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Hazardous Gas Testing Plan & Procedure

DOCUMENT TYPE AND TITLE

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROCEDURE

Hazardous Gas Testing Plan & Procedure

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR: ACTIVITY: TYPE OF DOCUMENT:

HSE Dept Gas Testing Safety System Procedure

DOCUMENT CHANGE RECORD

REV DATE SECTION (S) OF CHANGE DESCRIPTION/REASON OF
REVISION
0 March 2020 Development of Plan
1 March 2021 Approval update Update
2 January 2022 No Information Change Annual Review
3 March 2023 No Changes Annual Review

APPROVED

R.SHAM
SEC 16(2) HSSE MANAGER

Purpose

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Hazardous Gas Testing Plan & Procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to assist in ensuring the safety of personnel from the hazards of:
• Toxic and combustible gases
• Oxygen deficiency / enrichment.
Scope
This procedure is applicable for the protection of all employees at Petrocon Maintenance & Projects from
the hazards of gases, fumes & Hydrocarbon vapours.
Where presence of Toxic and combustible gases and Oxygen deficiency / enrichment possibility has been
proven to be safe by the method of gas testing .
Procedure
General Gas testing in this procedure refers to portable gas detection, not fixed gas detection. These
procedures supplement the manufacturers’ procedures: they do not replace them. The importance of gas
testing for flammable gas, toxic vapours , gases and oxygen deficiency cannot be over-emphasized.
Personnel who carry out gas testing as authorized gas testers (AGT) must be thoroughly trained in the use
of gas testing equipment and the significance of the results.
 Before using any gas testing equipment, it should be checked according to the check procedure in
the manufacturers’ manuals.
 It may include battery check, Filter Check, Probe check and Calibration check.
 Portable detectors are used to supplement the fixed detection systems and must be used before
the issuance of the relevant work permit.
 Care must be taken around valve spindles, flanges, drains and in floor voids. Probes should be used
to reach inaccessible places.
 AGT must be careful to prevent any moisture of sludge enter through the probe hose.
The atmosphere must be sampled at the following places:
• In the actual work area
• In areas in which products of the work may fall (e.g. welding slag, sparks, etc.)
• In areas which may be affected by the work (e.g. inside a tank chamber if electrofusion welding work is to
be performed and therefore cause high surface temperatures, etc.) When testing inside vessels, remember
that some toxic gases are heavier than air and that gases can be released when sludge is disturbed.
Before allowing a vessel to be entered, the vessel entry procedure must be followed. These procedures set
down the general conditions for the instruments provided for:
• Indication of the presence of toxic or flammable gases
• Indication of oxygen deficiency or enrichment
• Measurement of the concentration of selected gases ( LEL,H2S,CO2,O2)
• Monitoring the atmosphere to provide a warning of the presence of toxic or combustible gases.
All meters and instruments must be EX rated as intrinsically safe.

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They are suitable for use with all saturated hydrocarbon gas and Hydrogen but not for Acetylene for which
specific equipment is required.
They should also show an in-date calibration tag and should be identified by a unique Identification
Number.
The principles for safe and accurate gas testing might be summarized as followed:
• Gas testing personnel must be fully trained in all aspects of gas testing.
• Gas testing equipment must be regularly maintained. ( Calibrated bi-annually )
• Tests must be carried out prior to, during and after the issue of a Permit to Work.
• Gas monitors should be checked for sample using calibration sample gas prior to use each shift.(Bump
Test)
• Any atmosphere being sampled must be approached as if it is flammable and/or toxic and due
precautions taken.
• The possibility of oxygen deficiency or enrichment must also be considered.
• Care must be taken to ensure that tests are representative of the atmosphere and that results are
reproducible.
It is not sufficient to rely on a sample taken from only one point since pockets and layers of varying gas
concentration may exist.
• Prior to gas testing: Check that the system is operating under the desired conditions and note any special
conditions
- Select the sampling positions
-Select the apparatus to be used
-Determine the duration and the periodicity of sampling.
-The method and equipment used for gas tests must be selected with regard to the nature of the
atmosphere likely to be present.

Combustible & Toxic Gases

The explosive, or flammability limits of gases and vapours, are normally expressed as a volume percentage
range between Lower Explosive Limits (LEL) and Upper Explosive Limits (UEL).
The toxic gases most likely to be encountered are Hydrocarbon vapor ,Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) and Carbon
Monoxide (CO).
Note that an explosimeter needs sufficient range of oxygen to give a true reading (more than 15%
Volume).Unless otherwise stated in manufactures’ manual; Explosimeter to measure the % of LEL do not
work correctly when the atmosphere contains less than 15% Oxygen
-Combustible gas tests must be carried out using only gas detectors suitably calibrated for use with
hydrogen and/or hydrocarbon gas mixtures.

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-Meter readings are given as a percentage of the LEL of the combustible gas and it is the result which must
be specified in the appropriate space of the Work Permit.
-Water, or liquid hydrocarbons, must not be allowed to enter the instrument. When testing sumps
or equipment where liquid could be present, a liquid trap must be fitted to the sample line.
Definition and abbreviations :
Threshold limit value-short-term exposure limits (TLV-STEL): 15-minute exposure limit that should not
occur more than 4 times during the workday.
Threshold limit value-time weighted average (TLV/TWA): Average concentration limit for a normal 8-hour
workday and a 40-hour workweek that should not cause adverse effects.
Entry permit: A written document provided by the worker that specifies the conditions of entry into a
hazardous confined space.
Lower explosive limit (LEL): The minimum concentration of a particular combustible gas or vapor necessary
to support its combustion in air is defined as the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) for that gas. Below this level,
the mixture is too “lean” to burn.
Upper explosive limit (UEL):The maximum concentration of a gas or vapor that will burn in air is defined as
the Upper Explosive Limit (UEL). Above this level, the mixture is too “rich” to burn.
Oxygen Deficiency : An atmosphere containing oxygen at a concentration of less than 19.5% by volume as
measured by an oxygen measuring device.
Isolation :The process by which a required space is removed from service and protected against the release
of energy and material into the space.
PPM : Parts Per Million
I.S. : Intrinsically Safe equipment’s
AGT : Authorized Gas Tester is a well-trained and qualified person which knows the method of gas testing
and the behaviour of the gases.
Gas Test: Is a careful exam by AGT using an appropriate gas tester to find out;
A) There are no toxic (poisonous) gasses present in the air, and that the atmosphere is safe to breath.
B) There is sufficient Oxygen in the air to support life.
C) There are no explosive gasses, and so minimize the possibility of an explosion happening

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