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Energy & Grid Management
Sonali Kapil Bagade
·Posted in Energy & Grid Management

Maximo Inspection Forms- Digitizing Regulator Station and Assets Inspections

Digitizing Regulator Station & Asset Inspections using IBM Maximo Inspection Forms

- Sonali Pandharpatte, Surekha Vanguri and Aadhavan Ravikumar

Executive Summary

Gas utilities rely on consistent and accurate inspections of regulator stations and critical field assets to support safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. Traditionally, these inspections were performed using paper forms, resulting in inconsistent data, limited visibility, and manual follow‑up processes.

IBM Maximo Inspection Forms modernize and streamline this process by digitizing inspection workflows, standardizing data collection, and integrating inspections with Maximo’s core work and asset management capabilities. By leveraging Maximo Assets, Locations, Work Orders, PMs, Job Plans, and Routes, gas utilities can automate inspection scheduling, execution, reporting, and follow‑up actions across their infrastructure.

This white paper outlines how Maximo Inspection Forms were utilized to meet business requirements for Regulator Station and Asset Inspections, providing a fully integrated, digital approach to safety and operational compliance.

1. Introduction

Regulator stations, valves, meters, and other field assets form the backbone of gas distribution operations. These assets require routine inspections to:

  • Maintain safe operating pressures

  • Comply with federal and state regulations

  • Detect early signs of equipment degradation

  • Ensure proper documentation for audit readiness

The industry’s shift toward digital inspection management significantly improves data integrity and operational efficiency. IBM Maximo is used by many utility providers as it offers a robust Inspection Forms Framework that supports end‑to‑end digital management of inspection activities across stations and assets.

 

2. Maximo Inspection Forms Overview

Maximo Inspection Forms provide a structured, configurable, and revision‑controlled process for capturing inspection data.

  • They support numeric, text, date, single/multiple choice, yes/no, pass/fail, and attachment‑based questions.

  • They can automatically trigger follow‑up work orders for items requiring attention.

  • They standardize inspection results and integrate seamlessly with Work Orders, Assets, Locations, PMs, Job Plans, and Routes.

This makes them ideal for gas utility inspection programs.

 

3. Business Requirements for Regulator Station & Asset Inspections

Regulator station operations require inspections that address:

3.1 Regulatory Compliance

  • PHMSA requirements (e.g., CFR 192) mandate periodic inspections of pressure‑regulating equipment.

  • Documentation must be auditable, consistent, and historically retained.

  • “As‑found” and “As‑left” conditions must be captured.

3.2 Asset‑Level Data Capture

  • Inspectors must capture readings for:

    • inlet/outlet pressures

    • relief valve settings

    • odorant checks

    • venting conditions

    • atmospheric corrosion indicators

3.3 Station‑Level Inspection Requirements

  • Verification of lockout/tagout conditions

  • Physical security evaluation

  • Environmental checks

  • Accessibility assessments

3.4 Integration With Maintenance Workflow

  • Inspections must automatically generate follow‑up work orders for defects.

  • Supervisors require dashboards to review, approve, and analyze results.

These requirements align perfectly with Maximo’s Inspection Forms, and the platform provides out‑of‑the‑box capabilities for automation, mobile access, and data standardization.

 

4. Designing Inspection Forms for Regulator Stations

  • Users create inspection templates with a structured set of questions.

  • Inspection Forms follow revision control to maintain regulatory integrity.

4.1 Form Structure

Typical question groups for a regulator station inspection include:

  1. Station Identification & Environmental Conditions

  2. Regulator Performance Checks

  3. Relief Valve Testing

  4. Odorization/Leak Detection

  5. Corrosion & Structural Inspection

  6. Meter & Instrumentation Assessment

  7. Safety & Security

  8. Attachments & Photos

  9. Conditional Actions (Triggers)

4.2 Conditional Logic and Triggers

Maximo can automatically generate work orders via automation scripts if inspectors mark any question as:

  • Fails,

  • Out‑of‑range,

  • Requires attention, or

  • Needs follow‑up maintenance.

