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In This Issue

  1. Gas Pipeline Advisory Notice
  2. DOT Pipeline Compliance / Integrity Assessment Workshop September 28 – 30, 2004 – Houston
  3. NTSB Recommendations Concerning Pipe Transportation
  4. Acquiring a pipeline?
  5. Standards of Performance for Stationary Gas Turbines – Final rule; Amendments
  6. Need A Security Plan or Audit?
  7. ASME B31Q Industry Teleconference Recap (July 2, 2004)
  8. O&M Manual Up-To-Date?
  9. Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities; Clarifying and Updating Safety Standards
  10. Pending Audits?
  11. Procedural Change for Annual NPMS Submission Updates
  12. Integrity Management Plan Up-to-Date?
  13. Gas Pipelines in Liquid Integrity Management Plans
  14. Need to update your Public Awareness Program?
  15. Fire Safety Analysis Manual for LP-Gas Storage Facilities
  16. RCP Services Spotlight � Web Based Regulatory Compliance Management Systems

Fire Safety Analysis Manual for LP-Gas Storage Facilities

With a consultant as a member of the NFPA, we at RCP Inc. try to benefit our newsletter recipients with the latest opportunities to enhance protections and to mitigate potential incidents/emergency conditions. The NFPA, National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), and the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) have issued a new Fire Safety Analysis Manual, which provides forms and a step-by-step method for completing a written Fire Safety Analysis (FSA) as required in the 2001 edition of NFPA 58, LP-Gas Code. Complying with the important requirement for a written Fire Safety Analysis (FSA) for all LP-gas storage installations of more than 4,000 gallons water capacity (wc) can now be accomplished with greater ease. The following links are attached for access to the manual (and the appendix that has materials for specific follow up).

View the fire safety manual here       View the Appendix here

In addition to providing a valuable tool for system installers, operators of LPG facilities, and enforcement officials, the FSA Manual serves as a valuable reference for LPG operators. This is especially true for those who may be new to the LPG facility business or are unfamiliar with LP-gas facilities and the improvements made to product control features. The philosophy of NFPA 58 is to minimize fires by minimizing the accidental release of propane if an accident should occur, or in simple terms; no fuel, no fire. The manual does not address the following:

  1. Marine terminals, refrigerated LP-Gas storage and the transportation of LP-gas either by rail tank cars or by cargo tank trucks. Marine terminals are governed by the OSHA Process Safety Management regulations and the US EPA Risk Management Plan regulations; refrigerated storage of LP-gas is a high-volume operation requiring special considerations; and, the transportation of LP-gas is addressed by Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Transportation;
  2. Storage of LP-Gas in salt domes and caverns;
  3. Installations ASME LP-gas containers on roofs of buildings. This type of installation is excluded from the scope of this manual (even though a FSA is required for such operations according to section 3.10.2.2 of the Code) primarily because of the rarity of such installations in the United States;
  4. Cylinder filling operations at a dispensing facility, unless the storage threshold for LPGas has been exceeded, requiring an FSA to be prepared;
  5. The use of facility employees performing as a �fire brigade.�

The above facilities may be required to comply with other safety analysis requirements.