Silo inspection preparation should use the inspector’s own surface references and booked date. The completion record can then label the same seam, plate or fitting and state clearly where residue still restricts the view.
A useful inspection booking starts with the inspector’s marked drawing, not a general request to make the silo clean. If the lower weld, cone plate and outlet flange are the examination points, those references should appear unchanged on the quotation and on the photographs returned after cleaning. The site can then see immediately whether every requested view is available.
Timing also matters. Cleaning too early may allow fresh dust or condensation to cover the prepared surface; cleaning too late can leave no room to deal with an inaccessible area before the appointment. The site contact should keep the empty period, inspection time and any protection needed between the two jobs on the same plan.
Work within the agreed cleaning boundary can remove material and record observations visible from the authorised position. Structural condition, fitness for use and formal certification remain matters for the appropriately appointed competent person.
Plan the clean around the booked inspection
The inspecting party marks the plates, seams, cone, outlet or fittings it needs to see. The cleaning quotation repeats those areas.
Obstructing material is removed and restricted views are recorded; the inspector retains the condition decision. Allow time for the site to review the handover before the booked examination begins, and keep the date with the silo record.
The inspector should mark the plates, seams, welds and fittings that must be visible. Cleaning can then be limited to those areas and timed so the vessel does not collect new dust or moisture before the inspection takes place. The inspection-preparation guide explains how to keep those target surfaces visible between cleaning and the booked inspection.
Separate cleaning observations from inspection findings
The cleaning team can record visible corrosion, loose lining or damaged fittings encountered during the work. It should not diagnose the cause or state that the silo is fit to return to service. Those conclusions remain with the appointed inspector and the site. Agree how photographs will identify their position. A vessel reference, surface name and consistent viewpoint make the record useful when inspection findings are compared later.
The site should decide whether cleaned surfaces need temporary residue protection before the inspector arrives. An open vessel can collect dust or moisture while another team prepares to enter.
Does cleaning include a structural inspection. No. We expose and record agreed areas. A competent appointed inspector makes structural or fitness-for-use decisions separately.
What should the inspector send before cleaning. A list or marked drawing of the plates, seams, welds and fittings that must be visible, plus the inspection time and any required access condition.
Inspection access and any entry must follow the site’s authorisation, isolation and task-specific safe system of work.
Compare the silo cleaning scope checklist before deciding which work to request.