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What is the Equipment Criticality Assessment?

The Equipment Criticality Assessment is an intelligent analysis feature that automatically categorizes your facility's ammonia refrigeration equipment into three risk-based priority levels: High, Medium, and Low. This assessment appears as an "Asset Density Snapshot" in your P&ID analysis report, helping you prioritize maintenance activities and allocate resources effectively.

Instead of treating all equipment equally, our system uses industry-standard risk criteria to identify which components require daily attention versus annual inspection, helping you focus on what matters most for safety and uptime.

How does the risk classification work?

We use a proven risk-based methodology that evaluates two key factors:

Risk Factors Considered:

1. Safety Impact: Does equipment failure pose life-threatening risk? (Example: Ammonia detectors, emergency ventilation)
2. Production Impact: Does failure halt facility operations? (Example: Compressors, main pressure vessels)
3. Maintenance Frequency: Does the equipment type have high failure rates? (Example: Valve packing, pump seals)
4. Regulatory Significance: Is equipment subject to strict IIAR 6 or OSHA requirements?

Based on these factors, each piece of equipment is assigned to one of three tiers:

What are the three criticality tiers?

How is my facility's overall risk level determined?

Your facility receives one of two risk designations:

Why does the report group equipment into categories?

We automatically group similar equipment types into operator-friendly categories to make the report easier to read and act on.

🔴 High | Compressor-screw                 | 2
🔴 High | Compressor-Reciprocation         | 1
🔴 High | Compressor-rotary-vane           | 1
🔴 High | Pressure Vessels Insulated       | 5
🔴 High | Pressure Vessels - non insulated | 2

🔴 High | Prime Movers (Compressors)       | 4
🔴 High | Pressure Vessels                 | 7

This grouping reduces a typical report from 30-40 rows to 10-15 rows, making it much easier to understand your facility's risk profile at a glance.

How accurate is the equipment classification?

The criticality assessment is based on:

1. IIAR 6 Standards: We align our classifications with International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) maintenance guidelines
2. OSHA Requirements: Life safety equipment classifications follow OSHA 1910.119 Process Safety Management standards
3. Industry Best Practices: Developed in consultation with experienced ammonia refrigeration operators and engineers
4. Equipment Type Mapping: Our AI vision system first identifies equipment, then our mapping service assigns it to the appropriate CAG (Comprehensive Asset Guide) equipment type, which is then classified by criticality

Accuracy Considerations:

• Vision Detection: Equipment must be correctly identified in your P&ID for accurate classification
• Type Mapping: Some equipment may appear generic (e.g., "valve") without specific details (e.g., "safety relief valve"). We classify based on the information available.
• Context Matters: Two identical valves may have different criticality in practice (one on a main feed line vs. one on a drain line). Our system applies general risk principles but cannot account for every site-specific configuration.

Quality Assurance: All classifications can be reviewed in the detailed equipment tables included in your report.

Can I disagree with the criticality classification?

Absolutely. Our criticality assessment provides a starting point based on industry standards and typical configurations. However, you know your facility best.

Situations where you might adjust classifications:

• Local Conditions: Your facility may have unique operating conditions (extreme temperatures, corrosive environment) that increase risk
• Redundancy: You may have backup systems that reduce criticality (e.g., 4 compressors when only 2 are needed)
• Age & Condition: Older equipment in poor condition may warrant higher criticality than our default classification
• Regulatory Requirements: Your insurer or local authorities may have specific requirements

Our Recommendation: Use our criticality assessment as a foundation for your maintenance planning, then adjust based on your facility-specific knowledge, historical failure data, and regulatory requirements.

What should I do with this information?

The Equipment Criticality Assessment is designed to help you:

How does this differ from the detailed maintenance tasks section?

Your report contains two complementary features:

Will this feature work for all facility types?

The Equipment Criticality Assessment works best for facilities with:

• ✅ Industrial ammonia refrigeration systems (our primary focus)
• ✅ Equipment identified in P&ID drawings (our AI analyzes your submitted diagrams)
• ✅ Standard IIAR equipment types (compressors, vessels, valves, heat exchangers)

Limited applicability for:

• Facilities using pre-packaged refrigeration units (less detailed P&IDs)
• Non-ammonia refrigerants (risk factors differ)
• Highly customized or proprietary equipment not in standard IIAR categories

Note: If your P&ID contains minimal equipment detail or uses non-standard symbols, our vision AI may detect fewer components, resulting in a less comprehensive criticality assessment. In such cases, the detailed equipment tables and maintenance tasks sections remain valuable.

How often should I re-run the analysis?

We recommend generating a new Equipment Criticality Assessment:

• After Major Changes: Equipment additions, system expansions, retrofits
• Routine Re-Assessment: Quarterly (if frequent mods), Annually (standard), or Every 2-3 Years (stable)
• Compliance-Driven: Before IIAR 6 audits, after incidents, or when requirements change

Pro Tip: Keep historical reports to track how your facility's risk profile evolves over time.

What if I have questions about my specific risk classification?

We're here to help you understand your facility's risk profile.

• For Technical Questions: Review detailed equipment tables, check Criticality Legend, compare to IIAR 6 descriptions
• For Support: Contact your IR Pros representative with your report ID
• For Regulatory Compliance: Consult with your IIAR-certified technician or engineer

Can I customize the criticality tiers for my facility?

The current version uses standardized industry-based classifications. We're exploring options for facility-specific customization in future updates.

Interested in custom classification? Contact your IR Pros representative to discuss your specific needs.

Additional Resources

• IIAR 6 Standards
• OSHA PSM Requirements