WASHINGTON, June 21, 2007 – API, the national trade association of the U.S. oil and natural gas industry, has issued a new recommended practice that provides guidance for reducing the risk to personnel located in portable buildings from potential explosion, fire and toxic release hazards.
Recommended Practice 753 (“Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Portable Buildings’) was developed in response to new data and information about the use of trailers at refineries, including information gained from the investigation of the Texas City refinery tragedy.
Industry experts, assisted by API staff, developed the recommended practice after compiling and evaluating available data.
“Like other RPs and API standards, this represents the best thinking of industry on a safety or technical issue,” API President and CEO Red Cavaney said. “The task force carefully considered the Chemical Safety Board's comments and opinions during the development process. Their input was valuable, and many of the issues they raised have been addressed in what was finally approved.”
There are four objectives for RP 753:
Provide guidance on the safe placement of portable buildings;
Minimize the presence of personnel in refinery process areas;
Minimize the use of occupied portable buildings in refinery process areas; and Design, construct and install these buildings or trailers to better protect occupants.
For more information on ordering this recommended practice and all API publications, visit www.api.org/cat.
Updated: April 9, 2009