This report is based on information presented at two IAEA Technical Committee meetings held within the framework of the IAEA Project on Operational Safety Guidance in 1993 and 1994. The document was prepared to provide guidance to Member States in assessing the status of equipment qualification (EQ) in operational nuclear power plants and in preserving this status. It offers methods and practices for activities which are necessary for a successful implementation of periodical safety reviews. The report should be of value for all countries that are parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, which entered into force on 24 October 1996 and stipulates the review and, where necessary, the upgrading of the safety of existing nuclear installations.