OIL INDUSTRY SAFETY DIRECTORATE

• Oil industry safety directorate, OISD is an advisory body under the ministry of petroleum
and natural gas. Set up in the 1986 after Bhopal disaster, the directorate advises the oil
and gas industry in India on all matters of health , safety and environment.
• All public sector ( PSU) oil companies are members of OISD. Private oil companies can
also become members in case they desire.
• Unlike other regulatory agencies, OISD helps the member oil and gas companies to
enhance the level of safety through self regulation. OISD has published a number of
standard/ recommendations practice in sitting of petroleum operation , philosophies,
inspection, maintenance, fire protection etc. it is obligatory for the member companies to
use these standard and recommended practices for new installations and installation in
operations. Many other statuary agencies like CCE and others cite OISD
standards/recommended practices in their procedure and requirements.
• OISD has also published guidelines for internal and external safety audits. Based on
these guidelines, formal safety audits of oil/gas installations of various PSUs under
Ministry of P & NG are conducted periodically by an external team under the leadership
of OISD.
• Petroleum organizations can use these guidelines for their own internal audits. OISD has
also made a model disaster management plan that can be used by an installation as
guidelines for developing its own disaster/ emergency management plan.
 OIL INDUSTRY SAFETY DIRECTORATE:
The main responsibilities OISD are:
• Standardization;
• Formulation of the disaster management plan;
• Accident analysis;
• Evaluation of safety performance.
OISD has framed rules and guidelines for safe distances to be
observed for various facilities in an oil installation. All the new
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plants in India are
designed based on the guidelines of OISD. Further, The LPG
plants can be started only after the approval of OISD.
OISD has also issued guidelines for the safe operations of petrol
stations and standards related to petroleum installations.
 TARRIF ADVISORY COMITEE

• Tariff advisory committee, TAC, is an advisory body formed to

regulate rates, terms and conditions of business of general
insurance companies in India.
• TAC approves and monitors various fire fighting facilities and
electrical installations in the industry.
• Fire fighting manual first brought out in 1903 by Calcutta fire
association was revised, updated and issued by TAC in 1982 in two
parts- Part I and part II. These manuals lay down guidelines for
design and operation of private fire fighting facilities to be
maintained by the industry. These guidelines have been used
extensively in petroleum installations. Based on the degree of
compliance to the recommendations of these manuals. TAC makes
periodical inspections of those installations
 PETROLEUM ACT, 1934

• An Act to consolidate and amend the law

relating to the import, transport, storage,
production, refining and blending of
petroleum
“petroleum" means any liquid hydrocarbon or mixture of hydrocarbons, and any
inflammable mixture containing any liquid hydrocarbon;
"flash-point" of any petroleum means the lowest temperature at which it yields a
vapour which will give a momentary flash when ignited,
“petroleum Class A" means petroleum having a flash-point below twenty-three
degrees Centigrade;
"petroleum Class B" means petroleum having a flash-point of twenty-three degrees
Centigrade and above but below sixty-five degrees Centigrade
"petroleum Class C" means petroleum having a flash-point of sixty-five degrees
Centigrade and above but below ninety-three degrees Centigrade;]
Chief Controller” means the Chief Controller of Explosives
OISD” means “Oil Industry Safety Directorate” a technical body assisting the Safety
Council constituted under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
“Tank” means a receptacle for petroleum exceeding 1,000 litres in capacity;
Tank wagon” means a railway carriage with a tank mounted thereon.
“Tank truck” means a single self-propelled vehicle with a tank mounted thereon
Well-head tank” means a tank into which crude petroleum flowing or being pumped
from an oil well is first discharged;
• A person need not obtain a licence for the import,
transport or storage of petroleum Class A not
intended for sale if the total quantity in his
possession does not exceed thirty litres.
• petroleum Class B if the total quantity in his
possession at any one place does not exceed two
thousand and five hundred litres and none of it is
contained in a receptacle exceeding one thousand
litres in capacity;
• petroleum Class C if the total quantity in his
possession at any one place does not exceed forty-
five thousand litres and such petroleum is
transported or stored in accordance with the rules
 Receptacles of dangerous petroleum Class A to show a warning

• All receptacles containing petroleum Class A shall have a

stamped, embossed, painted or printed warning, either
on the receptacle itself or, displayed near the receptacle
with the words "Petroleum A" or "Motor Spirit",
• Provided that this section shall not apply to-
• Any securely stopped glass, stoneware or metal
receptacle of less than ten liters capacity
• Tank incorporated in motor conveyance, or attached to
an internal combustion engine
• a pipe-line for the transport of petroleum,
• any tank which is wholly underground
 Inspection and sampling of petroleum

