AS NZS 1596 1997 storage and handling of LP gas

Title AS/NZS 1596:1997 Storage and handling of LP Gas Licensee Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Conditions of use This is a licensed electronic copy of a document where copyright is owned or managed by Standards Australia International Your licence is a single user licence and the document may not be stored, transferred or otherwise distributed on a network You may also make one paper copy of this document if required Web Check-up Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited AS/NZS 1596:1997 Australian/New Zealand Standard® Storage and handling of LP Gas AS/NZS 1596:1997 This Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ME/15, Storage and Handling — Liquefied Petroleum Gases It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on July 1997 and on behalf of the Council of Standards New Zealand on 11 August 1997 It was published on September 1997 Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited The following interests are represented on Committee ME/15: A.C.T Emergency Services Bureau Australasian Corrosion Association Australasian Fire Authorities Council Australian Gas Association Australian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, N.S.W Department for Industrial Affairs, S.A Department of Mines and Energy, Qld Department of Minerals and Energy, W.A Fire Protection Association Australia Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria Institution of Engineers, Australia Insurance Council of Australia LPG Association of New Zealand Victorian WorkCover Authority Work Health Authority, N.T WorkCover Authority of N.S.W Workplace Standards Authority, Tas Review of Standards To keep abreast of progress in industry, Joint Australian/ New Zealand Standards are subject to periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new editions as necessary It is important therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any amendments thereto Full details of all Joint Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand Catalogue of Publications; this information is supplemented each month by the magazines ‘The Australian Standard’ and ‘Standards New Zealand’, which subscribing members receive, and which give details of new publications, new editions and amendments, and of withdrawn Standards Suggestions for improvements to Joint Standards, addressed to the head office of either Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand, are welcomed Notification of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in a Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard should be made without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action taken This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 95280 AS/NZS 1596:1997 Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited Australian/New Zealand Standard® Storage and handling of LP Gas Originated in Australia as AS CB20—1965 Previous Australian editions AS 1596—1989 and AS 1596 Supplement 1—1994 Originated in New Zealand as NZS 5434:1986 AS 1596—1989, AS 1596 Supplement 1—1994 and NZS 5434:1986 jointly revised, amalgamated and designated AS/NZS 1596:1997 Incorporating: Amdt 1—1999 PUBLISHED JOINTLY BY: STANDARDS AUSTRALIA The Crescent, Homebush NSW 2140 Australia STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND Level 10, Radio New Zealand House, 155 The Terrace, Wellington 6001 New Zealand ISBN 7337 1309 AS/NZS 1596:1997 PREFACE This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee ME/15, Storage and Handling — Liquefied Petroleum Gases, to supersede AS 1596—1989, LP Gas — Storage and handling, AS 1596 Supplement — 1994, LP Gas— Storage and handling — Siting of LP Gas automotive retail outlets and NZS 5434:1986, Code of practice for LPG vehicle refuelling stations In 1973, AS CB20, which had been published in 1965 as the first Standard on the subject, was translated to metric units to become AS 1596, but was not comprehensively revised A later edition of 1979 contained only the more pressing adjustments, then a more comprehensive review resulted in a new edition in 1983 The 1989 edition included a rewrite of the cylinder section and revision of the location requirements for cylinder filling and storage areas together with a total review of the fire safety section Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited This 1997 edition continues the development process and incorporates the following changes: (a) The focus of the protected works definition has been modified to include, under the title of protected place, any open areas in which persons are accustomed to assemble in large numbers within and outside the property in addition to protected works (b) The