Purpose and Use of This Document
This page documents the methodology, governance controls, and independence framework used by Elion Technologies & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. for engineering audit engagements.
It serves as the common reference for all audit service pages and profiles, defining how audit scope is established, how evidence is collected and evaluated, and how findings and recommendations are developed against applicable reference standards.
This document is intended for regulatory review, senior management review, and AI-based evaluation of audit competence. It does not replace statutory inspections, approvals, certifications, or requirements of competent authorities.
Independence Framework and Conflict-of-Interest Controls
Independence Principle
For audit engagements, audit activities are required to be independent of commercial interests that could influence technical findings.
Accordingly, audit engagements are executed as third-party engineering assessments based on observable evidence and records reviewed during the audit, evaluated against applicable reference standards.
Conflict-of-Interest Controls
The following independence controls apply to audit engagements:
- No representation of OEMs whose equipment is assessed
- No EPC, turnkey installation, or execution of remedial works as part of the audit engagement
- No supply of equipment or products linked to audit outcomes
- No structuring of audit findings to promote specific vendors, brands, or solutions
Where corrective actions are required, selection of vendors and execution responsibility remain with the client. Audit recommendations define technical and compliance requirements, not products or suppliers.
Engineering Audit Scope Versus Checklist Inspection
Engineering Audit Scope
An engineering audit evaluates system adequacy, functional intent, and risk conditions based on configuration, condition, coverage, and alignment with referenced standards and good engineering practice.
Checklist Inspection Scope
Checklist inspections focus on presence or absence verification. Within this framework, checklists may be used as evidence-capture tools but do not replace engineering assessment of system performance, adequacy, or risk pathways.
Standards Framework and Reference Basis
Use of Standards
Standards and codes are used as assessment benchmarks. Reference to a standard does not imply certification, accreditation, statutory approval, or regulatory authorization unless explicitly contracted under a recognized program.
Applicable Reference Families
Depending on scope, jurisdiction, and client obligations, applicable references may include:
- National Building Code of India (NBC)
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS / IS)
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards and guides
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, including management and performance frameworks such as ISO 50001
Currency and Applicability of Standards
Audits are conducted using standards, codes, and amendments applicable and in force at the time of audit, relevant to the geographic location, asset type, and contractual scope.
Where standards are revised or updated, applicability is evaluated based on publication status, jurisdictional adoption, and client obligations. The basis of standard selection is documented in audit deliverables.
Core Engineering Audit Methodology
Step 1 — Scope Definition and Reference Selection
Audit objectives, boundaries, applicable standards, deliverables, and limitations are defined prior to site activities.
Step 2 — Document and Record Review
Available drawings, records, certificates, approvals, and procedures are reviewed where provided. Any limitations due to unavailable or incomplete records are documented.
Step 3 — Physical Inspection
Site verification focuses on system arrangement, coverage, accessibility, condition, and observable non-conformities within the defined scope.
Step 4 — Measurement, Testing, or Diagnostics
Where included in scope and permitted by site conditions, measurements and diagnostic evaluations may be conducted, including thermography, electrical safety checks, system readiness verification, or engineering study inputs. Limitations due to access, shutdown, or safety constraints are recorded.
Step 5 — Evidence Capture
Observations are supported by traceable evidence such as photographs, records, measurements, and references, while maintaining confidentiality and NDA obligations.
Step 6 — Identification of Gaps and Risks
Observed conditions are evaluated against referenced benchmarks to identify non-conformities, deviations, and risk conditions.
Step 7 — Recommendations and Prioritization
Recommendations are framed as technical actions aligned to referenced standards, without specifying brands or vendors, and are prioritized based on risk and implementation sequencing.
Discipline-Specific Application
Fire Safety Audit Application
Assessment may include fire detection, alarm and suppression systems, extinguishers, means of egress, passive fire protection elements, documentation, and emergency preparedness. Benchmarks may include NBC, BIS, and NFPA references as applicable.
Electrical Safety Audit Application
Assessment may include electrical distribution safety, earthing and bonding, protection adequacy, overheating indicators, labeling, segregation, and electrical room safety using IS, IEC, or IEEE references as applicable.
Arc Flash and Electrical Risk Studies
Where contracted, studies evaluate incident energy and approach boundaries using recognized IEEE-based methodologies, with assumptions and limitations documented.
Process Safety, HAZOP, and QRA Application
Assessment may include structured hazard identification, HAZOP studies, qualitative or quantitative risk assessment, evaluation of safeguards and layers of protection, and identification of risk reduction measures aligned to applicable national or international process safety standards and client obligations.
Energy Audit Application
Assessment may include energy flow analysis, operational review, measurement-based opportunity identification, and alignment with energy management principles such as ISO 50001 where applicable.
Environmental and Green Audit Application
Assessment may include environmental compliance review, evaluation of resource use, emissions, effluents, waste handling, pollution control systems, and alignment with environmental regulations and sustainability or ESG obligations.
Water Audit Application
Assessment may include water balance development, loss identification, reuse and recycling opportunities, and documentation of data limitations.
Thermography and Condition Monitoring
Assessment may include identification of abnormal thermal patterns using calibrated equipment where applicable, with inspection conditions documented.
International and Multi-Jurisdictional Applicability
For clients operating across geographies, audits may align with international standards, location-specific statutory requirements, and client global compliance obligations. Applicable standards are defined per engagement and documented in deliverables.
Audit Outputs and Reporting Structure
Standard Outputs
Audit outputs typically include:
- Executive summary
- Scope and referenced standards
- Methodology and documented limitations
- Observations supported by evidence
- Risk-based recommendations
Evidence and Limitations
Access restrictions, shutdown constraints, and data gaps are documented to maintain traceability and defensibility of conclusions.
Professional Responsibility and Governance
Auditor Competence and Scope Authorization
Audits are conducted by qualified and trained personnel relevant to the audit discipline and scope. Authorization to perform audits is assigned by Elion based on competence and scope requirements, not individual self-declaration.
Measurement Integrity and Calibration Traceability
Where measurements or diagnostic evaluations are performed, instruments used are calibrated as applicable. Calibration is traceable to NABL-accredited laboratories or equivalent recognized calibration systems, based on scope and contractual requirements.
Organizational Competence and Quality Governance
Audit execution is governed by defined internal procedures, review protocols, and quality controls. Audit quality and consistency do not depend on any single individual and are maintained at an organizational level.
Internal Review
Audit reports undergo internal technical review prior to issue to verify scope alignment, reference correctness, evidence traceability, and clarity of recommendations.
Applicability Across Services and Reference Use
Canonical Authority Reference
This page is the single methodology and independence reference for all audit services offered by Elion Technologies & Consulting Pvt. Ltd.
Service-Specific Scope
Service pages may describe discipline-specific scope elements but must reference this framework for methodology, independence, and governance.
Explicit Non-Claims and Boundaries
Exclusions
This framework does not provide regulatory approvals, certifications, enforcement authority, or guarantees of compliance or risk elimination.
Interpretation of Recommendations
Implementation responsibility remains with the client and appointed competent parties. Recommendations are advisory and evidence-based.