Why Your Auditor Should NEVER Do Maintenance | Blog No. 73

At Macha PSM, we often hear the same question from clients: "Why can't you handle testing and maintenance along with your 5-Year Mechanical Integrity Audit (MIA)?" It seems convenient, right? However, convenience isn’t always compliant—or smart. Here's why inspections should be kept separate from maintenance and testing, and what regulations explicitly say about it.

What the Regulations Actually Say

ANSI/IIAR 6-2019, the Standard for Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems, addresses this specifically in §5.4.2:

"Equipment inspections shall be performed by a qualified inspector(s). Every fifth (5th) year, at a minimum, the annual inspections shall be conducted by a qualified inspector who shall not be influenced by the facility’s record keeping, operations, maintenance, or management. This person shall not present a conflict of interest and shall report instances of deficiencies."

In plain English? Inspectors need to remain unbiased and independent. Otherwise, they might recommend maintenance and repairs that aren't strictly necessary.

Why Combining Inspection with Maintenance Isn’t Good

Imagine this scenario: the same company performing your inspections also handles maintenance. Every identified issue could be viewed as a sales opportunity rather than purely from a compliance standpoint. Even discrepancies that are technically compliant may be highlighted unnecessarily as opportunities to sell additional maintenance services. Consequently, you'll likely receive a report that's overly focused on maintenance and testing issues while potentially neglecting other crucial compliance elements that don’t present immediate revenue opportunities.

For the most thorough, honest, and compliance-focused inspection, it's essential to hire a company without a conflict of interest. Not only is choosing separate providers a smart business practice, but it is also explicitly required by the regulation cited above—and with good reason.

Why Trust Macha PSM for Your Mechanical Integrity Inspection?

At Macha PSM, integrity and transparency aren't just buzzwords—they're the foundation of our service. Our inspectors:

• Are fully qualified and independent, ensuring unbiased results.

• Have extensive experience specifically in Mechanical Integrity Audits, focusing solely on compliance and safety.

• Provide clear, actionable insights without pushing unnecessary maintenance or repairs.

Macha PSM is trusted by some of the largest corporations in the world. We pride ourselves on delivering comprehensive, clear, and thorough reports, which we firmly believe are the best in the industry. Additionally, our turnaround times, especially for Mechanical Integrity Audits, are unmatched.

We believe keeping inspection independent from testing and maintenance is not just good practice—it's the right thing to do.

Ready to schedule your 5-Year MIA with professionals committed to unbiased, transparent, and reliable inspections?

Reach out today—we’re here to help!