Emergencies

Relevant Statutes:

Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995 [PFEER]
Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989, Reg 18 [SRSCR]

The Duty Holder shall take appropriate measures with a view to securing elective emergency response.

Emergency means an emergency of a kind which can require evacuation, escape or rescue measures will include plant and equipment, and management systems examples are; inherent safe design preventative measures detection control and mitigation

Appropriate means taking account of the outcomes of major hazard assessments (see below) and any risk assessments

Assessment

The Duty Holder shall perform, and thereafter repeat as often as may be appropriate an assessment in relation to his installation.

An assessment shall consist of:

a) the identification of the various events which could give rise to -

a major accident involving fire or explosion or
the need for evacuation, escape or rescue to avoid or minimise a major accident

b) the evaluation or the likelihood and consequences of such events;

c) the establishment of appropriate standards of performance (see below) to be attained by anything provided by measures for-

ensuring effective evacuation, escape, recovery and rescue
otherwise protecting persons from a major accident involving fire and explosion

d) the selection of appropriate measures

In summary the process of assessment should involve identifying;

a) fire, explosion and major accident hazards with the potential to require evacuation, escape of rescue
b) the likelihood and consequences
c) the measures required to meet legal requirements
d) performance standards for those measures

A Performance Standard is a statement of the performance required of a:

system or
item of equipment or
person or
procedure

which is used as the basis for managing the hazard.
It is for the Duty Holder to decide what the performance standard should be, taking
into account the circumstances of the particular installation.

The Duty Holder shall:

record the assessment each time it is performed
keep the assessment at and address in Great Britain which has been notified to the HSE

The regulations do not specify how recording should be done. Duty Holders must decide on their approach which could be a stand alone document, a series of documents or as part of their safety case (in any case a summary has to be provided in the safety case).

Preparation

The Duty Holder shall establish such appropriate organisation and arrangements as are to have effect in, or in anticipation of, an emergency. This require arrangements for;

command (by a competent person) which, so far as is reasonably practicable, can be maintained throughout an emergency
ensuring a sufficient number of competent persons to undertake emergency duties and operate relevant equipment
ensuring a sufficient number of competent persons to attend helicopter movements
fists of the nominated competent persons to be posted (not necessary on
unmanned installations)

The Duty Holder shall ensure that every person on the installation;

is given adequate instruction and training in the appropriate action to take in an emergency
can consult written information in the use of emergency plant

Emergency Response

The Duty Holder shall, after consulting persons who are likely to become involved in emergency response, prepare, and as often as is appropriate, revise the emergency response plan which should contain sufficient information on:

the organisation and arrangements which are to have effect in an emergency, and
procedures by way of emergency response to be followed in different circumstances

Consultation should take into account the views of:

those likely to have a role in implementing the plan and should include the coastguard, police, pipeline owners etc.
personnel who will be affected by, or have a part to play in the plan
safety representatives

Organisation and arrangements will include the organisational structure for handling emergencies including:

the chain of command
the roles and responsibilities of key people
communication arrangements
action to be taken in specific emergencies

The Duty Holder shall ensure that;

the emergency response plan is available to all persons on the installation, and
each person is given such notification of its contents as relevant

The Duty Holder shall ensure that the organisation, arrangements and procedures in the emergency response plan are tested, by practice and other suitable methods, as often as may be appropriate.

Every person on the installation shall, in an emergency, so far as is reasonably practicable, conform to the appropriate procedure in the plan.

Communications

The Duty Holder shall make appropriate arrangements

a) for giving warning of an emergency, by audible and, where necessary, visual alarm systems, to all persons on the installation and

b) for the purpose of emergency response, for communication between

persons on the installation
the installation and persons working in the vicinity
the installation and appropriate organisations e.g. coastguard ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the arrangements are capable of remaining effective in an emergency

The Duty Holder must ensure that the illuminated signs for:

warning of toxic gas is a red flashing sign
is in all other cases a yellow flashing sign

That the acoustic signals for:

prepare for evacuation is a continuous signal of variable frequency
warning of toxic gas is a continuous signal of a constant frequency

All other cases is an intermittent signal of a constant frequency.

