(55bw) De-Mystifying the Concepts of Hazardous Area Classification

The purpose of this topic is to address and clarify major items of confusion associated with hazardous area classification assessments and compliance auditing in classified locations. The ultimate objective is developing documentation that provides a framework for the control of electrical energy ignition sources in environments made hazardous by the potential presence of flammable vapors.

Background

In February of 1992 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910.119 Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals became law in the United States and confusion reigned supreme. Over the next several years industry professionals began the process of sorting through the responsibilities, regulations and impending deadlines that had been placed squarely in their laps. Acronyms such as PSM (Process Safety Management), PSI (Process Safety Information), RAGAGEP (Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices), MOC (Management of Change), and PHA (Process Hazards Analysis) became commonplace in the vocabulary of process safety professionals nationwide.

Employers now were required to meet stringent deadlines regarding the creation and management of a plethora of process information associated with equipment in the process covered by this law, i.e. any covered process. This information would be used to support the exhaustive efforts needed to create a baseline PHA for each covered process by May of 1997. In addition OSHA required all PHA’s be placed on a five (5) year life cycle requiring their review and revalidation. Along with the revalidation of PHA’s came the task of also revalidating all process safety information on the same five (5) year cycle.

As a result, every willing and able bodied employee was thrust into the quagmire of supporting, participating in, facilitating, or conducting PHA’s. The required information used to support PHA’s included the materials of construction, Piping and Instrument Diagrams (P&ID’s), Relief System design and design basis, ventilation system design, material and energy balances, safety shutdown systems, and last but not least electrical classification. Yes, “electrical classification” was and still is legally considered an integral part of required process safety information.

This abstract addresses the following and provides an interactive discussion regarding the three (3) major myths surrounding electrical classification:

• assigning a classification to a location

• proper use of the classification information

• keeping the documentation evergreen

  The following topics will be addressed and clarified:

• What Is Hazardous / Electrical Classification?

• The Process of a Hazardous Area Classification Assessment

• The Concept of Electrical vs Hazardous Area Classification

• The Compliance Assessment (where does it fit in the process of controlling electrical energy ignition sources)

• Common Compliance Assessment Issues