requirement of openable rain caps for safety valves has been removed (c) A mm limiting orifice is now required at hydrostatic relief valves (d) Requirements for over-pressure protection and venting of regulators has been referred to the latest AG 601 and NFPA/UL requirements (e) Tanker drive-away protection requirements have been deleted The issue is addressed in AS 2809.3, Road tank vehicles for dangerous goods, Part 3: Tankers for compressed liquefiable gases (f) Requirements for unodourized gas have been included (g) The level of odourant addition has been increased to address odourant fade (h) Section has been developed to address adjacent buried tanks, the relative levels of interconnected tanks and remote contents gauging (i) The content of Section has been adjusted to cover hardware and installation, and Sections and relate to filling sites (j) Section has been expanded to include a warning about pumping rates and expanded requirements for decanting, and to address transportable decanting (k) Section has undergone a major review caused by the incorporation of AS 1596 Supplement — 1994, and the work of Subcommittee ME/15/2 (l) Dispenser requirements have been reviewed and updated to align with the new styles (m) Section 10 has been revised to include the philosophy of managerial responsibility for procedures which relate to the size and complexity of a specific installation (n) The use of hazardous areas has been included, as defined in AS 2430.1 — 1987, Classification of hazardous areas, Part 1, Explosive gas atmospheres; AS 2430.3 — 1991, Classification of hazardous areas, Part 3, Specific occupancies; and NZS 6101.3:1991, Classification of hazardous areas, Part 3, Specific occupancies (flammable gas and vapour atmospheres) AS/NZS 1596:1997 (o) The wording of the Standard has been modified to delete approvals by the authority and the nomination of responsibility for various activities so as to align with the proposed National Standard for the Storage and Handling of Dangerous Goods This has the effect of removing the approval requirements which existed for such issues as deodorized installations (p) The Standard has been developed as a Joint Standard, with New Zealand requirements included Australian and New Zealand references are separated by a slash (/) Australian references apply in Australia, and New Zealand references apply in New Zealand Joint Standards apply in both Australia and New Zealand Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited The terms ‘normative’ and ‘informative’ have been used in this Standard to define the application of the appendix to which they apply A ‘normative’ appendix is an integral part of a Standard, whereas an ‘informative’ appendix is only for information and guidance © Copyright STANDARDS AUSTRALIA / STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND Users of Standards are reminded that copyright subsists in all Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand publications and software Except where the Copyright Act allows and except where provided for below no publications or software produced by Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing from Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand Permission may be conditional on an appropriate royalty payment Australian requests for permission and information on commercial software royalties should be directed to the head office of Standards Australia New Zealand requests should be directed to Standards New Zealand Up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard may be copied for use exclusively in-house by purchasers of the Standard without payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand Inclusion of copyright material in computer software programs is also permitted without royalty payment provided such programs are used exclusively in-house by the creators of the programs Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the Standard is amended or revised The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identified The use of material in print form or in computer software programs to be used commercially, with or without payment, or in commercial contracts is subject to the payment of a royalty This policy may be varied by Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand at any time AS/NZS 1596:1997 CONTENTS Page Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited FOREWORD SECTION SCOPE AND GENERAL 1.1 SCOPE AND APPLICATION 1.2 OBJECTIVE 1.3 INTERPRETATIONS 1.4 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS 1.5 DEFINITIONS 1.6 RESTRICTIONS ON IGNITION SOURCES 11 11 11 12 12 16 SECTION MINOR STORAGE AND USAGE 2.1 APPLICATION 2.2 PRECAUTIONS 2.3 RESTAURANTS 2.4 LP GAS CYLINDERS ON TROLLEYS 