Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SAFETY
Rev. 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 2
3. DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................... 2
4. PROCEDURE ............................................................................................................... 3
5. RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................... 13
6. REFERENCES............................................................................................................ 14
7. ATTACHMENTS ......................................................................................................... 14
8. APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. 14
LIFE-CRITICAL PROCEDURE
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1. INTRODUCTION
This document provides instructions on the procurement, routine care, use, maintenance and
calibration of portable gas detectors.
Portable direct reading gas detectors are an important tool used daily throughout the Plant to
detect and monitor atmospheres for safe work. The concentration of gases or vapors can be
measured by direct reading instruments, which perform both sampling and measurement.
This procedure is applicable to the use of any portable multi-gas detection instruments within
Company. Company in this procedure refers to Q-Chem, Q-Chem II and RLOC facilities.
The purpose of this procedure is to establish and communicate the system that addresses the
management (procurement, routine care, use, maintenance and calibration) of portable gas
detectors.
3. DEFINITIONS
Authorized Gas Tester: A Q-Chem employee (Direct Hire or Secondee) who has
successfully completed the Q-Chem Gas Detection and Monitoring training and is certified by
the Training Department.
Bump Gas: A controlled mixture of gas for the purpose of instantaneously checking the
accuracy of sensors of a portable direct reading gas detector.
Bump Station: A facility on site where a gas detector can be bump tested.
Bump Test: A verification test of the gas detectors calibration using a test gas of known
concentration to “bump” the sensors into alarm states.
Calibration: The adjustment of the gas detectors reading to coincide with a known
concentration (generally a certified standard) of test gas.
Continuous Gas Monitoring: Gas testing conducted continuously at the location where the
task is in progress.
Dilution Tube: A specialized device/accessory attached to the inlet port of a multi-gas
meter fitted with a catalytic diffusion sensor to allow the instrument to accurately detect
combustible gas concentrations in atmospheres containing less than 10% oxygen by volume.
Explosive Limit (also known as Flammable Limit): The range of concentrations of
flammable vapor-in-air (gas-in-air), between the lower explosive limit (LEL) and the upper
explosive limit (UEL) that will propagate flame if ignited.
Gas Test: A atmospheric test using a direct reading instrument to detect the concentration of
target gases in the atmosphere.
Hazardous Atmosphere: A atmosphere where:
Oxygen concentration is below 19.5% or greater than 23.5%, and/or
Flammable gases are present in excess of 10% LEL ,and/or
Toxic gases are present in excess of their occupational exposure limits (OSHA’s PEL or
ACGIH’s TLV).
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NOTE 1
This shall be determined without the use of mechanical or forced
ventilation.
4. PROCEDURE
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i. Gas detectors and the necessary accessories are available as a stock item in the
Material Warehouse.
ii. Gas Detectors shall be issued to the end-user from the Materials Warehouse.
a) The end-user shall forward the detector along with a copy of the issuing document
to the Fire & Gas Group for registration, configuration and record keeping.
b) The issuing document shall include the detector manufacturer, serial number, the
receiving department and user information.
c) The Fire & Gas Group shall affix a unique serial number (indicating the owner’s
unit) to the instrument.
4.4. Instrument Configuration & Setup
i. Portable, multi-gas detectors used on the Q-Chem sites shall be configured by the Fire &
Gas group as follows (where applicable):
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i. The maximum allowed sampling distance of gas detectors fitted with sampling pumps is
100 feet (30 meters).
a) This shall be achieved using either 1/8” or 3/16” urethane tubing only.
Example: 20 feet of tubing sample draw time would be 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
iii. For confined space sampling, sampling shall be conducted at the top, middle and bottom
of the space/vessel.
iv. Any purging and venting (using mechanical ventilation) shall be stopped for at least 10
minutes prior to conducting gas testing.
b) The Authorized Gas Tester may increase the stoppage time if necessary for larger
vessels or equipment.
v. Do not use gas detectors for measuring flammable gases in an atmosphere with steam.
vi. In locations of low oxygen atmospheres (less than 10% by volume), a dilution tube shall
be attached to the gas detector to obtain a more accurate reading for combustible gases.
a) The dilution tube shall be inserted into the sampling tube at the detector inlet.
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b) The dilution tube shall be inserted into the tubing with the directional arrow on the
tube pointing towards the detector.
