Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 8.24
Purging tanks during decommissioning
This
zoning
has assisted, for example, in identifying
that vehicles such as forklift trucks used for transport-
ing containers of fl ammable substances, which operate
within classifi ed areas/zones inside and outside storage
buildings, must be protected to an appropriate standard -
particularly during storage operations, when the highest
probability of a release from a container occurs while it
is being mechanically handled. Therefore an unprotected
forklift truck may well provide a source of ignition should
a breach of containment occur.
The management of works that involve the removal,
replacement or disposal of any part of a plant or system
that has previously held fl ammable liquids, materials or
LPG must be planned and undertaken with great care,
to avoid fi res and explosion.
Many such works will be carried out under the
Construction, Design and Management Regulations,
utilising specialist contractors undertaking works as
part of a permit to work system - PTW (see section on
construction and maintenance) to ensure the highest
level of management control.
Various techniques can be employed to ensure that
fl ammable substances are managed effectively includ-
ing purging or inerting the system prior to undertaking
operations. Ensuring that residues are removed and that
any supply system has been isolated from both power
sources and process materials must also be undertaken
as part of the systems of work and the PTW.
Disposal arrangements for contaminated fl amma-
ble materials and aerosol cans, empty fl ammable liquid
containers or gas cylinders must also be considered.
Figure 8.25
Metal bin for discarded smokers' materials
Many organisations have effective smoking policies
based upon making arrangements for designated
smoking areas and prohibiting smoking in all other
areas. Less successful are those policies based upon
a complete ban; however, this only serves to drive
smokers into out of the way, secluded locations such as
plant room, storage areas, toilets and emergency escape
staircases with no disposal arrangements, where a small
fi re has a chance to grow undetected.
While the provision of smokers' booths strategic-
ally located away from combustible materials and any
potential fl ammable atmospheres, together with the
provision of facilities to discard used smokers' materials
(ash trays metal bins, etc.), provides practical solutions
to the management of this risk, this cannot always be
secured in places of work.
Places of public entertainment and public assembly
will undoubtedly benefi t from being smoker-free zones
as the ban on smoking in public areas takes effect;
however, it is likely that premises such as nursing
homes will still need an effective management strategy
to reduce the risk of fi re from smoking materials. Such
arrangements are likely to include:
➤
Ensuring smoking only takes place in designated
areas by establishing a monitoring regime
8.4.6
Smokers and smokers' materials
As with each of the previously mentioned sections
establishing a policy in relation to formalising the stand-
ards, who is responsible and for what, with practical
preventive control measures and the training and aware-
ness of staff and all those who may be affected, are the
primary steps to take in the management of smokers
and their discarded smokers' materials.
➤
Provision of metal or glass ash trays or bins for dis-
carded materials
➤
Ensuring when ash trays are emptied (before leaving
the area at night, for example) that checks are made
to ensure all material is extinguished before placing
into external bins, which are separate from combust-
ible waste