2.5 NON-REFILLABLE CONTAINERS 2.6 CYLINDER USE 17 17 18 18 18 18 SECTION COMPONENTS FOR TANK SYSTEMS 3.1 APPLICATION 3.2 TANK DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 3.3 CONTROL OF LP GAS OUTFLOW 3.4 SAFETY VALVES 3.5 VALVES AND ACCESSORIES 3.6 PIPING 3.7 VAPORIZERS 20 20 21 23 24 26 27 SECTION TANK SYSTEM INSTALLATION 4.1 APPLICATION 4.2 TANK SPACING AND SEPARATION DISTANCES 4.3 TANK SITE CONDITIONS 4.4 CONSTRUCTION OF FIREWALLS, VAPOUR BARRIERS AND THERMAL SCREENS 4.5 TANK FOUNDATIONS AND SUPPORTS 4.6 TANK INSTALLATION AND DESIGN 4.7 CONNECTIONS FOR TANK FILLING AND TANKER LOADING 4.8 EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN SYSTEM 4.9 PIPING 4.10 VAPORIZER INSTALLATION 4.11 REGULATORS 4.12 PUMPS AND COMPRESSORS 4.13 SECURITY AND DAMAGE AVOIDANCE 4.14 LIGHTNING AND BONDING PROTECTION 4.15 LADDERS, STEPS AND PLATFORMS 4.16 LEAK DETECTION 4.17 MARKINGS AND NOTICES 4.18 ILLUMINATION 4.19 UNODOURIZED GAS 29 29 31 31 32 34 34 36 38 39 40 40 41 41 42 42 42 42 42 AS/NZS 1596:1997 Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited Page SECTION UNDERGROUND TANK INSTALLATIONS 5.1 APPLICATION 5.2 CORROSION CONTROL 5.3 LOCATION AND INSTALLATION 5.4 ACCESS, PROTECTION, FITTINGS AND ACCESSORIES 5.5 DISCHARGE FROM SAFETY RELIEF DEVICE 43 43 43 46 47 SECTION CYLINDERS AND CYLINDER SYSTEMS 6.1 APPLICATION 6.2 CYLINDERS 6.3 REGULATORS AND PIPING 6.4 CYLINDERS IN USE 6.5 CYLINDERS IN USE WITHIN BUILDINGS 6.6 CYLINDER STORAGE 49 49 49 50 52 53 SECTION CYLINDER-FILLING INSTALLATIONS — AUSTRALIA 7.1 APPLICATION 7.2 GENERAL 7.3 CYLINDER-FILLING AREA 7.4 DECANTING 55 55 55 56 SECTION CYLINDER-FILLING INSTALLATIONS — NEW ZEALAND 8.1 APPLICATION 8.2 GENERAL 8.3 CYLINDER-FILLING AREA 8.4 DECANTING 59 59 59 60 SECTION AUTOMOTIVE-FILLING INSTALLATIONS 9.1 APPLICATION 9.2 COMMON REQUIREMENTS 9.3 DISPENSING SYSTEMS 9.4 NOTICES, SIGNS AND INSTRUCTIONS 9.5 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE STATIONS 9.6 SITE SUITABILITY 9.7 LAND USE CONTROLS 9.8 SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 61 61 62 65 65 70 70 72 SECTION 10 OPERATIONS 10.1 APPLICATION 10.2 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS 10.3 ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCEDURES 10.4 COMPLIANCE, SUPERVISION AND RECORDS 10.5 CONSTRUCTION, INSPECTION, TESTING AND MAINTENANCE 10.6 SPECIFIC OPERATING PROCEDURES 10.7 TRANSPORT OR REMOVAL OF STORAGE TANKS 10.8 TANKER OPERATIONS 10.9 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS FOR TANKER TRANSFER 10.10 SUPERVISION OF DELIVERY 10.11 PROCEDURES FOR FILLING AND EMPTYING TANKS 10.12 CYLINDER FILLING 10.13 FILLING FROM TANKERS TO CYLINDERS OTHER THAN IN SITU 10.14 CYLINDER STORAGE AND HANDLING 75 75 76 79 79 81 82 82 83 84 84 86 87 87 AS/NZS 1596:1997 Page Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited SECTION 11 FIRE SAFETY 11.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 11.2 CYLINDERS 11.3 TANK INSTALLATIONS 11.4 AUTOMOTIVE FILLING INSTALLATIONS 11.5 DETAIL REQUIREMENTS 88 90 90 91 91 APPENDICES A LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS B TANK OR CYLINDER FILLING LEVEL C MARKINGS, SIGNS AND NOTICES D DISCHARGE CAPACITY OF SAFETY VALVES E TANK AND CYLINDER LOCATION F IDENTIFICATION OF LIQUID AND VAPOUR LINES G LEAKAGE TESTING OF PIPEWORK H HAZARDOUS AREAS I INDUSTRIAL MOBILE SPACE HEATERS J DECANTING PROCEDURE K EMERGENCY PLANS L MOTOR VEHICLE REFUELLING M FIRE EXPOSURE PROTECTION N DRIVER INSTRUCTION SIGNS O SCOPE OF AS/NZS 1596 94 98 104 108 109 111 112 113 116 117 119 121 122 126 129 AS/NZS 1596:1997 FOREWORD Safety is the fundamental objective of this Standard and is the most important single issue Traditionally, this Standard has included a specific section on firefighting provisions, which can mislead by implying that nothing more is necessary to ensure fire safety The dangers of such a misapprehension are twofold At the very least there is the possibility of misdirected effort, something that is never rewarding At the worst, misplaced trust can easily be generated, and this could lead personnel to place themselves in danger Requirements must therefore be based on possibilities that are actual and not merely conjecture, and on an assessment of the real capabilities of the various equipment options Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited A major conclusion is that water systems alone cannot ensure total fire safety, no matter how elaborate They are not even the principal means of protection — that is embodied in the engineering of the installation The components, their arrangement, the site layout and the operating and maintenance procedures, all form part of the principal fire-safety provisions, the purpose of which is to ensure that