Asset integrity management (AIM) is a systematic approach to ensuring that process equipment, instrumentation, utilities, and associated systems are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained so they remain safe and reliable throughout their operating lives.
The concept was introduced by CCPS as an evolution of the earlier mechanical integrity concept, broadening the scope to recognize that all asset types at a process facility — not just pressure-containing equipment — must be managed holistically as interconnected systems.
Key Points
- AIM is an industry concept originating from CCPS, not a regulatory term; the related regulatory requirement is mechanical integrity under OSHA PSM and EPA RMP.
- AIM is the overarching framework: the MI program sits within it, and the ITPM program sits within the MI program, executing day-to-day inspection, testing, and preventive maintenance tasks.
- The shift from “mechanical integrity” to “asset integrity” reflects that instrumentation, utilities, and connections must be managed holistically alongside pressure equipment — integrity is a system-level property, not a component-level one.
Example
A facility subject to OSHA PSM structures its asset integrity management program with three nested tiers: an AIM framework that sets governance and scope, an MI program that identifies critical equipment and compliance requirements, and an ITPM program that schedules and documents proof tests, calibrations, and preventive maintenance. Each tier feeds the next, ensuring that day-to-day maintenance activities are traceable back to the facility’s overall safety and reliability objectives.
See Also: MI program, PSM, ITPM
Cited Sources
- Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), Guidelines for Asset Integrity Management, Wiley, 2017. Available via Wiley Online Library.