Safe Work Practices for Contractors Working at Retail Petroleum/ Convenience Facilities

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1646 SECOND EDITION, MAY 2017

Special Notes

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Copyright © 2017 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

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iii

1. Scope 1

   1. General 1

   2. Applicability 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms and Definitions 2

4. General Knowledge 4

   1. General 4

   2. Personal Safety 5

   3. Work Site Safety and Practices 8

   4. Safety Equipment 12

   5. Health and Safety 14

   6. Environmental 16

   7. References 17

5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 17

   1. PPE Summary 17

   2. Additional PPE When Required 20

   3. Potential Environmental Hazards 21

   4. Engineering Controls 22

   5. References 22

6. Tool Selection 22

   1. General 22

   2. Non-power/Non-pneumatic Tools 22

   3. Power/Pneumatic Tools 23

   4. Tool Use at Retail Service Stations 25

   5. Training Requirements for Tools 25

   6. References 25

7. Driving Safety 26

   1. General 26

   2. Vehicle Regulations and State Requirements 26

   3. Use of Seat Belts 26

   4. Company Driving Procedures 26

   5. Mobile Phone Procedures 26

   6. Proper Places to Park While on the Site 27

   7. Defensive Driving Practices 28

   8. Posted Speed Limits 29

   9. Traffic Patterns 29

   10. Heavy Traffic and Pedestrian Patterns to and from Inside Store 29

   11. Personal Protective Equipment When In/Around the Vehicle 29

   12. Accident Reporting 30

   13. Department of Transportation Requirements 30

8. Hazard Communication (Hazcom) 30

   1. Requirements Related to “Employee Right-to-understand” 30

   2. Hazard Classification and Mitigation 31

   3. Chemical List Requirements 32

   4. Hazard Types 32

      v

      
      

   5. Hazard Labels 33

   6. References 34

9. Barricading 35

   1. General 35

   2. Discussions with Site Management 35

   3. Traffic Patterns (Vehicular, Foot Traffic, Peak Periods, Delivery Trucks) 36

   4. Entrances/Exits to Sites 37

   5. Barricading Components 37

   6. Traffic Control by Regulatory Authorities 38

   7. General Guidelines for Barricading Use 38

   8. Personnel Requirements 38

   9. Personal Protective Equipment 38

10. Working at Heights 39

    1. General 39

    2. Introduction 39

    3. Examples of Working at Heights 40

    4. Ladders 40

    5. Scaffolds 42

    6. Aerial Lifting Devices (Scissor-type Lifting Devices and Bucket-type Lifting Devices) 43

    7. Fall Prevention/Fall Protection Systems 45

    8. Emergency Rescue 46

    9. Risks of Electrocution 47

    10. Barricading/Protecting/Isolating Work Environment 47

    11. References 47

11. Ground Disturbance/Excavation 47

    1. General 47

    2. Safety Actions Prior to Ground Disturbance 47

    3. Overhead Obstructions for Equipment 48

    4. Heavy Equipment Operation 49

    5. Sloping and Shoring Methods/Stability of Excavations 49

    6. Management of Site and Placement of Equipment, Machinery, and Materials 49

    7. Isolation of the Area 50

    8. Safe Entry and Exit from Excavations, Including Emergency Response and Evacuation 50

    9. Excavation Competent Person Requirements 52

    10. Excavation Dewatering 53

    11. Site Conditions of Adjacent Structures and Foundations 53

    12. Management of Soils 53

    13. Use of PPE 53

    14. Regulatory Permit Requirements 54

    15. References 54

12. Mechanical Hoisting and Lifting 54

    1. General 54

    2. Personnel Responsibilities 54

    3. Lifting Plan 55

    4. Equipment Selection 56

    5. Work Area Isolation 56

    6. Toolbox Discussion Directly Prior to Lifting Activity 57

       
       

