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Part B - Verifications and approval requirements 
1.3.5 Operating phase 
The operating phase includes the operation, maintenance and monitoring of offshore struc 
tures. During this phase, regular periodic inspections must be carried out. The appointed in 
spector shall issue the respective certificate of conformity in line with the test and inspection 
plan for periodic inspections. 
Differentiations are made between two types of offshore structure inspections: Periodic and 
event-driven inspections. A periodic inspection specifically serves the purpose of examining 
any changes that become apparent with respect to the status of the support structure. An 
event-driven inspection must be conducted whenever damage is to be expected as a result of 
a specific event. If components and structural elements are subjected to a detailed inspection 
as the result of an event-driven inspection, the periodic inspections start afresh. The intervals 
specified for testing the various elements are merely guidelines. These must be adapted ac 
cording to the location and type of offshore structure in question and must be accordingly 
noted in the test and inspection plan. 
The operator shall submit the inspection reports resulting from the periodic inspections to the 
appointed inspector. The appointed inspector shall then assess the results of the periodic in 
spections with respect to the structural integrity of the overall structure and then compile a 
comprehensive report. 
If the inspected offshore structures are operated correctly and in line with the regulations and 
regular inspections carried out (according to the test and inspection plan for periodic inspec 
tions) with respect to their structural integrity, the certificate of conformity for the test and in 
spection plan for periodic inspections shall be accordingly issued by the appointed inspector. 
The verification report and certificate of conformity shall be submitted to the approval author 
ity by the operator. 
At the status meeting with the BSH, generally held once a year, the operator shall describe the 
technical status of the offshore structure. The approval authority may prescribe additional, 
suitable measures to ensure the offshore structure can be operated safely. Following this, the 
approval authority then decides whether the operating release is to be maintained or tempo 
rarily revoked. 
Structural modifications to the systems must be documented in the as-built report once the 
work has been completed. 
Analogous to the required verifications during the implementation phase, proof of safe trans 
port from the production site to the installation location must also be supplied for all the main 
components and assemblies during the operating phase. 
1.3.5.1 Documents to be made available for the periodic inspections 
Different inspection intervals shall apply to the offshore structures due to the position of the 
parts to be inspected and their different qualities (e.g. design safety factors). Based on the 
test results, a request for deviation to modify the test intervals may be submitted after an ap 
propriate period of time and frequent inspections. Exempt from the above are intervals that 
are subject to legal provisions or regulations. 
The following areas must be included in each periodic inspection of an offshore structure as a 
minimum requirement.