This International Standard describes the steps recommended to complete a loop check, which comprises the activities between the completion of the loop construction (including installation and point-to-point checks) and the start-up of cold commissioning. This standard is applicable for the construction of new plants and for expansion/retrofits (i.e. revamping) of E&I installations in existing plants (including PLC, BAS, DCS, panel-mounted and field instrumentation). It does not include a detailed checkout of power distribution systems, except as they relate to the loops being checked (i.e. a motor starter or a power supply to a four-wire transmitter).

For application in the pharmaceutical or other highly specialized industries, additional guidelines (for example, Good Automated Manufacturing Practice (GAMP)), definitions and stipulations should apply in accordance with existing standards, for example, for GMP Compliance 21 CFR (FDA) and the Standard Operating Procedure of the European Medicines Agency (SOP/INSP/2003).