BREAKING NEWS: PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME AVAILABLE FOR NEXT 2-DAY TECHNICAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 23 & 24 OCT 2024 - PLEASE SEE EVENTS SECTION

HSE RR997

Modelling smoke and gas ingress into offshore temporary refuges

FABIG Members: Log-in to access all FABIG resources

SUMMARY

The Cullen report into the Piper Alpha disaster recommended that a temporary refuge (TR) should be provided on all offshore installations. The TR is required to have a defined performance standard related to its survivability when exposed to a major accident that includes, but is not limited to, ingress of smoke, flammable and toxic gas.

Current guidance on risk assessment for TRs focuses on the demonstration of TR integrity. This can be interpreted as demonstrating that the TR will remain unimpaired for sufficient duration as to allow corrective action and/or evacuation to be planned in the event of an accident.

This report sets out a model for determining TR impairment times arising from the ingress of smoke, flammable and toxic gas. The method is based upon leakage data from pressure testing and using the methods set out in the supporting document to HSE HID Semi-permanent circular SPC/Tech/OSD/30. The method is a staged approach that uses established calculation methods to determine the air change rate using the pressure test data, the infiltration of gases into the TR and the physiological effects of these gases.

This Research Report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.

Publisher: HSE
Published in: 2013

Corporate Membership

Joining FABIG provides access to a wealth of technical resources as well as excellent training opportunities, and ensures that your organisation is kept abreast of the latest developments in fire and explosion engineering. FABIG also provides a forum for discussing technical issues with industry peers via participation in the FABIG activities, therefore creating invaluable networking opportunities. Become a Member Request a Membership Quote

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? TO GET IN TOUCH PLEASE

Click here

KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST FABIG NEWS AND EVENTS

Subscribe