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Achieving Effective and Reliable NDT in the Context of RBI S Smalley, Royal SunAlliance B W Kenzie, TWI 1. SCOPE Plant owners/operators are now managing the integrity of their plant and planning inspection based on risk assessments. If an accurate assessment of plant fitness-for-service is to be realised then inspection, in particular Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), is very important. In order to achieve effective and reliable NDT, many issues need to be considered. Following an introduction to Risk-Based Inspection (RBI), this paper discusses some of the key NDT issues, in the context of RBI, and presents a list of questions with commentary that can be used as a checklist/audit tool by RBI teams and/or regulatory bodies. 2. INTRODUCTION In-service inspection of pressure systems, storage tanks and containers of hazardous materials has traditionally been driven by prescriptive industry regulations. Statutory inspection under Health Safety legislation has long been a requirement for boilers, pressure systems and other safety critical items of plant. Goal-setting safety legislation for pressure systems was first introduced in the UK in 1989 (1) and retained in the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) 2000 (2). This has enabled a move towards inspection strategies based on the risk of failure. The legislation leaves the owner/operator, in conjunction with the Competent Person, the flexibility to determine a ‘suitable’ written scheme of examination on the basis of available information about the system and best engineering practice. This trend towards a risk-based approach is being supported by extensive plant operating experience, improved understanding of material degradation mechanisms, and the availability of fitness-for-service assessment procedures. At