This eliminates manual follow‑up steps and ensures regulatory issues are addressed immediately.

 

5. Associating Inspection Forms With Maximo’s Work Management Suite

5.1 Maximo Assets

Each regulator station component (e.g., regulator body, relief valve, heater) can be an asset. Inspection Forms can be associated at the asset level to:

  • Capture asset‑specific readings

  • Enable asset health trending

  • Provide granular historical reporting

 

5.2 Maximo Locations

Regulator stations are often modeled as Maximo locations, with assets installed at those locations. Using location‑level inspections enables:

  • Station‑wide evaluation

  • Environmental and security checks

  • Consolidated inspection history at the station

 

5.3 Work Orders

Work Orders serve as the execution record for inspections.

  • When an inspection form is attached to a work order, Maximo creates a linked Inspection Result record.

  • Work order status can automatically change based on the inspection’s status (e.g., WO moves to In Progress when inspection is started.

 

5.4 PMs (Preventive Maintenance)

PMs automatically generate inspection Work Orders on a defined schedule.
Benefits:

  • Ensures regulatory inspection intervals are never missed

  • Controls frequency at station or asset level

  • Automates creation of inspection tasks for mobile technicians

 

5.5 Job Plans

Job Plans define the step‑by‑step work associated with an inspection.
For Regulator Stations:

  • Job Plans include tasks like locking out equipment, verifying pressures, testing relief valves

  • Tasks can enforce sequence and safety steps before initiating the inspection form

  • Inspection form is appended to or embedded within the Job Plan

 

5.6 Routes

Routes allow multiple inspections across multiple assets/locations in one work order.

Example use case:

A “Regulator Station Route” may include:

  • Station perimeter inspection (location)

  • Regulator asset inspection

  • Relief valve inspection

  • Pressure transmitter inspection

Routes reduce administrative overhead by combining related inspections.

 

6. Conducting Inspections: Mobile Execution

·       Maximo Mobile supports online/offline inspections.

  • Field technicians access inspection forms as part of assigned work.

This is critical for remote Regulator Stations with limited connectivity.

Key Mobile Capabilities

  • Offline capture of inspection results

  • Barcoding for asset identification

  • Photo and annotation capture

  • Real‑time collaboration and notifications

  • Supervisor dashboards for approvals

 

7. Benefits Achieved

Implementing Maximo Inspection Forms for Regulator Station inspections delivers:

7.1 Regulatory Compliance

  • Digital audit history

  • Standardized question sets

  • Automatic evidence retention

7.2 Improved Field Efficiency

  • Faster inspections

  • Fewer errors

  • Offline mobile support

7.3 Enhanced Asset Reliability

  • Trend analysis of pressures, failures, and anomalies

  • Early identification of degrading equipment

7.4 Automation & Safety

  • Automatic follow‑up work orders

  • Required Attention actions reduce missed defects

  • Built‑in step enforcement reduces procedural risk

7.5 Data‑Driven Decision Making

  • Supervisors can analyze inspection data in the Work Center

  • Patterns can guide capital planning and maintenance strategies

  • Digital history supports risk‑based asset management (RBAM)

 

8. Conclusion

Maximo Inspection Forms provide gas utilities with a modern, compliant, and efficient way to manage Regulator Station and Asset Inspections. By integrating tightly with Assets, Locations, PMs, Work Orders, Job Plans, and Routes, Maximo delivers a complete lifecycle approach from scheduling to execution to corrective action.

For organizations transitioning from paper to digital inspection workflows, Maximo offers:

  • a scalable inspection framework

  • robust mobile capabilities

  • regulatory strength

  • full integration across Maximo’s maintenance ecosystem

This modernized approach not only improves compliance but also enhances safety, reduces operational risk, and improves the reliability of critical gas infrastructure.

 

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