Process Safety Information: Piping and Instrument Diagrams (P&IDs)

This post is the third in a series on the topic of Process Safety Information.

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Piping and Instrument Diagrams (P&IDs)

Most process safety activities involve extensive use of Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID). Therefore, everyone involved in process safety work should know how to read these important documents.

Figure 5.2
Representative P&ID

As can be seen from Figure 5.2, P&IDs are busy documents. They show all the process lines in a unit, including valves, material specs and insulation detail. The P&ID may or may not include minor piping such as vent and drain lines and tubing. Key components of a P&ID include the following.