Installation of the dilution tube in the reverse direction shall cause erroneous
low readings.
c) The tube will draw a 1:1 ratio of ambient oxygen with the gas sample being drawn.
d) The action of the dilution tube will elevate the oxygen readings to a level suitable for
accurate combustible gas monitoring.
vii. The following criteria shall be adhered to when using dilution tubes:
c) Sampling from a vessel/pipe containing a gas mixture exceeding 200% LEL may
damage the LEL sensor.
Do not use the dilution tube for sampling of positive pressure lines. Operation of
the dilution tube in this manner causes an imbalance in the 1:1 ratio thus
causing readings to be inaccurate.
Sampling from a negative pressure area will produce a lower than actual
reading.
Sampling from a positive pressure area will produce a higher than actual
reading.
i) Do not clean the air intake hole or sample hole with wire or drill bits that may
enlarge the diameter of the holes.
j) Store the dilution tube in a sealed, clean and dust-free container when not in use.
viii. Some examples showing the use and effects of dilution tubes on gas detector readings:
Example 1: A 15% LEL reading on the meter display would actually be 30%.
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Example 2: A 10.5% Oxygen reading on the meter display would actually be 0% oxygen
(the 10.5% reading being due to the fresh air draw from the dilution tube).
ix. Electrochemical sensors, like many other sensors, are known to have cross-sensitivity to
gases other than its target gas. Depending on the nature of the reaction in the sensor,
the gas can either decrease the signal (negative cross-sensitivity) or increase the signal
(positive cross-sensitivity). The following sensor in Q-Chem experience cross
interference:
a) The Carbon Monoxide (CO) sensors on the portable multi-gas detectors experience
cross-interference from other substances, mainly Hydrogen and Ethylene gas. To
address cross-interferences from Hydrogen, the gas detectors have been fitted with
a hydrogen nullifying CO sensor that will reject the cross-interfering hydrogen gas
and yield a more accurate carbon monoxide reading. There is still however cross-
interference on the CO sensor to Ethylene. Refer to Appendix B for details.
The items below describe the most common gas testing scenarios that may be
encountered on the Q-Chem facilities.
i. Any purging and venting (using mechanical ventilation) shall be stopped for at least
10 minutes prior to conducting gas testing.
ii. Gas testing shall be conducted at the following intervals / frequencies for all confined
space entry jobs:
a) Prior to entry,
b) Prior to re-entry, and
c) Continuously.
iii. Initial gas testing shall be conducted from outside the vessel through an appropriate
opening, e.g. manway or hatch.
iv. Physical entry into the vessel/confined space is prohibited when performing the initial
gas testing of the atmosphere.
a) A sampling tube or telescopic probe of sufficient length shall be used to draw
the sample from the working space.
A suitable opening such as a manway or hatch shall be used to insert the
tube or probe.
v. The atmosphere shall be sampled at selected points representing the entire vapor
space as the atmosphere may not be homogenous (e.g. release of fumes from sludge
or layering of inert gases).
a) Sampling shall be conducted at the top, middle and bottom of the space/vessel.
b) Adhere to OSHA’s 4 foot (1.2 meter) sampling intervals at a minimum.
c) Do not exceed the 100 foot (30 meter) sampling distance.
d) See Appendix A for a schematic diagram showing testing protocol.
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vi. When testing the confined space for atmospheric hazards, the hazardous atmosphere
shall be evaluated in the following order:
a) Oxygen content (%v/v)
b) Combustible gases and vapors (% LEL)
c) Toxic gases and vapors (ppm)
vii. Continuous gas testing shall be conducted within the vessel/confined space for all
confined space jobs.
a) Gas testing shall be at the locations where the work is conducted or occupants
are stationed.
4.7.2. Permit to Work (Other Than Confined Space)
i. Gas testing for flammables and toxics shall be conducted at the following positions:
a) Directly at potential source of ignition/area where work will be done.
b) Within a minimum radius of 15 meters (horizontal distance) from the potential
source of ignition/work area.
This includes both inside and outside the firebox where open-flame hot work
is conducted.
Within a minimum radius of 2 meters (vertical distance) from the potential
source of ignition/work area.
See picture below for graphical representation.
ii. The Permit Issuer and Lead Worker shall ensure continuous monitoring for all Hot
Work Permits.
a) Monitoring shall be conducted at and around the closest position to the source
of ignition/work.
iii. The Permit Issuer and Lead Worker shall discuss and agree upon the monitoring
frequency of the gas testing requirements for General Work Permits.
NOTE 2
The 15 meter radius requirement is only applicable when conditions
within the test environment are normal/under control. No work shall
be authorized irrespective of gas monitoring results during periods
where workplace conditions are uncontrollable; e.g. when the
surrounding/ adjacent workplace atmosphere is over-range etc. In
such circumstances, special mitigation plans shall be required to
address work in these conditions.