• The Central Government may, by notification

in the Official Gazette, authorize any officer by
name or by virtue of office to enter any place
where petroleum is being imported,
transported, stored, produced, refined or
blended and to inspect and take samples for
testing of any petroleum found therein.
• Empty receptacles. - All empty tanks which had
petroleum Class A or petroleum Class B and empty
containers which had petroleum Class A shall, except
when they are opened for the purpose of filling or
cleaning and rendering them free from petroleum
vapour, be kept securely closed until they have been
thoroughly cleaned and freed from petroleum vapour.
• Repairs to receptacles. - No person shall cause to be
repaired or repair by the use of hot work any tank or
container which had petroleum unless it has been
thoroughly cleaned and freed from petroleum and
petroleum vapour or otherwise prepared for safely
carrying out such hot repair and certified, in writing,
by a competent person to have been so repaired
• Prohibition of employment of children and
intoxicated persons
• Prohibition of smoking, fires, lights, etc..-at any
time in proximity to a place where petroleum is
refined, stored or handled or in a vehicle’s carriage
or vessel in which petroleum is transported.
• Ports into which petroleum may be imported. -
Petroleum shall not be imported into India by sea
except through the ports which are duly approved
for this purpose by the Ministry of Shipping,
Government of India, in consultation with the
Chief Controller
• Restriction on passengers, combustible and
inflammable cargo- No ship, vessel or vehicle shall
carry petroleum petroleum Class A or petroleum Class
B and Class C in bulk if it is carrying passengers or any
combustible cargo other than petroleum:
• Restriction on loading and unloading by night. -
Petroleum shall not be loaded into, or unloaded from,
any ship, vessel or vehicle between the hours of
sunset and sunrise, unless.-
(a) adequate electric lighting is provided
(b) adequate fire-fighting facilities with personnel are
kept ready at the place of loading for immediate use in
the event of a fire.
• Restriction on electric installation and apparatus.
– No electric wiring shall be installed and no
electric apparatus shall be used in any refinery,
installation, storage shed, service station or in any
other place where petroleum is refined, blended,
stored, loaded or unloaded.
 Hazardous area

An area shall be deemed to be a hazardous area,

where –
• (i) petroleum having flash point below 65 Degree
C or any inflammable gas or vapour in a
concentration capable of ignition is likely to be
present.
• (ii) Petroleum or any inflammable liquid having
flash point above 65 Degreee C is likely to be
refined, blended, handled, stored at above its
flash point
 Classification of hazardous area

A hazardous area shall be deemed to be.-

(i) Zone “0” area, if inflammable gas or vapours are
expected to be continuously present in the area; or
(ii) Zone “1” area, if inflammable gases or vapours are likely
to be present in the area under normal operating
conditions; or
(iii) Zone “2” area, if inflammable gases or vapours are likely
to be present in the area only under abnormal operating
conditions or failure or rupture of an equipment.
 Fixed electric apparatus

• Zone 0 Area- No electric apparatus shall be allowed,

• Zone 1 Area- All electric apparatus installed or used shall
be either a flame proof or intrinsically safe apparatus of
a type or types approved in writing by the Chief
Controller.
• Zone 2 Area- non-sparking apparatus or a flame proof or
intrinsically safe apparatus approved by the Chief
Controller
• Intrinsic safety is a design technique applied to electrical
equipment and wiring for hazardous locations. The
technique is based on limiting energy, electrical and
thermal, to a level below that required to ignite a specific
hazardous atmospheric mixture.
 Earthing and bonding

• All electrical systems and equipment and all

structures, plants and other non-current-carrying
metallic parts of major electric apparatus or any
major metallic object in any place where
petroleum is refined, blended, stored, loaded or
unloaded shall be efficiently earthed.
• The resistance value of earthing system shall not
be more than-
• 4 ohms in the case of electrical systems
• 10 ohms in the case of all non-current-carrying
metallic parts
 Portable electric apparatus

