Q&A with the Procedure Compliance Trainer

By Kristine Rohwer / CommTech Global

 

What’s the difference between commissioning and inspection? Why would a startup or restartup hire a third party commissioning company?

CommTech Global’s Billy Kirkland, Procedure Compliance Trainer, explains in this Q&A article why field support/inspection is vital to the success of projects, whether it’s full turnkey service from inspection to completion, to owner’s satisfaction and product knowledge.

1.)  What is the scope of Field Support and Inspection CommTech Global provides?

Testing, documenting, setting up, and installation of network hardware and on-site inspection. As of right now, our field support and inspection work is primarily on a national scale on-site, but soon we look forward to on-site inspection overseas.

Here is a short list of Field Support and Inspection services provided by CommTech Global:

Field Engineering, Redline and As-Built Development 

Utility, Telecom and Permit Coordination

Supplier Verification and Factory Audits

Verification, Reporting and Turnover Documentation Control

Inspection Personnel includes:

  •         Electrical
  •         Mechanical
  •         NACE
  •         Instrumentation
  •         Welding
  •         Utility
  •         Material Documentation

CommTech Global offers a turnkey program from start to finish. We can be there for every aspect of the projects. No other inspection company in the industry offers that.

2.)  Is there a difference between commissioning and inspection?

Yes, absolutely. For instance, Inspectors may be involved with the project from inception — reviewing drawings, designs, curating accurate plans and stay on-site for the duration of the project. Inspectors are there from beginning to end. Commissioning ensures client and engineers can operate their product or project without future flaws. Our commissioning team includes our clients’ satisfaction and full user knowledge.

3.)  Why would a company hire out a third-party commissioning/inspection team? What’s the risk of a company using internal staff?

The easy answer to that is liability. A lot of internal staff do not have the qualifications.  They are an operational staff that knows how to run the equipment and operate the electronics, but may not be qualified for the installation. Also, these companies are fully staffed and do not have time.

With safety being the number one factor, contractors need to be managed to ensure the safety and quality assurance these projects require. That takes a lot of manpower, and  that’s where a third-party commissioning/inspection team like CommTech comes in. We take on the complexities of project startups to ensure safety, inspect all areas of construction for smooth operations, advise with project time management and documentation.

4.)  What makes a great field support and/or inspection team?

Integrity. We want to stay safe and on deadline. Integrity of your field support is everything — proper training for the proper people. The Field Support team needs to understand drawings, blueprints,  and be able resolve conflict in a calm and effective way. We have to have superb communication skills to clarify issues with engineers and clients alike.  

Of course, having those technical skills is number one, and our startup solutions company has continued training and education for all our field support and inspection staff. We also believe communication and conflict resolution are equally important skills required by those that represent CommTech Global. If your Inspection Team is not provided with the knowledge due to communication breakdown on what the focus of the project is, commissioning will have a tough time getting their job done.

5.)  What makes CommTech Global FS & Inspection services different than competitors?

Too often energy projects or energy companies are sidelined or delayed due to poor inspection services. It costs time and money. When you have inadequate field support it costs everyone. Having our team out there, who we aim to keep as the highest trained in the industry, exceeds that of our competitors.

We don’t just check off qualifications on a resume, we do extensive training and interviewing beyond what is required. Our clients see a clear difference with our Field Support Team from others – our additional technical and conflict resolution training we install in each of our field support team members.

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