NR-20 defines the minimum requirements for the management of safety and health at work against accident risk factors arising from all activities and procedures involving flammable and combustible liquids. One of the requirements of the standard is the installation record, a set of documents containing:
a) Installation project;
b) Inspection and Maintenance Plan;
c) Risk Analysis;
d) Plan for the prevention and control of leaks, spills, fires and explosions and identification of sources of fugitive emissions;
e) Emergency Response Plan.
To whom does the requirement apply?
To any company that has flammable and combustible liquids related to the activities of:
- Production;
- Storage;
- Transfer;
- Handling;
- Manipulation;
- Extraction;
in the following stages:
- Project;
- Building;
- Assembly;
- Operation;
- Maintenance;
- Inspection;
- Deactivation of installation.
So is the requirement the same for everyone?
No, the standard still divides installations into classes according to installation sizing (by activity or flammable volume), as shown below.
| Class I | ACTIVITY | - service stations with flammable and/or combustible liquids. - piped distribution activities of flammable gases in installations with Maximum Allowable Working Pressure - PMTA limited to 18.0 kgf/cm2. |
STORAGE CAPACITY | - flammable gases: above 2 ton up to 60 ton; - flammable and/or combustible liquids: above 10 m³ up to 5,000 m³. |
|
| Class II | ACTIVITY | - flammable gas bottlers; - pipeline transport activities of flammable and/or combustible gases and liquids. a.3 - channeled distribution activities of flammable gases in installations with Maximum Allowable Working Pressure - PMTA above 18.0 kgf/cm². |
STORAGE CAPACITY | - flammable gases: above 60 ton up to 600 ton; - flammable and/or combustible liquids: above 5,000 m³ up to 50,000 m³. |
|
| Class III | ACTIVITY | - refineries; - natural gas processing units; - petrochemical installations; - ethanol manufacturing plants. |
STORAGE CAPACITY | - flammable gases: above 600 ton; - flammable and/or combustible liquids: over 50,000 m³. |
*NOTE: companies that contain less than class I flammables also have regulatory requirements to be met.
From the class in which the installation falls, the regulatory requirements for the record may vary, therefore, the performance of a highly qualified security professional is crucial, both for the preparation of the medical record and for the certification of the installation.
Blusafe has a team of qualified engineers with years of experience to provide companies with all the necessary support in order to comply with standards. contact us using the form at the bottom of the page for more information.
You can access the NR-20 in its entirety by clicking here.
Area Classification
The study of area classification aims to meet the legal requirements defined in regulatory standards NR-10 (Electrical Installations and Services) and NR-20 (Occupational Safety with Flammable and Combustible Materials). Additionally, it will provide greater safety to individuals and company property concerning the existing risks stemming from explosive atmospheres due to flammable liquids or combustible dust.
A classified area is an area prone to creating an explosive atmosphere precisely because it contains substances considered “explosive,” such as flammable gases/liquids and combustible dusts/fibers.
Below is an example of the area classification procedure carried out by Blusafe in a silo: during the loading of trucks with feed, as well as inside the silo itself, a cloud of combustible particles in suspension can be generated, increasing the risk of explosion.
It is also possible to mention LPG stations, since they work with highly combustible gases, the formation of classified areas becomes a consequence of possible leaks. Therefore, appropriate safety procedures must be observed, especially concerning temperature classes and product classes of the installed electrical equipment.