• No person shall install or use in a hazardous

area any portable electric lamp or apparatus
other than a portable lamp or apparatus of a
type approved by the Chief Controller.
• No portable lamp shall be operated at a
voltage exceeding 25 volts above the earth
 REGULATORY/ STATUTORY AGENCIES:
Since petroleum industry is hazardous industry, a number of regulations have been framed by
various statutory/regulatory authorities in the country to safeguard the interest of workers,
public and environment. Sustainable development and environmental safeguards. Following is
the list of various regulatory/statutory agencies having jurisdiction over the petroleum industry.
• Central Pollution Control Board ( CPCB), under the Ministry of Environment and Forest
• Respective State Pollution Control Board, under the Ministry of Environment and Forest of
The State
• Chief Inspector of Factories Of The Respective State (CIF), Under The Ministry Of Labor
• Chief Controller Of Explosives (CCE) , Ministry of Heavy Industry, Dept of Explosives
• Director General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) ,under The Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Air
Port Authority Of India
• Tariff Advisory Committee (TAC), Under the Association of Indian Companies
• Bhaba Atomic Energy Commission (BARC), Under Ministry of Atomic Energy
• Director General Mines Safety (DGMS), under the Ministry of Mines
• Regional Transport Authority (RTA) under the Ministry of Surface Transport
• Director General Of Dock Safety (DGDS), under The Ministry of Shipping
• International Maritime Organization (IMO), under United Nations
• Oil industry safety directorate (OISD), under the ministry of petroleum and natural gas
• Compressed gas" means any permanent gas, liquefiable gas or, gas
dissolved in liquid, under pressure or gas mixture, which in a closed
pressure vessel exercises a pressure exceeding two atmosphere (gauge) at
the maximum working temperature.
• Competent person" means a person or an organization recognized by the
Chief Controller, for such cases and for such period as may be specified as
competent for carrying out tests, examination, inspections and
certification for installation and transpor6 vehicles as stipulated in these
rules, if such a person or organization possesses the qualifications,
experience and other requirements a set out in Appendix II to these rules.
• District authority" means --
(i) in towns having a Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner or a Deputy
Commissioner of Police; and
(ii) in any other place, the District Magistrate;
"gas free" in relation to a pressure vessel means the concentration of
flammable or toxic gases or both if such pressure vessel is within the safe
limits specified for persons to enter and carry out hot work in such vessels;
• 7. Purging of pressure vessels used for flammable
gases -
• (1) Before using any new vessel or before the refilling
of any existing vessel which has been made gas-free,
air contained therein shall by be purged an inert gas or
by the gas for which the vessel is to be used.
• (2) If the vessel is purged by means of a flammable
gas, the flammable mixture so formed shall be vented
from the vessel only after taking adequate precautions
to prevent its ignitions.
• Prohibition of employment of children and
intoxicated person
• No person under the age of eighteen years or
who is in a state of intoxication shall be
employed for the loading, unloading or
transport of any vessel containing compressed
gas or in any premises licensed under these
rules.
 Foundations for pressure vessels

1. The materials may be of –(a) brick – work masonry ;

(b) re-inforced concrete ; or(c) steel plate.
2. Loading : The greatest combined effect of static and
imposed loadings shall be used for design as under :
(a) Static loading : weight of vessel and its contents ;
(b) Test loading if tested by water;
(c) Wind loading;
(d) Operational loading such as vibration or thermal
(natural and operational).
 Fittings

Each vessels shall be provided with each of the following fittings all of
which should be suitable for use with the gas at pressures not less
than the design pressure of the vessel to which they are fitted and for
temperature appropriate to the characteristics of the gas and
operating conditions namely
• Pressure relief valve connected to the vapour space;
• Drains;
• maximum level indicator;
• Pressure gauge connected to the vapour space;
• Means of measuring the temperature of the contents of the vessel.
 Pressure relief

• Every shall be provided with two or more pressure relieving devices

• The relief valves shall be spring loaded and shall be set-to-discharge and reach
full flow conditions Weight loaded relief valves shall not be permitted;
• Safety relief valves on any vessel shall be set to start-to-discharge at a pressure
not in excess of 110 percent of the design pressure of the vessel and shall have
a total relieving capacity sufficient to prevent the maximum pressure in the
vessel of more than 120 percent of the design pressure.
• Safety relief valves shall have direct communications with the vapour space of
the vessel;
• Relief valves shall be tested by a competent person for correct operation not
less than once in a year and a record of such test shall be maintained the test
certificate
Fencing
1. The area where vessels pumping equipment loading and
unloading facilities are provided shall be enclosed by an industrial
type fence at least 2 metres high along the perimeter of the
safety zone.
2. Every fence shall have at least two means of exit and the gates
of such exits shall open outwards and shall not be self-locking.
3. An area of three metres around the vessel shall be kept free
from readily ignitable materials such as weeds and long dry grass.
4. Pipelines conveying flammable liquids shall be adequately
prepared for electrical continuity and connected with the earth in
an efficient manner. All vessels used for storage of flammable
liquefiable gases shall be electrically connected with the earth in
an efficient manner
Design Pressure
The design pressure of vessel shall not be less
than: -
a. The vapour pressure of the gas in the vessel at
55d c if the vessel is meant for the storage of
liquefiable gases :
b. The developed pressure of the gas in the vessel
at 55dc if the vessel is meant for the storage of
a permanent gas.