Hot on oil and gas safety

“NFPA is a membership organization with nearly 80,000 members worldwide, whose mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by developing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and education. For over 90 years NFPA has published NFPA 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code. NFPA 30 includes requirements applicable to the design, installation, testing, operation and maintenance of fixed aboveground and underground tanks, portable tanks and bulk containers used for the storage of flammable and combustible liquids.

This code provides the definitive requirements for such installations throughout the United States, but also is widely referenced for similar applications outside the US. Recent industrial incidents such as the tank farm fire at Buncefield in the UK and the British Petroleum fire and explosion in Texas City, TX draw attention to the dangers associated with the operation of these critical facilities. NFPA 30 is but one of many safety requirements targeted at protecting people and property in this workplace.

To ensure our documents reflect the most current requirements, they are revised on a regular basis in accordance with well established procedures that comply with those required by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). NFPA 30 has just completed its most recent revision and awaits the final approval step in our process before we can publish the 2007 edition of the code.

Hydrogen safeguards

With the worldwide focus on improved energy delivery, there has been increased interest in siting new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, both here in the US and abroad. Our standard NFPA 59A, Standard for the Production, Storage and Handling of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), offers guidance to designers, installers, operators and enforcing officials on the design, installation and operation of such facilities. The standard has been adopted by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) as part of the regulations for LNG facilities.

NFPA is also playing an active role in the development of safeguards applicable to the newest energy source coming into prominence – hydrogen. The most recent revision to NFPA 52, Vehicular Fuel Systems Code, contains expanded requirements for gaseous hydrogen systems and equipment including: service and maintenance of gaseous hydrogen engine fuel systems; gaseous hydrogen compression, gas processing, storage and dispensing systems; and liquefied hydrogen fueling facilities. NFPA has teamed with industry, researchers and government partners on this project and has been awarded several grants from the US Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to assist with the standards development phase of this activity.

Volunteers are an integral part of our codes and standards making system. We routinely identify opportunities to work with other standards making organizations. One such partnership was established in March 2004, when NFPA was invited to join the American Petroleum Institute (API) in the Safe Tank Alliance along with the US Department of Labor-Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Ensuring safety

Through the Alliance, the members have worked to promote safe tank entry, cleaning, maintenance and rescue operations and work within and around petroleum and petrochemical liquid storage tanks. Both NFPA and API develop standards that reflect the best practices for the petroleum industry – the Alliance represented a very good fit for both organizations in their goal to protect the workers and the property within this industry.

The Alliance has given NFPA the opportunity to highlight its Safe Tank Entry seminar, a two-day training seminar based upon best practices for confined space entry and work in aboveground petroleum storage tanks. The seminar applies the requirements for entering, cleaning, and repairing tanks found in two API standards: API 2015, Safe Entry and Cleaning of Petroleum Storage Tanks, and API 2016, Guidelines and Procedures for Entering and Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks, and NFPA 326, Standard for the Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair.

I am pleased to report that API and NFPA have agreed to renew the Alliance and have added a new industry partner to the team – the Steel Tank Institute (STI). In addition to the confined space training activity, the Alliance has benefited from a best practices seminar hosted by Chevron-Texaco for industry and government participants and the development of fact sheets and updates to the OSHA Safe Tank Alliance website.

NFPA has a long-standing involvement with the oil and gas industry and appreciates the contributions of the industry partners and other volunteers that enable us to sustain that long history of ensuring safety within the industry.”