the secondary provisions, i.e the water systems, will never need to be used in a real emergency A fire will not occur if any one of the three essential elements, i.e fuel, air and an ignition source, is missing It is sometimes possible to eliminate air, for example underground and mounded tanks largely achieve this, but ignition sources and fuel escapes are usually more amenable to control Risk of ignition can be minimized by separating potential leaks from ignition sources, controlling access, controlling on-site procedures and activities and good housekeeping by cleaning combustibles from the site Obviously these measures can only be aimed at coping with the predictable, such as normal operational releases and minor mishaps To try to cater for gross escapes bordering on the catastrophic would result in separation distances that are out of the question in practical terms, so it is necessary to reduce the probability of any major releases to a level which can reasonably be considered to be negligible The prevention of gas escapes, i.e containment, is considered to be the single most important aspect of this Standard If gas remains contained, there can be no fire risk If an escape can be terminated quickly and preferably automatically, the risk of ignition and the consequences are minimized Thus engineering the containment and valving provisions are considered vital to fire safety Loss of containment can result from accidental impact, corrosion, breakdown of seals and gaskets because of long-term deterioration, or rapid breakdown because of fire Physical damage arises mainly from vehicles, most commonly either colliding with the installation or driving off with a hose still connected The solutions are impact protection, the choice of safe location and a variety of measures to either prevent drive-away or make provision against the consequences Equipment deterioration is a management matter Operating and maintenance procedures must be set up in the first place, must be implemented and must not be allowed to lapse subsequently Fire threats fall roughly into two classes, i.e a nearby fire radiating heat to a tank or a fire around the tank and impinging directly on it A tank can tolerate a certain amount of heat influx, but the level is not high Heating means a high risk of gas discharge either through a safety valve or through the failure of some feature of the installation; therefore any form of tank heating is not tolerable and must be terminated as quickly as possible AS/NZS 1596:1997 116 APPENDIX I INDUSTRIAL MOBILE SPACE HEATERS (Informative) Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited Mobile or portable (non-domestic) space heaters with associated cylinders should be located inside a building only under the following conditions: (a) Space heating within the non-domestic building is necessary, but a permanent installation is not practicable (b) Burner units are located and used so that the temperature induced in any combustible material will not exceed 70°C (c) Cylinders and burner units are located so that they are not liable to damage or dislodgment by the movement of persons or goods, or by other causes (d) Where two or more heater-container units are located in any unpartitioned areas on the same floor, the cylinder of any one unit is separated from the heater and cylinder of any other unit by not less than m (e) The energy input does not exceed 55 W (0.2 MJ/h) for each cubic metre of room space (f) The capacity of each cylinder does not exceed 110 L (g) Cylinders having a capacity greater than 25 L are mounted on a trolley, which should be of metal construction, have adequate stability and be provided with chains or other means for holding the cylinders securely (h) Each burner is fitted with an approved flame-failure protective device arranged to shut off the gas supply in the event of burner or pilot failure In New Zealand, the following are recommended: (i) Any cylinder with a capacity exceeding 25 L should have fitted to it an excess-flow valve (ii) The total capacity of cylinders connected to each heater unit should not exceed 220 L COPYRIGHT 117 APPENDIX AS/NZS 1596:1997 J DECANTING PROCEDURE (Informative) Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited The following procedure should be adopted by the site operator who performs the filling operation: (a) Inspect the customer’s cylinder for corrosion and dents, paying particular attention to the underside of the cylinder If significant corrosion is present not fill the cylinder and refer the customer to a registered cylinder test station (b) Unlock the decant vessel cover/valve Ensure that the dead-man’s valve on the filling assembly is closed and the assembly is tightly connected to