    7. Soil Stability 57

    8. Overhead Potential Risks 57

    9. Machinery Movement 57

    10. Rescuing Toppled Equipment 57

    11. References 58

13. Confined Spaces 58

    1. General 58

    2. Definition of a Confined Space 58

    3. Common Examples of Confined Spaces at Service Stations 58

    4. Permit Requirements for Confined Spaces 59

    5. Barricading/Isolating/Protecting the Work Area 59

    6. Atmospheric Testing 60

    7. Ventilation Methods 60

    8. Assignment Duties 60

    9. Entry Procedures for Confined Spaces 61

    10. Rescue Procedures for Single or Multi-employer Entries 61

    11. Personal Protective Equipment 61

    12. Training Requirements for All Personnel Involved in Confined Space Work 61

    13. References 62

14. Lockout–tagout 62

    1. General 62

    2. Energy Sources 62

    3. Roles and Responsibilities 62

    4. Energy-isolating Device 63

    5. Lockout and Tagout Devices 63

    6. Lockout–tagout Procedures 63

    7. Training and Communications 64

    8. References 64

15. Hot Work 64

    1. General 64

    2. Definitions 65

    3. Hot Work Requirements 66

    4. Employee Training 67

    5. Fire Watch 67

    6. Atmospheric Testing 68

    7. Hot Work Permit 69

    8. References 70

16. Underground Storage Tanks 70

    1. General Requirements 70

    2. Storage Tank Installation Activities 72

    3. Storage Tank Removal Activities 72

    4. Storage Tank Maintenance/Upgrade Activities 74

Annex A (informative) Forms 76

Figures

1. Example Hazardous Substance Label (image courtesy of U.S. Department of Labor) 34

2. Hazard Pictograms (image courtesy of U.S. Department of Labor) 35

3. Fire Triangle 65

Tables

1. Basic First-aid and Medical Treatment Requirements 15

2. Basic Personal Protective Equipment Requirements 17

3. Typical Sound Level Ranges of Various Activities 19

4. Hazard Class Label Information 36

5. General Guidelines for Barricading 39

6. Minimum Safe Electrical Conductor Clearances While Working with Aerial Lifting Devices 47

1. Periodic Vehicle Inspection 76

2. Vehicle Daily Pre-trip Checklist 77

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to provide the user with a general awareness of safety issues associated with maintenance and construction work at retail petroleum/convenience facilities. There is an Annex at the end of this document that provides example forms.

Safe Work Practices for Contractors Working at Retail Petroleum/Convenience Facilities

1. Scope

   1. General

      
      

      This Recommended Practice (RP) highlights some of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements that may apply to maintenance and construction work in the retail petroleum/convenience business, but there is much more in the regulations than can be covered here. It is the sole responsibility of the contractor or employee performing the work to abide by any and all additional Federal, State, or local laws and regulations, as well as any manufacturer's requirements that apply to the specific work being done. It is also the responsibility of contractors to ensure that subcontractors abide by all applicable safety requirements. Construction activities are covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1926 regulations while most maintenance and other operations are covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry) regulations.

      
      

   2. Applicability

      
      

      This RP provides recommended minimum safety procedures applicable to working at a retail petroleum/convenience facility. In addition, this RP details how to develop a task specific Job Safety Analysis that should be completed before any work may begin.

      
      

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

ANSI 4950 1, Standard for Welding Pads, Welding Blankets and Welding Curtains for Hot Work Operations

ANSI Z87.1, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices

ANSI Z89.1, American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection

ASTM F2413 2, Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective (Safety) Toe Cap Footwear

NFPA 51B 3, Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work

OSHA 29 CFR 4, Parts

1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards by OSHA 1926, Safety and Health Regulations for Construction 1926.450, Scaffolds

1926.453, Aerial Lifts

1. American National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10036, www.ansi.org.

2. ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428, www.astm.org.

3. National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts, 02169-7471, www.nfpa.org.

4. The Code of Federal Regulations is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, www.gpo.gov.

1

SAFE WORK PRACTICES FOR CONTRACTORS WORKING AT RETAIL PETROLEUM/CONVENIENCE FACILITIES 2

1926.502(a), Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices, General 1926.502(c), Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices, Safety Net Systems 1926.652, Excavations, Requirements for Protective Systems

3 Terms and Definitions

Definitions in this section reflect the common usage among Contractors working at retail petroleum/convenience facilities. For the purposes of this document, the following definitions apply.

3.1

ANSI hand signals

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard hand signals that are used for communicating with a crane operator. The person using the hand signals must be fully competent, qualified and experienced in the signals and with crane and lifting operations.

3.2

ASTM International

Formerly ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). The organization that establishes testing standard methods to help comply with OSHA safety requirements. ASTM F2413 refers to Standard Specification for Performance Requirements for Protective Footwear.

3.3

biohazard

The biological substances that can pose a threat to humans. Examples include plants, insects, bacteria, and viruses.

3.4

bump test

A qualitative function check of a LEL meter in which a known challenge gas is passed over the sensors at a concentration and exposure time sufficient to activate all alarm settings. This test verifies the performance of the LEL meter and ensures the sensors are responding to their target gases.

3.5

Code of Federal Regulations

CFR

The laws/rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

3.6

competent person

One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them (29 CFR 1926.32(f)). By way of training and/or experience, a competent person is knowledgeable of applicable standards, is capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to the specific operation, and has the authority to correct them. Some standards add additional specific requirements which shall also be met by the competent person.

3.7

confined space

A space that is large enough for a person to enter, has limited or restricted means for entry/exit, and is not designed for continuous occupancy. A confined space with certain types of life-threatening hazards is required to be classified as a permit-required confined space (PRCS).