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Pre-shipment inspection of lightning protection and grounding materials at Lightning Eliminators & Consultants
Final inspection at the supplier's works for 25 line items of lightning protection and grounding material destined for a gas plant project in South Asia. We were engaged by an international third-party inspection agency on behalf of the operator; nothing could ship until our Inspection Release Note was issued.
- Supplier
- Lightning Eliminators & Consultants, Boulder, CO
- Client
- International TPI agency for an oil & gas operator
- Material
- 25 line items, lightning protection & grounding
- Deliverables
- Inspection Report, photo record, Inspection Release Note
The assignment
The purchase order covered the complete lightning protection and grounding package for a gas plant: spline ball air terminals with davit mounts and mounting shafts, chemical grounding electrodes with ground augmentation fill and access wells, braided copper down-conductor, bronze and copper clamps, stainless banding, galvanized hardware and epoxy consumables. The order was flagged urgent and shipped EXW from the supplier's Boulder works to a freight forwarder for sea freight.
The Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) contained only Witness and Review points, no Hold points, with a single inspection visit at the supplier before packing. The PO stated that no material could be released for shipment without an Inspection Release Note (IRN) from the third-party inspector.
How the assignment ran
- Pre-visit call with the agency's coordinator to align on report formats and priorities.
- Visit confirmed with the supplier's quality contact, including access and PPE requirements.
- Desk review of PO, ITP and NOI, which surfaced quantity and part-number differences between the ITP and the PO.
- Inspection at the supplier's works with calibrated calipers and tape.
- Signed Inspection Report, photographic appendix and IRN issued to the agency.
Inspection activities
- Quantity and identification on all 25 items: quantity, unit of measure, part number, labelling, packaging and condition against the PO
- Dimensional inspection (Witness point) of terminals, mounting shafts, davit assemblies and chemical ground rods: dimensions, thread, length and configuration per drawing and catalogue, first piece plus sample
- Material verification: grade, construction, coating and finish checked against Material Test Reports and Certificates of Conformance per lot or heat
- Copper conductor: length per drum from tags and counter, total against the ordered quantity, review of the signed factory test report
- Chemical items: expiry dates, MSDS and preservation requirements for epoxy and electrode refill kits
- Documentation: packing list reconciled with the PO, country of origin per line item for the shipping documents
From the inspection
Photographs taken during the visit for the inspection report's photo record. Each item was checked against the PO for quantity, identification, dimensions and condition.
What the client got out of it
Quantities and part numbers differed between the ITP and the PO on several items. Offered and accepted quantities were recorded against the PO, the governing document, and the differences noted in the report.
Inspection Report in the client's own format with per-item results, certificate references and a captioned photo record.
Signed Inspection Report and Inspection Release Note issued to the agency so the forwarder could collect the shipment.
The supplier is a short drive from our base, so the visit was confirmed quickly after the agency's request.
Pre-shipment inspection for electrical and bulk materials
Final inspection at the supplier is the last point where a shortage, a wrong part number or a missing certificate can be fixed cheaply. For bulk and electrical materials we verify the shipment line by line against the PO, check dimensions and markings on a sample, review the material and test certificates, and issue the release note your logistics chain needs.
Typical scope: lightning protection and grounding systems, cable trays and conduit, cable drums, junction boxes, instrumentation fittings, fasteners and consumables, and packaged skids before export packing.
Standards and references used
- Client ITP with Hold / Witness / Review / Surveillance points
- Approved drawings, catalogue data and PO specification
- MTR / CoC per lot, heat or batch
- Factory test reports and drum tags for cable
- MSDS and shelf-life for chemical consumables
- Client IR and IRN report formats
Need a release note from a Colorado supplier?
Send the PO, ITP and NOI. We confirm availability within 24 hours and can usually attend Boulder and Denver area suppliers on short notice.