the storage vessel Gloves should be worn when decanting (c) Connect filling assembly (hose) to customer’s cylinder (d) Open the main valve on customer’s cylinder (e) Check that the bleed valve on the customer’s cylinder is directed away from the operator and towards a well-ventilated area before opening the bleed valve one half turn using the correct tool This will reduce the pressure in the customer’s cylinder to be filled (f) Open the main valve on the decant vessel (g) Activate the dead-man’s valve on the filling assembly to start the filling process (h) Stay in attendance during the entire process of filling Do not use any device (i.e clamps, rubber bands) to hold the dead-man’s valve open Observe the hose and all connections during filling for possible leaks (i) Allow the filling to continue until white cloud/mist emerges from the customer’s cylinder bleed valve, which indicates that the cylinder is full (the maximum fill level has been reached) (j) Immediately release the dead-man’s valve to stop filling (k) Remove a glove and touch the main decant vessel with bare hands (to discharge any static electricity from the body of the person decanting) Replace the glove and continue (l) Close the main valve on the customer’s cylinder (m) After white cloud/mist disappears, close the bleed valve on the customer’s cylinder Do not close the bleed valve while white cloud/mist is still emerging (n) Close the main valve on the decant vessel (o) Carefully disconnect the filling assembly hose from the customer’s cylinder When breaking the connection, a small amount of vapour trapped between the two valves will escape (p) Confirm the customer’s cylinder is leak free by applying soapy water with a small paint brush or spray bottle to the following: (q) (i) Outlet of the main valve (ii) Thread where the main valve is attached to the customer’s cylinder (iii) Bleed valve opening Lock the cover/valve of the decant vessel COPYRIGHT AS/NZS 1596:1997 (r) 118 If LP Gas in liquid form comes in contact with the bare skin or eyes, immediately wash the affected areas with water for at least 10 and see a doctor Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited NOTE: Figure J1 provides clarification of decanting equipment terminology FIGURE J1 DECANTING EQUIPMENT COPYRIGHT 119 APPENDIX AS/NZS 1596:1997 K EMERGENCY PLANS (Informative) K1 INTRODUCTION The occupier of a premises at which LP Gas is kept should, in consultation with the emergency services and the relevant regulatory authorities, prepare detailed plans for combating emergencies that could occur on site These plans should be provided in two separate books, as outlined in Paragraphs K2 and K3 Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited K2 ON-SITE EMERGENCY PLAN This plan should set out the procedures to be followed by the occupants of a site in the event of emergency, be appropriate to the size and complexity of the installation and include the following: (a) Actions to be taken in the event of fire, explosion, spill, leak or other emergency, e.g firefighting actions (first aid firefighting and fire team’s initial response), alarm activation, evacuation procedures, establishment of emergency control centres, shutdown procedures and mutual aid arrangements (cooperation with relevant authorities and use of equipment on a neighbouring premises) (b) A list of contact telephone numbers for emergency services e.g fire brigade, ambulance, police, regulatory authorities, local hospital, gas supplier, electricity supplier and water supplier; the criteria for contacting them and the procedures to ensure that when they are required they are alerted promptly (c) Evacuation provisions, nomination of on-site personnel responsible for evacuating the occupants of, contractors at and visitors to the premises and details of a warden structure (chain of command) (d) Allocation of nominated assembly areas clear of where an incident may occur and well away from emergency services operations (e) Provision for material safety data sheets (Worksafe Australia format) to be available at easily accessible locations (f) A scheme for the training of personnel in carrying out the plan, which could also include the involvement of the local fire brigade (g) Provision for appraisal and updating of the plan K3 OFF-SITE EMERGENCY PLAN This plan is prepared to enable emergency services or any other off-site agency to carry out their duties expediently and efficiently, to be appropriate to the size and complexity of the particular installation and should include the following: (a) A site plan showing the following: (i) The direction of north (ii) Boundaries of the site and adjacent street names (iii) The locations and identification of all buildings and