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2m vertical
gas testing
radius
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Components Concentration
Pentane Gas (LEL) 25% LEL (0.35% vol.)
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 100 ppm
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) 25 ppm
Oxygen 18.0%
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) 20 ppm
Nitrogen Balance
iii. Only the Fire & Gas group is authorized to carry out or attempt a repair on a portable gas
detector; including battery replacement.
a) Batteries that do not hold a charge shall be taken to the warehouse issue desk and
exchanged for new ones by the Fire & Gas group.
Returned batteries shall be stored in a container dedicated for spent batteries in
the material warehouse.
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i. Bump stations are located at strategic locations throughout the Q-Chem facilities:
a) Refer to Appendix D for details.
ii. The Fire & Gas group shall maintain all bump stations.
a) The respective area owners shall report any problem with the bump station to the
Fire & Gas group.
iii. The Instrument & Electrical (Mesaieed) and Fire and Gas (RLOC) groups shall change
the bump gas cylinders when required.
iv. Gas cylinders, regulators and instrument tubing necessary to keep the bump stations
functional shall be maintained as stock item through min/max system.
4.11. Training
i. The Authorized Gas Tester shall complete “Gas Detection and Monitoring” training to
conduct the testing. The training shall include, at a minimum, the following:
a) Instrument features/operations (including hands-on use).
b) Sensor technology, applications and limitations.
c) Detector use and limitations.
d) Function test/bump test (practical).
e) Sampling rules & precautions.
f) Proper care & maintenance.
ii. Classroom-based refresher training shall be required every three (3) years for authorized
gas testers.
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5. RESPONSIBILITIES
i. Assists the Training Section in developing or modifying the “Gas Detection and
Monitoring” training package.
ii. Approves the gas detectors for use within Q-Chem.
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6. REFERENCES
7. ATTACHMENTS
8. APPENDICES
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Appendix A
Only a Q-Chem Authorized Gas Tester shall be allowed to test the atmosphere of a confined
space before entry by any person into the confined space. Initial testing shall be done from
outside the confined space by inserting a sample probe and/or portable gas detection device at
appropriately selected access holes, nozzles and openings. Contaminants can settle at different
levels, thus each part of the confined space should be tested – side to side and top to bottom
i. Ensure that the gas testing instrument is within the calibration interval and bump tested.
ii. Check that the battery life of the instrument is adequate for the duration of the job.
iii. Ensure that the right and necessary accessories are used e.g. sampling tubes, probes and/or
dilution tubes.
iv. Determine if the atmosphere can be tested at all depths.
v. Ensure all depths are tested in the following sequence; start with oxygen, followed by
flammable gases and vapors and finally toxic gases and vapors.
vi. It is critical for the test results to satisfy the following criteria before the entry permit can be
issued:
Oxygen reading: ≥ 19.5 % Vol. to ≤ 23.5 % Vol.
Flammable gases and vapors reading: ≤ 10% LEL
Toxic gases and vapors reading: ≤ Occupational Exposure Limits
vii. Record all results and update this information on the entry permit document.
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i. Pre-inspect the accessories to ensure that they are of the right material and are functioning
properly.
ii. Conduct leak tests on the sampling hose and clean it by purging it with fresh air before each
gas test.
iii. The measurement values for each atmospheric hazard monitored shall be in accordance to
the response time of the gas detectors, i.e. a minimum sampling time of 2 minutes at each
sampling location plus 2 seconds per foot of tubing/probe length (2x2 sampling rule).
Wait until the reading is stabilized before recording the readout display on the gas
detector instrument.
iv. Gas testers shall understand and take into account the geometry (vertical or horizontal
space, with or without compartments etc) of the confined space and the physical properties
(e.g. relative densities etc) of the gases to be monitored. These gases could be found
stratified at different levels or locations of the confined space (see Figure 1 above).
v. Do not exceed the 100 foot (30 meter) sampling rule. Testing shall be conducted through
multiple openings on vessels/equipment (e.g. Columns and Silos) where this rule could be
violated.
In addition to the continuous ventilation requirements for confined space entry, it is essential to
conduct the periodic retesting, taking the following factors into consideration:
i. The possibility or likelihood of a change in the space by the potential release of the
hazardous materials.
ii. When continuous occupation exceeds 6 hours.
iii. When a confined space is vacated for a significant period of time ≥ 60 min, without the space
being monitored continuously.
