish a verification scheme to independently confirm the fulfillment of each performance standard criteria (examine, witness, test or audit)
• Carry out periodic assessments to confirm the continued effectiveness of safety barriers
• Full detailed reporting including our recommendations on technical findings with appropriate follow up with operators responsible personnel.

DNV can also provide support from our risk advisory teams on the hazard/risk analyses and safety studies which are performed in order to identify the barriers and safety & environmentally critical elements for specific assets.