CHRISTOPHER VERNON MAY
Instrumentation Artisan/technician
Standerton
Summary
Proactive and self-motivated Instrumentation Artisan/Technician with 22 years of extensive experience in QA/QC within the petrochemical, packaging, and mining industries. Thrives under pressure while consistently meeting deadlines, showcasing strong critical thinking and technical skills. Adept at independent work and collaboration in team environments, with a proven ability to motivate and manage personnel effectively. Demonstrates exceptional prioritization and time management skills, ensuring optimal project outcomes.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
1
1
Language
Work History
Instrument Engineer
Proconics International (JIGPC Jazan Saudi Arabia)
Jazan
11.2022 - 01.2026
- Planning, installing, monitoring and maintaining control systems and machinery within power plant and gasification process environments.
- Creating internal design documentation and test specifications, participating in code reviews, executing Unit Tests and Integration Tests.
- Interacting with OEM customer on feature implementation, performance measurements and quality gates, providing demonstrations and prototype implementations.
- Developing and establishing instrument requisitions and specifications.
- Ensuring to determine inconsistencies and issues present on equipment parameters or P&IDs.
- Developing electronic copies of instrument parameters and relate text file of database information.
- Facilitated the commissioning of plant equipment.
- Loop tuning of controllers for plant optimization.
- Performance testing of process equipment
- MOC Implementation, reviewing and testing
- Alarm Rationalisation
- Fault finding on DCS, ESD and PLC control systems
- Ensured seamless transitions during system upgrades by coordinating equipment decommissioning, replacement, and commissioning processes.
- Documented all processes carefully and delivered data sheets that offered all information for clients.
- Developed customized solutions for clients by collaborating with cross-functional teams to understand project requirements and specifications.
- Minimized production delays by effectively coordinating with operations, maintenance, and engineering departments to prioritize instrument-related tasks.
- Facilitated seamless integration of new instruments within existing frameworks through meticulous planning and execution of installation procedures.
- Contributed to cost savings initiatives by identifying opportunities for process improvements within existing instrument infrastructure setups.
- Performed diagnostic inspections to monitor automated systems and immediately repaired issues both remotely and in field.
- Assisted with development of instrumentation operating procedures and provided technical support.
- Cultivated strong relationships with vendors to ensure timely delivery of high-quality instruments at competitive prices during procurement activities.
- Improved overall plant reliability and uptime through regular monitoring, troubleshooting, and repair of instrument equipment.
- Drafted full piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) documents for use in industry.
- Analyzed and documented test results to comply with industry standards.
Instrument Artisan
Jomele Personnel and consultants ECS Sasol
Secunda
07.2013 - 10.2022
- Performing inspections on plant equipment smoke, gas and fire detection
- Performing calibrations on gas detection systems
- Repairing and do fault finding on fire and gas systems
- Performing predictive and preventative maintenance on fire and gas systems
- Performing periodic system testing for functionality of fire and gas systems
- Performing installations of gas detecting equipment
- Fault finding and repair of rail systems point machines, RFID, signalling, track positioners
- Performing standby duties
- Adhering to all safety requirements
- Adhere to OHS acts
- Resolved problems, improved operations, and provided exceptional service.
- Used strong analytical and problem-solving skills to develop effective solutions for challenging situations.
Instrument Technician and QA/QC
Stefanutti stocks
Secunda
11.2012 - 07.2013
- Loop checking, verifying configurations of the instruments installed on the plant.
- Assisting in a modification that needs to be done physically on installations.
- Fault find and finding solutions on design problems on instrumentation electrical drawings and rewiring of faulty electrical loops.
- Read electrical and P&ID drawing
- Performing inspections on new installations.
- Assisting in commissioning of single equipment and multiple equipment in a system carried out daily job activities after receiving RFI (Request for Inspection) from contractor
- Do calibrations on plant instrumentation with the use of proper test equipment on level, pressure, temperature, flow, weight systems and control valves
- Review plans and drawings in accordance with specifications, codes and standards.
- Conduct activities and inspection in accordance with Project Quality Assurance Manual and Quality Control Inspection Plan.
- Monitor daily discipline activities and verifies compliance to project procedures, specifications and standards.
- Identify quality problems, reject non-conforming items and initiate, recommend or provide solutions to the problems with customer sanction / approvals through designated channels.