Even when the confined space is tested and certified safe for any person to enter, at least one
person in a group working in the same vicinity shall be equipped with a suitable multi-gas
detector for measuring oxygen, combustible and the identified toxic contaminants (see Figure
2 below).
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Appendix B
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Appendix C
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Appendix D
MESAIEED COMPLEX
1. North Control Room (NCR) SE Door
2. North Control Room (NCR) NW Door
3. North Product Warehouse West Wall of Bagging Lines
4. South Product Warehouse East Wall of Office Block
5. Utilities – North Offsites North BRM
6. Utilities – South Offsites South RIE
7. Utilities – New Waste Water Treatment Plant South FOC
8. Sulfur Unit FIC
9. Ethylene Unit FIC
10. Polyethylene / 1-Hexene Unit BRM
11. Polyethylene / 1-Hexene Unit Polyethylene FIC
12. Central Control Room (CCR) / Laboratory PE Lab
13. Central Control Room (CCR) West Side of the Building
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Appendix E
Connect the tubing onto the sample pump or calibration cup with the
Step 6
detector.
Open instrument ball valve and flow bump gas until detector
Step 7
readings stabilize.
Verify that all sensors go into alarm mode. If not, deliver gas detector
Step 8
to the Fire and Gas group for sensor calibration.
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Close Cylinder valve and wait until regulator input and output gauges
Step 9 show 0 bar. Turn regulator knob fully counter-clockwise. Close
instrument ball valve. Remove detector from tubing.
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Appendix F
If DS2 “RED” LED lights up, return the instrument to Fire and Gas
Step 4
(Instrument will display the error code)
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Appendix G
Note:
2. In case any other malfunction other than mentioned in above table shall be reported to HSE
Department by end user.
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9. REVISION HISTORY
Rev. Date Amendment Description Prepared By Reviewed By Approved By
Roehl
5.2 09-Feb-15 Next revision date changed from Feb/2015. Amit Parikh Roehl Bartolome
Bartolome
5.1 16-Oct-14 Added the LCP Icon Box with notes (Page 1) Carl Poldrack Carl Poldrack Carl Poldrack
Lloyd G Askham
Chintan R Dalal
Moustafa S El-
Carl Poldrack
Change Category: Type-1 Hamad
Roehl Bartolome
Added PID alarm settings. (Section 4.4) Rajagopal S Kumar
Saleh Abdulla
Boppana Saibabu
Added portable gas detector malfunction. Abdulla S Al-
5 07-June-14 Amit D. Parikh Yerramilli Namgala
Khulaifi
(Section 4.13 and Appendix G) Robin T Ulrich
Updated bump station numbers into RLOC. Kevin C Kabell
Zakarya Y Al-
(Appendix D) Ali Al-Marri
Shareef
Mohammed H Al-
Amayreh
Mostafa A Mohamed
Updated definitions list. (Section 3)
Included details on instrument configuration and
setup. (Section 4.4)
Updated general sampling requirements;
including requirements for using dilution tubes
and the minimum sampling time. (Section 4.6)
Clarified the gas detection techniques for various
scenarios, including graphical and pictorial
illustrations. (Section 4.7)
Changed the calibration frequency from 90 days
to 30 days. (Section 4.8)
Included “Personal Gas Detector” standard. Lloyd G
4 01-Feb-13 Added this as attachment to procedure. (Section Amit D. Parikh Carl Poldrack
Askham
4.9)
Provided additional bump stations and their
locations. (Section 4.10)
Included a requirement for refresher training for
authorized gas testers at 3-yearly intervals.
(Section 4.11)
Included additional appendices to the document;
namely Confined Space Entry, Sensor cross-
interference table & LEL correlation factors.
(Appendix A, B and C)
Moved bump testing procedures for both sites to
appendix list. (Appendix E and F)
Bump test requirement changed to at least once
3 30-Nov-08 Faiz Ahmed Jarvis Olsen
in a shift prior to use. (Section 4.4)
Added LEL and UEL definition (Section 3)
Q-Chem standard meter changed from ITX to
iBRID MX6 and Dragger CMS to UltraRAE.
(Section 4.2)
2 15-Sept-08 Calibration & Maintenance responsibilities
changed from I&E (Maint.) to Fire & Gas Group
(Technical), (Section 5.4)
I&E (Maint.) will be responsible to change bump
station cylinder. (Section 5.5)
Bump Stations complete. Calibration Station on-
1 08-May-06
site. (Scott Sutherland)
0 22-Aug-05 First Release (Scott Sutherland)
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