Publications

The Seveso Directives are intended to prevent major accidents to people or the environment. For all “establishments” coming into scope there is a general obligation to “take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and to limit their consequences to people and the environment”. Subsequent requirements are designed to implement this objective and/or to assist the site operator to demonstrate their compliance to the satisfaction of the relevant Competent Authority. This EIGA guidance publication is intended to address Seveso compliance issues for industrial gases facilities which are subject to the requirements of the Seveso Directives. Typical facilities include air separation plants, acetylene production plants, cylinder transfilling plants and/or cylinder re-distribution facilities, where they have sufficient inventory of dangerous substances. This publication is primarily aimed at those responsible for making the assessments and developing the reports and documentation required for Seveso compliance.

The Seveso Directives are intended to prevent major accidents to people or the environment. For all “establishments” coming into scope there is a general obligation to “take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and to limit their consequences to people and the environment”. Subsequent requirements are designed to implement this objective and/or to assist the site operator to demonstrate their compliance to the satisfaction of the relevant Competent Authority. This EIGA guidance publication is intended to address Seveso compliance issues for industrial gases facilities which are subject to the requirements of the Seveso Directives. Typical facilities include air separation plants, acetylene production plants, cylinder transfilling plants and/or cylinder re-distribution facilities, where they have sufficient inventory of dangerous substances. This publication is primarily aimed at those responsible for making the assessments and developing the reports and documentation required for Seveso compliance.

This publication gives recommendations for both the purchase of new aluminium alloy cylinders and the manner for treating certain cylinders manufactured from specific alloys already in service.

Refrigerated liquified carbon dioxide has specific physical properties that present additional handling risks as compared to other cryogenic gases. This publication focuses on these risks and gives guidance on how they can be handled. This publication contains information and guidance for transport function personnel dealing with carbon dioxide. For further information on transport safety, refer to EIGA Info TS01 Transport Safety Information, an Overview.

This publication covers load securing of individual gas cylinders, bundles, pallets of gas cylinders, pressure drums, cryogenic receptacles and small tank containers which are not permanently connected to the vehicle. It is concerned with product carrying equipment which has to be off-loaded for filling or withdrawal.

Management of Change (MOC) process forms an important element of a Process Safety Management System as well as other management systems. The introduction of any change to a process, process equipment, or component and associated premises, if not appropriately managed, can significantly increase the levels of personal, environmental, security, reliability and process safety risk or impact product quality. Management shall ensure that risks arising from any form of change are systematically identified, assessed and managed. This publication provides guidance on how to establish a MOC process and describes the relevant roles in this process.

This publication sets out the essential information necessary to prevent asphyxiation incidents involving inert gases. It is not a detailed procedure for confined space entry but focuses on the considerations that are important when there is an actual or potential hazard from inert gases or oxygen deficiency (wherever inert gases are produced, stored, used, or where oxygen depletion could otherwise occur). The minimum safe oxygen concentration for entry into a space is 19.5% oxygen. There are applications with oxygen concentrations less than 19,5% where entry is permitted provided that further precautions are taken in accordance with proper risk assessment and national regulations. This publication is supported by EIGA’s Safety Leaflet SL 01 Dangers of Asphyxiation and may be used as the basis for training.

This publication provides guidance on the design of systems that use flexible connections for high-pressure gas. The publication includes flexible connections for the charging and discharging of compressed, liquefied and dissolved gases. Cryogenic fluids are excluded.

This publication provides guidance for the safe sea transport of portable tanks and multiple element gas containers (MEGCs) containing gases of Class 2 that are compressed, liquefied, or refrigerated. The publication addresses product characteristics, general safety aspects, preparation for shipment, stowage on board ship, transport of containers, and emergency response to reduce the potential for unintentional releases of the contents for the duration of a defined journey, and to recommend actions in case of an accidental release.

Reviews of accidents both inside and outside of the industrial gases industry often reveal that at least one of the following causes have contributed to the accident: • Hazards associated with a task were not adequately identified; and/or • Appropriate prevention and protection measures were not properly identified and/or implemented. The use of a work permit system to manage potentially hazardous work tasks should ensure that risk is reduced to an acceptable level. This publication is intended to outline the key elements of a good work permit system. A fundamental basis of European workplace and worker safety legislation is “risk assessment”. (Health and Safety Framework Directive - Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work. For normal operating tasks and for foreseeable inspection and maintenance tasks, the employer has a general duty (which in many countries can also be a legal obligation) to provide written operating instructions and to document that sufficient measures are in place so that the risk associated with those foreseeable tasks is acceptable. In addition to written instructions for normal operations and normal inspection and maintenance tasks, every good safety management system should also include a written work permit procedure to control potentially hazardous tasks. This publication describes the key elements of a robust work process (management system) to formally manage such tasks under a “work permit”.