- Understanding the layout of P&ID’s and MFD’s
Instrument QA/QC
NNPP Alliance - Transnet Pipeline
Durban
05.2012 - 08.2012
- Review plans and drawings in accordance with specifications, codes and standards.
- Conduct activities and inspection in accordance with Project Quality Assurance Manual and Quality Control Inspection Plan.
- Monitor daily discipline activities and verifies compliance to project procedures, specifications and standards.
- Identify quality problems, reject non-conforming items and initiate, recommend or provide solutions to the problems with customer sanction / approvals through designated channels.
- Control further processing of non-conforming items, deficiencies or unsatisfactory conditions until rectification and any remedial action is approved.
- Conduct random surveillance on operator's qualifications, tools and equipment, working practices as well as storage and preservations.
- Prepare daily inspection documents and final acceptance documents prior to project completion. Maintain close working relationships with the construction personnel.
- Follow Specifications, Instrument Calibration Method of Statements & As per approved project drawings supervised, inspected & witnessed instrument cable duct bank, cable pulling from RIB to J.B & control room and RGS conduit, stanchion of instrument devices, marshalling panel, junction boxes installation, mounting of instrument devices such as pressure, level, temperature transmitter, RTD and thermocouple, pressure, level, flow and temperature switch & control valves. Calibration of transmitters, control valves, switches of all parameters like pressure, level, temperature, flow.
- Involved in FAT (Factory acceptance test) & SAT (Site acceptance test) Activities.
- Inspection & Witness of cable Megger & continuity test before terminating cable and then cable termination check to verify exact termination point of each cable core as per Approved wiring Drawing. Core marker & tightness of cable.
- Anything not as per Standards or Specification then making Surveillance or Non-Conformance Reports.
- Carried out daily job activities after receiving RFI (Request for Inspection) from contractor.
- Work for loop checking, interlock check, P & ID, ILD, Data Sheet.
- Prepared punch list for the activities carried out by construction group.
- Work on Pre & Final turnover punching System.
- Inspection of Instrument Calibration Shop, Test equipment as per Standard.
Instrument Technician
Kentz Mozambique Vale Moatize coal processing project
Tete
06.2011 - 04.2012
- Fully rendering my services and what is necessary in construction of a new plant.
- Loop checking, verifying configurations of the instruments installed on the plant.
- Assisting in a modification that needs to be done physically on installations.
- Fault find and finding solutions on design problems on instrumentation electrical drawings and rewiring of faulty electrical loops
- Read electrical and P&ID drawing
- Performing inspections on new installations.
- Assisting in commissioning of single equipment and multiple equipment in a system.
- Assisting in maintenance on simultaneously running equipment.
- Carried out daily job activities after receiving RFI (Request for Inspection) from contractor
- Do calibrations on plant instrumentation with the use of proper test equipment on level, pressure, temperature, flow, weight systems and control valves
- Comply to all safety standards Inspection of Instrument Calibration Shop, Test equipment as per Standard
- Maintained accurate records of calibration, maintenance, and repair activities.
- Prepared technical reports and contributed to root cause analysis for recurring issues
INSTRUMENTATION ARTISAN
Sasol Polymers
Secunda
01.2007 - 03.2011
- Knowledge in chemical plant processes instrumentation by means of maintaining, repairing and fault finding in process instrumentation equipment level pressure, mass flow, flow, temperature, weight and gravimetric loss in weight control measuring systems.
- Knowledge in fault finding in Digital Control Systems (DCS) Equipment. Programmable Logic control Systems Siemens S7 (PLC) hardware and software.
- Knowledge by means of maintaining, repairing and fault finding in Packaging equipment, bulk measuring systems, tanker loading measuring systems, 25kg bagging equipment, conveying systems.
- Read electrical and P&ID drawing.
- I have knowledge of ISO standards ISO 9000 (ISO14000) and OHSACT
- Perform inspections on plant equipment.
- Perform preventative maintenance and predictive maintenance.
- Do routine calibrations on plant instrumentation with the use of proper test equipment on level, pressure, temperature, flow, weight systems and control valves.
- Perform maintenance during routine plant shutdowns.
- Knowledge of instrumentation in chemical industries and manufacturing industries plant equipment and packaging equipment.
- Instrument maintenance and upgrading of plant installations and optimization of plant.
