Floating Roof Work Safety

2006 Storage Tank Conference and Safe Entry Workshop

Presented by Mark Baker

Floating Roof Work Safety

Incidents have occurred working under floating roofs People who work around floating roofs need to be aware of proper safety procedures

API RP 2016
Guidelines and Procedure for Entering and Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks

First Edition, August 2001

API RP 2016
Covers potential hazards associated with internal and external floating roofs Potential failure mechanisms Highly divergent risks Procedures to prevent or mitigate roof collapse Procedures for inspecting floating roofs

Applicability
Flat bottom, vertical cylindrical storage tanks with internal or external floating roofs
Built to API Std. 650 Repaired to API Std. 653

Applicability
All types of:
Aluminum Steel pan Steel annular pontoon Double deck High center deck roofs

Floating Roof Stability

Support
Adequately attached to the floating roof Pins capable of carrying roof weight Legs should be:
Straight Free from severe corrosion Pinned properly

Roof in reasonable condition

Floating Roof Stability

Lateral Movement
Small lateral movements increase risks Typical rim gap is 6 to 12 inches Lateral movement restrained by:
Certain types of seals Wedges Bracing

Floating Roof Stability

Rotation
Roof must be stabilized against rotation Rotational stability may be provided by:
Sampling well pip (typically 6 10 inch) Anti-rotation cable (aluminum decks) Other devices

Floating Roof Stability

Legs
Typically 3 to 4 inch diameter pipes Some have holes drilled in the pipe for setting the height Roof design can impact leg stability

Floating Roof Stability

Pan or single deck

Floating Roof Stability

Pan or single deck

Note: Deck is weak in bending and allows easy lateral deflection of the support leg.

Floating Roof Stability

Double deck or Annular Pontoon

Note: To deflect a leg in this section requires actual failure of the support leg by bending.

Floating Roof Stability

Other IFR Decks
Aluminum Composite

Roof Failure and Collapse

Excessive Loading
External Floating Roofs - 25 lb/ft2 Internal Floating Roofs 12.5 lb/ft2 IFR with roof drains 5 lb/ft2

Roof Failure and Collapse

The roof at weakest state when on legs

Roof Failure and Collapse

Excessive Loading
Liquid in Pontoons
Product Water

Roof Failure and Collapse

Excessive Loading
Leg Pinning
Not Pinned Not Uniformly Pinned

Roof Failure and Collapse

Stability
Dependant upon vertical support Rotational resistance
Seals Anti-rotation device

Roof Failure and Collapse

Roof weight is directed vertically down the roof leg Leg is long and acts as a slender column which may bow under large loads

Roof Failure and Collapse

Roof weight is directed down the roof leg and a horizontal component of force is generated

The magnitude of the horizontal force is dependant upon the weight of the roof and the angle of the leg

Roof Failure and Collapse

Stability
Anti-rotation device
Corrosion Weld Failure Missing

Work on top of the roof

May add excessive weight May add excessive movement

Roof Failure and Collapse

Stability
Roof Seals Wiper Seals Foam Log Mechanical Shoe Seals

The following photographs are curtsey of Phil Myers

Inspections
Above the roof Inspections
At the top of the tank Without entry into the confined space

Inspections
Inspect:
Water or Product on the Roof Floating Roof Legs
Check for vertical alignment All pinned properly

Anti-Rotation System
Verify working anti-rotation device Check floating roof fitting for damage

Rim Seals
Check seal condition

Inspections
Below the roof Inspections
From outside the tank Without entry into the confined space

Inspections
Inspect:
Floating Roof Legs
Misalignment Buckling Corrosion

Anti-Rotation System Rim Seals

Check primary seal Check for wiper seals

Before Cleaning Tanks

Minimize Exposure - Atmosphere is Hazardous Condition of the roof is often unknown Install a temporary roof support

After Cleaning Tanks

Inspect Leg Condition
UT, Hammer

Cribbing
Ensures that the entry manhole will remain clear and open during a roof collapse Serves as a guide to the exit Protects personnel inside the tank within ~30 ft radius of the manhole

After Cleaning Tanks

Cribbing
(Baker Comments)

The strength of wood timbers is dependant upon type of wood and its condition Compressive Strength ranges from 200 PSI to 1,000 PSI. Engineer should design a cribbing stack

After Cleaning Tanks

Lateral Movement Backup
Wedges Radial steel beams
Extending to within 1 inch of the shell Used only on clean and gas freed tanks

After Cleaning Tanks

Anti-Rotation Backup
Required unless a guide pole is present, the seal is a shoe seal and in good condition Wooden wedges 4 places Other systems may be required

Cable Suspended Roofs

Not specifically covered in API RP 2016 Principles can be applied

Cable Suspended Roofs

Risks Reduced for
Lateral Movement Rotation

Other Concerns which should be checked:

Cable Suspended Roofs

Condition of the cable Condition of fixed roof node

Cable Suspended Roofs

Excessive Loading of the Fixed Roof
High external loads may reduce load carrying ability of the roof

Cable Suspended Roofs

Excessive loading of the floating roof
Trapped product Water on the roof

Damage or deterioration of the Roof Structure

Other Standards
API Publication 2026, Safe Access/Egress Involving Floating Roofs of Storage Tanks in Petroleum Service Confined Space Entry 29 CFR1910.146

Conclusions
The risk of incidents can be minimized implementing API RP 2016 The likelihood of a failure is not the same for all roof designs Backup protection schemes should be reviewed to determine applicability