NACE International defines a corrosion management system (CMS) as “the documented set of processes and procedures required for planning, executing, and continually improving the ability of an organization to manage the threat of corrosion for existing and future assets and asset systems.”
A CMS is the framework for integrating sound corrosion technology and mature management practices in order to efficiently and effectively manage corrosion to protect assets and asset systems, increase organizational return on investment (ROI), and achieve broader organizational goals, such as public service and public safety.
Any facility owner or operator – public or private – stands to reap significant benefits through the implementation of an optimized Corrosion Management System. By extension, the end users and other stakeholders they serve will benefit from better and more reliable service, reduced risks to health and environment, and more robust local economies better positioned for growth and prosperity.
The power of a CMS is its comprehensive and consistent approach that aligns objectives and efforts at every level of the organization, from senior management to contractors tasked with carrying out the prevention and mitigation procedures called for in the corrosion control plan. By aligning all facets of the organization and creating a common and agreed-upon understanding of asset protection challenges and solutions, the CMS
In its landmark IMPACT (International Measures of Prevention, Application, and Economics of Corrosion Technologies) Study, NACE identified a hierarchy of elements essential to an effective CMS. These elements include those common to all asset management systems (organizational policy, strategy, and objectives; and enablers, controls, and measures), as well as those specific to corrosion work (plans, procedures, and working practices). Organizational policy, strategy, and objectives determine the approach – from both mission and cost perspectives – that the organization adopts, promulgates, and maintains with regards to asset and asset systems management.
In managing enablers, controls, and measures with respect to corrosion control, the organization defines and documents the roles, responsibilities, and qualification standards of each organizational component and the specific personnel involved in the development, implementation, and improvement of the CMS.
Plans, procedures, and working practices encompass all corrosion-specific activities that fall within the scope of the CMS, including the implementation approach, verification and inspection processes, and mitigation procedures.
Putting in place all recommended elements optimizes the CMS and ensures adherence and consistent application across all organizational nodes. Detailed information on all CMS components is available from NACE.
NACE has created a comprehensive guidance document that can be used as a work plan for developing and implementing an effective CMS. The document explains each aspect of the CMS, each developmental step, and each concept encompassed within the system.