The Duty Holder shall take appropriate measures with a view to limiting the extent of an emergency
and ensure that:

where appropriate plant can be operated remotely
so far as is reasonably practicable, any arrangements or plant are capable of remaining effective in an emergency

Appropriate measures could include:

automatic isolation valves
ESD systems
emergency response procedures
blowdown and flare systems
the ballast control system
portable fire-fighting equipment
vents and drains

Musters

The Duty Holder shall make appropriate provision for:

a) areas for persons to muster safely in an emergency

b) safe egress from the accommodation. and work areas

c) safe access to muster areas

d) a temporary refuge

e) safe evacuation and escape points

The Duty Holder shall ensure that muster areas. egress, access and evacuation and escape points

a) are kept unobstructed

b) have adequate emergency fighting

c) are marked with suitable signs

The Duty Holder shall ensure that

a) doors for use in an emergency

open in the appropriate direction or are sliding doors
can be readily opened in an emergency

b) accommodation areas are provided with at least two means of egress on
each level

c) each person is assigned to a muster area

d) establish procedures

for mustering at muster areas
for accounting for persons

Evacuation

The Duty Holder shall make suitable arrangements to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the evacuation of all persons to a place of safety.

Evacuation means leaving the installation (and its vicinity) in an emergency in a systematic manner and without entering the sea.

Place of safety means a safe location where medical treatment and other facilities for the care of survivors are available.

The means of evacuation could include,

helicopters
direct sea transfer
bridge-links
TEMPSC

It is recognised that duty holders way have to depend on the action of others (e.g. search and rescue services) to achieve safe evacuation and are not therefore required to take all actions in an evacuation. They should ensure arrangements are made for actions to be taken by others and these should be agreed between the parties and documented.

Escape

The Duty Holder shall provide such means as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safe escape of all persons from the installation in case arrangements for evacuation fail.

Escape means the process used when evacuation has failed. It may involve entering the sea directly and is a last resort method of getting people off the installation.

Means of escape - items which will assist-

a) with descent to the sea, such as:

davit launched life-rafts
chute systems
ladders
individually controlled descent devices

b) personnel to float in the sea such as throw-over life rafts.

Recovery and Recovery

The Duty Holder shall ensure that arrangements are made which give a good prospect of persons who have escaped into the sea being recovered, rescued and taken to a place of safety
The arrangements should include:

recovery of persons following their evacuation or escape from the installation
rescue of persons near the installation and
taking such persons to safety

The arrangements will include the involvement of persons beyond the installation such as standby vessels and search and rescue services.

Information

The Duty Holder shall also ensure that all persons are informed of the location of:

areas in which there is a risk of a flammable or explosive atmosphere occurring
non automatic plant for file-fighting
plant to be used in emergencies
life saving appliance

Plant

The Duty Holder shall ensure that-

a) All plant provided for the purpose of evacuating, escaping or rescue and recovery is suitable and is maintained in an efficient state.

b) There is a suitable written scheme for the systematic examination (by a competent and independent person) of plant provided for:

evacuation
escape
recovery and rescue
the protection of persons in an emergency

A person employed by the duty holder can be considered to be independent provided
he is sufficiently independent of any other persons responsible to the duty holder for
the condition etc. of the plant that is being examined.

The written scheme should specify the nature and frequency of examinations and where appropriate provide for an examination to be carried out prior to equipment being used or after modification or repairs. Provisions for different plant may vary.
The purpose of examining the plant is to:

assess its suitability
assess its condition
determine any necessary remedial measures

Personal Protective Equipment

It is the responsibility of the Duty Holder (i.e. the owner or operator) to provide PPE for use in;

conditions of fire, heat smoke, fumes or toxic gas
the event of immersion in the sea

to all persons on the installation. In other words for emergency PPE the duty holder
is treated as the sole employer. PPE for normal work activities remains the
responsibility of the actual employer.

Emergency PPE would include

survival suits
life jackets
smoke hoods

The Duty Holder has to establish a written scheme for the systematic examination and, where appropriate, testing (by a competent person) of PPE for emergencies. Records of examinations must be kept.

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