Company supplier quality programmes have long had the need for a minimum standard of competency regarding inspectors working on fixed equipment assignments around the world within the oil and gas industry. Industry expectations are that individual inspector certifications will be mandatory by many clients and projects, sometime in the near future.
The API Source Inspector certification program was developed in cooperation with industry experts. It qualifies individuals (employees of end-users and individual contractors) who perform the important task of supplier quality surveillance. The Source Inspector has been defined as the individual responsible for:
- Examining fabricated and manufactured equipment and materials at a supplier’s facility
- Confirming that the supplier’s quality management system is being utilized effectively
SIFE – Source Inspector Fixed Equipment focuses primarily on pressure containing equipment and structural equipment, including: vessels, columns/towers, heat exchangers, piping, valves, pressure relief devices, tubulars, and associated structural fabrications.