- Do proper risk assessments and potential deviation assessments on work tasks.
- Identify all unsafe conditions and report it to management.
- Comply to safety standards.
- Secunda; www.sasol.com
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
Instrumentation Mechanician
Sasol Synfuel Gasification
Secunda
07.2006 - 07.2007
- Maintaining equipment with different types of instrumentation pressure, level, flow temperature and instrument valves.
- Making sure instrumentation is functional on control systems according to standards.
- Ensuring correct functionality of control systems sequential control systems by making sure the system is according to instrumentation drawings.
- Performing general overhaul of instrument valves of different specifications
- Knowing and understanding when modifications are done that its according to instrument standards.
- Performing calibrations to instruments of types with correct procedures.
- Performing preventative and predictive maintenance visually and physically.
- Thoroughly reading and understanding electrical and mechanical flow diagrams and piping and instrument drawings.
- Using of instrument test equipment on various types of instrumentation to verify if according to standard.
- Adhere to all safety procedures when working in different plant environments.
- Secunda; www.sasol.com
- Conducted extensive testing on instruments for quality assurance purposes before installation or repair work commenced.
- Performed thorough root cause analysis on recurring instrument failures to identify areas for improvement.
- Used information in technical diagrams, schematics, and manuals to understand operations and make successful repairs.
Instrument Mechanician
Sappi Ngodwana Shutdown
Nelspruit
07.2005 - 08.2005
- Replacing piping on instruments
- Overhauling valves
- Calibration of instruments
- Disconnecting and reconnecting connection of instruments
- Loop checking of instruments
- Installation of modifications to instrumentation
- Nelspruit
- Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
- Resolved problems, improved operations, and provided exceptional service.
- Used strong analytical and problem-solving skills to develop effective solutions for challenging situations.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
- Demonstrated respect, friendliness, and willingness to help wherever needed.
Education
Grade 12 - English (HG), Afrikaans (HG), Geography (HG), Mathematics (SG), Biology (SG), Physical Science (SG)
Highveld Park High School
Secunda12.2002
Petro-Chemical Instrumentation Artisan NQF 4 -
Sasol Synfuels Training centre
01-2005
Advanced diploma - industrial Engineering
Engineering Institute of Technology
Australia11.2025
Skills
Excellent listener and communicator, able to effectively convey information verbally and in writing
Easily adapts to new environments
Logical approach to finding the root cause of a complex problem and implementing counter measures to correct
Sound understanding of own strength and skills
Ability to analyse control loop drawings, draw meaningful conclusions and make recommendations accordingly
P&ID interpretation
Instrumentation design
Certification
Training - Fire and gas
Timeline
Instrument Engineer
Proconics International (JIGPC Jazan Saudi Arabia)
11.2022 - 01.2026
Instrument Artisan
Jomele Personnel and consultants ECS Sasol
07.2013 - 10.2022
Instrument Technician and QA/QC
Stefanutti stocks
11.2012 - 07.2013
Instrument QA/QC
NNPP Alliance - Transnet Pipeline
05.2012 - 08.2012
Instrument Technician
Kentz Mozambique Vale Moatize coal processing project
06.2011 - 04.2012
INSTRUMENTATION ARTISAN
Sasol Polymers
01.2007 - 03.2011
Instrumentation Mechanician
Sasol Synfuel Gasification
07.2006 - 07.2007
Instrument Mechanician
Sappi Ngodwana Shutdown
07.2005 - 08.2005
Grade 12 - English (HG), Afrikaans (HG), Geography (HG), Mathematics (SG), Biology (SG), Physical Science (SG)
Highveld Park High School
Petro-Chemical Instrumentation Artisan NQF 4 -
Sasol Synfuels Training centre
Advanced diploma - industrial Engineering
Engineering Institute of Technology
OTHER EDUCATION
- Microsoft Office.
- PLC S7 and S5
- DCS Honeywell Experion C200/C300
- Explosion protective equipment
- Scale weighing systems belt and loss in weight
- Foxboro
- Rosemount
- Masonelian
- Neles
- Endress and Hauser
- Metler toledo
- Earthing standards
- Crowcon fire and gas
- Dragger gas detection
- Control instruments gas detection
- GFG gas detection
- Millennium gas detection
- Honeywell smoke detection
- Aritech smoke detection
- Ziton smoke detection