Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995
1995 No. 743
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995
Made 23th March 1995
Laid before Parliament 3rd April 1995
Coming into force 20th June 1995
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 15(1), (2), (3)(a), and (5)(b), and 82(3)(a) of, and paragraphs 1(2), 8, 9, 11, 12, 13(1) and (3), 14, 15(1), 16, 18 and 20 of Schedule 3 to, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 19741(“the 1974 Act”) and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf and for the purpose of giving effect without modifications to proposals submitted to him by the Health and Safety Commission under section 11(2)(d) of the 1974 Act after the carrying out by the said Commission of consultations in accordance with section 50(3) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995 and shall come into force on 20th June 1995.
Interpretation
2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
“the 1995 Order” means the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 19952;
“the 1974 Regulations” means the Offshore Installations (Construction and Survey) Regulations 19743;
“the 1995 Regulations” means the Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 19954;
“acoustic signal” means a coded sound signal which is released and transmitted by a device designed for that purpose, without the use of a human or artificial voice;
“concession owner” in relation to a fixed installation has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the 1995 Regulations;
“duty holder” means—
(a) in relation to a fixed installation, the operator; and
(b) in relation to a mobile installation, the owner;
“emergency” means an emergency of a kind which can require evacuation, escape or rescue;
“emergency response” means action to safeguard the health and safety of persons on or near an installation in an emergency;
“evacuation” means the leaving of an installation and its vicinity, in an emergency, in a systematic manner and without directly entering the sea;
“the Executive” means the Health and Safety Executive;
“explosion” means unplanned explosion;
“fire” means unplanned or uncontrolled fire;
“fixed installation” means an installation other than a mobile installation;
“illuminated sign” means a sign produced by a device made of transparent or translucent materials which are illuminated from the inside or the rear in such a way as to give the appearance of a luminous surface;
“installation” means an offshore installation within the meaning of regulation 3 of the 1995 Regulations;
“major accident” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 19925;
“mobile installation” means an installation (other than a floating production platform) which can be moved from place to place without major dismantling or modification, whether or not it has its own motive power;
“muster areas” shall be construed in accordance with regulation 14(1)(a);
“operator” in relation to—
(a) a fixed installation means the person appointed by a concession owner to execute any function of organising and supervising any operation to be carried out by such installation or, where no such person has been appointed, the concession owner; and
(b) a mobile installation means the person for whom the owner has agreed to carry out the operation concerned or, where no such person has been appointed, the concession owner;
“owner” in relation to a mobile installation means the person who controls the operation of the installation; and
“personal protective equipment” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 19926.
(2) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in these Regulations to—
(a)
(a) a numbered regulation is a reference to the regulation in these Regulations so numbered;
(b)
(b) a numbered paragraph is a reference to the paragraph so numbered in the regulation in which the reference appears.
Application
3.—(1) These Regulations shall apply—
(a)
(a) in Great Britain, and
(b)
(b) to and in relation to installations and activities outside Great Britain to which sections 1 to 59 and 80 to 82 of the 1974 Act apply by virtue of articles 4(1) and (2)(b), 5 and 6 of the 1995 Order.
(2) Regulations 4 to 22 shall not apply in relation to an installation which is in transit to or from a station; and an installation is not in transit to or from a station while it is being manoeuvred at the station.
General duty
4.—(1) The duty holder shall take appropriate measures with a view to—
(a)
(a) protecting persons on the installation from fire and explosion; and
(b)
(b) securing effective emergency response.
(2) Any more detailed requirement in regulations 6 to 21 for the purposes referred to in paragraph (1) shall be without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1).
Assessment
5.—(1) The duty holder shall perform, and thereafter repeat as often as may be appropriate a process (in this regulation called “an assessment”) described in paragraph (2) in relation to the installation.
(2) An assessment shall consist of—
(a)
(a) the identification of the various events which could give rise to—
(i) a major accident involving fire or explosion; or
(ii) the need (whether or not by reason of fire or explosion) for evacuation, escape or rescue to avoid or minimise a major accident;
(b)
(b) the evaluation of the likelihood and consequences of such events;
(c)
(c) the establishment of appropriate standards of performance to be attained by anything provided by measures for—
(i) ensuring effective evacuation, escape, recovery and rescue to avoid or minimise a major accident; and
(ii) otherwise protecting persons from a major accident involving fire or explosion; and
(d)
(d) the selection of appropriate measures.
(3) The duty holder shall—
(a)
(a) record the assessment (including each repetition of it);
(b)
(b) keep the record at an address in Great Britain; and
(c)
(c) notify the Executive of such address.
Preparation for emergencies
6.—(1) The duty holder shall establish such appropriate organisation and arrange– ments as are to have effect in, or in anticipation of, an emergency and which shall include arrangements—
(a)
(a) for command by competent persons which can be maintained, so far as is practicable, throughout an emergency;
(b)
(b) for there to be a sufficient number of persons on the installation competent to undertake emergency duties and operate relevant equipment;
(c)
(c) in the case of an installation on which personnel are present, for a sufficient number of such persons to be in attendance at the helicopter landing area during helicopter movements; and
(d)
(d) for lists of persons referred to in sub–paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above to be posted at suitable locations on the installation when persons are present.
(2) The duty holder shall ensure that every person on the installation—
(a)
(a) is provided with adequate instruction and training in the appropriate action to take in an emergency; and
(b)
(b) can consult written information on the use of emergency plant.
Equipment for helicopter emergencies
7. The duty holder shall ensure that there is kept available near the helicopter landing area equipment necessary for use in the event of an accident involving a helicopter.
Emergency response plan
8.—(1) The duty holder shall, after consulting persons who are likely to become involved in emergency response, prepare and, as often as is appropriate, revise a document (in this regulation called “the emergency response plan”) containing sufficient information, for the guidance of such persons, on—
(a)
(a) the organisation and arrangements which are to have effect in an emergency; and
(b)
(b) procedures by way of emergency response to be followed in different circumstances.
(2) The duty holder shall ensure that—
(a)
(a) the emergency response plan is available to all persons on the installation; and
(b)
(b) each person on the installation, and each person who may be called upon to assist in implementing the emergency response plan, are given such notification of its contents as is sufficient for them.
(3) The duty holder shall ensure that the organisation, arrangements and procedures referred to in paragraph (1) are tested, by practice and otherwise, as often as may be appropriate.
(4) Every person on the installation shall, in an emergency, so far as is practicable, conform to the appropriate procedure in the plan.
Prevention of fire and explosion
9.—(1) The duty holder shall take appropriate measures with a view to preventing fire and explosion, including such measures to—
(a)
(a) ensure the safe production, processing, use, storage, handling, treatment, movement and other dealings with flammable and explosive substances;
(b)
(b) prevent the uncontrolled release of flammable or explosive substances;
(c)
(c) prevent the unwanted or unnecessary accumulation of combustible, flammable or explosive substances and atmospheres; and
(d)
(d) prevent the ignition of such substances and atmospheres.
(2) The measures to prevent ignition referred to in paragraph (1) shall include—
(a)
(a) identifying and designating areas in which there is a risk of a flammable or explosive atmosphere occurring;
(b)
(b) controlling the carrying on of hazardous activities in such areas;
(c)
(c) ensuring that, save under procedures pursuant to sub–paragraph (b) above, no plant is used in such areas unless suitable for use within them; and
(d)
(d)...
To continue reading
Request your trial