Health and Safety Executive

OCE Chemical injection

Offshore COSHH Control approach 3 essentials Containment

This information will help offshore What this sheet covers dutyholders (owners, operators and This sheet describes good contractors) to comply with the Control practice for chemical injection of Substances Hazardous to Health systems. It covers the key points Regulations 2002 (COSHH), as amended, to you need to follow to help reduce protect workers’ health. exposure to an acceptable level, as part of your COSHH This guidance consolidates good control assessment. practice and reinforces existing knowledge The sheet does not cover breach with additional information. of containment.

It will help you carry out COSHH Hazards assessments, review existing assessments, deliver training and in supervising activities 3 Products include wax, scale and corrosion inhibitors, involving substances hazardous to health. biocides, de-oiling and anti- foaming agents, and oxygen and It is aimed at staff whose responsibilities hydrogen sulphide scavengers. Chemical injection skid include the management of substances These include substances such hazardous to health on offshore as alcohols, alkyl/butyl benzenes, installations (eg occupational health (poly) amines, aldehydes and anhydrides. specialists, COSHH assessors, supervisors etc). It is also useful for trade union and 3 Health effects include burns, dermatitis, eye and respiratory irritation and asthma. employee safety representatives.

Facilities Following this guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But Storage if you do follow this guidance, you will 3 Where appropriate, provide a well-ventilated, flameproof store with spill normally be doing enough to comply with clean-up kits. the law. Health and safety inspectors seek 3 Keep tanks and containers in defined, bunded areas. to secure compliance with the law and may 3 Label tote tanks, containers and lines clearly. refer to this guidance as illustrating good 3 Vent air displaced from bulk liquids to a safe place. practice. 3 Segregate incompatible materials, and segregate waste. 3 Clearly display the labels on chemical containers. Also see essential information on the back 3 Provide for drainage to appropriate drains, eg closed drains. of the sheet. 3 Provide eyewash equipment and an emergency shower close to the work site.

Chemical injection OCE10 Containment

Equipment and procedures Planning 3 Ensure that connecting hoses are correctly rated, and that transfer rates for pumped fluids are written and displayed. 3 Define procedures for start up, normal operation and shutdown. Include maintenance shutdown and start up. 3 Prepare written procedures for the sequences of valve opening and injection rates.

Control equipment 3 Install dedicated, labelled transfer lines between supply boats and tote tanks, and to the injection point. 3 Provide bunds for chemical injection tanks. 3 Use dry-release couplings only. 3 Provide low-level and high-level alarms on tote tanks. 3 Where necessary, chemical pumps may need multiple heads to supply multiple injection points. 3 Ensure that displaced vapours vent to a safe place or to a vapour recovery system.

Control procedures 3 Activate each pump head and calibrate its flow rate. Set the volume to be dispensed from each head. 3 For multi-head pumps, activate heads one by one. Don’t turn them all on at once.

Emergency procedures 3 Ensure operators close down the transfer process if fluids are leaking. 3 In the event of a significant spillage contact the control room or follow established spill procedure.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) – see OCM3 3 Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is not normally needed. Maintenance, examination and testing Checking and maintenance 3 Make and follow schedules for preventative maintenance of plant and monitoring equipment. 3 Follow the planned maintenance regime (PMR). 3 Check that the level alarms in tote tanks are working properly. Exposure monitoring 3 Monitoring is not normally necessary. Waste 3 Drain liquid residues to appropriate drains through hoses and valve connectors.

Chemical injection OCE10 Containment

Training and supervision Employee checklist 3 Provide supervision – ensure that safe work procedures are followed. Is the equipment in good 3 Hazardous substances used and their health effects. condition and working 3 Tell workers, including maintenance workers, what the hazards and properly? risks are. 3 Training includes toolbox talks on: Do you know how to use n how to use equipment properly; the control equipment n how to use the right safe working procedures; properly? n how to clean up spills correctly; and Look for signs of leaks, n what to do if something goes wrong. wear and damage before 3 Involve managers and supervisors in health and safety training. every job.

Essential information If you find any problem, OCE0 Advice for managers get it fixed. Don’t just OCM5 Emergency planning carry on working.

Wash hands before eating, drinking or using the lavatory.

Other hazards n Flammability

n Substances harmful to the

marine environment

Further information Tote tanks www.stepchangeinsafety.net

Developing process safety indicators: A step-by-step guide for chemical and major hazard industries HSG254 HSE Books 2006 ISBN 978 0 7176 6180 0 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/ hsg254.htm

Workplace exposure limits EH40 www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/table1.pdf

You can find the full Offshore COSHH essentials series at www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/index.htm

This guidance was developed by representatives from the UK offshore oil and gas industry and trade unions, with HSE.

© Crown copyright 2011 Published by the Health and Safety Executive 03/11