external storage areas at the premises (iv) The fire service layout, e.g hydrants, sprinkler/deluge valves, monitors, hydrant and sprinkler booster points, static fire water, pump houses and alarm board locations (The equipment likely to be used by the local fire brigade.) (v) Vehicular entry points to the site and vehicular access within it (vi) The locations of the dangerous goods on site COPYRIGHT AS/NZS 1596:1997 (b) A copy of the current manifest listing the quantities, classes, UN numbers, product names (where appropriate) and designated location corresponding to that shown on the site plan of the dangerous goods (c) A list of the names and after-hours telephone numbers/pager numbers of relevant personnel within the organization who could provide specialist advice or assistance in the event of a fire or an emergency (d) Details of the evacuation system used at the site including — (e) Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited 120 (i) type of alarm and its location This is important because, if evacuation has not taken place, the emergency services can quickly locate and activate the alarm; and (ii) the locations of the assembly areas (at least two areas should be nominated, a primary and a secondary) which is required to enable emergency services to quickly verify that all occupants have been evacuated, and a means by which the emergency services can identify relevant members of the warden structure This is required so that the evaluation of the situation can be assessed quickly and the appropriate measures taken A copy of the material safety data sheets (Worksafe Australia format) for all the dangerous goods on site K4 EMERGENCY INFORMATION CONTAINER The off-site emergency plans should be stored in an emergency information container located at the main entrance to the site/building, to the satisfaction of the relevant fire authority The container should be of substantial weatherproof construction, capable of housing the emergency plans (without damage), painted red and marked ‘EMERGENCY INFORMATION’ in white contrasting lettering not less than 25 mm high If required for security reasons, the container may have a locking mechanism (padlock), acceptable to the relevant fire authority COPYRIGHT 121 APPENDIX AS/NZS 1596:1997 L MOTOR VEHICLE REFUELLING (Informative) Any training in the refuelling of vehicles should incorporate at least the following procedures and precautions: Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited (a) Do not commence to refuel the vehicle unless— (i) there is no smoking or flame within m of the vehicle; (ii) the vehicle ignition is switched off; (iii) there are no obvious leaks or faults in the LP Gas equipment of the vehicle and the gas dispensing system; and (iv) the vehicle fill connection is in good condition (b) Do not leave the vehicle unattended during the filling operation (c) Before connecting the filler nozzle, check whether the vehicle has an automatic fill limiter valve (AFL) Such vehicles carry a marking ‘AFL FITTED: Bleeding during filling not required’ The procedure in Item (e) is not required for such vehicles (d) Connect the filler nozzle (e) If an AFL is not fitted, use the fixed liquid level gauge to prevent overfilling, by the following procedure: (i) Wear protective gloves when operating the fixed liquid level gauge screw Protective gloves must be available on the site for use during an emergency (ii) The fixed liquid level gauge screw should be opened as soon as the tank is about half full (iii) When liquid emerges from the fixed level gauge, immediately shut the filler nozzle valve (iv) Ensure that the fixed liquid gauge is securely closed at the completion of refuelling (f) When using a filler nozzle which incorporates a nozzle bleed valve, open the valve to empty the nozzle before disconnecting (g) Securely replace the protective cap on the vehicle-filling connection at the end of the filling operation (h) If a continuous gas escape is apparent when the filler nozzle is disconnected, the non-return valve has malfunctioned, probably because of dirt under the seat Reconnect nozzle and operate it briefly to clear the seat If this proves unsuccessful, seal the vehicle fill connection with a metal cap Advise the driver to have the fault rectified immediately (i) At the end of the day’s work, before the site or service station is closed down, check all dispensing equipment to ensure that the tank valves are closed, hoses are properly stowed, and electrical equipment is switched off COPYRIGHT AS/NZS 1596:1997 122 APPENDIX M FIRE EXPOSURE PROTECTION (Normative) Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited M1 INTRODUCTION A tank may in certain circumstances need to be protected from the radiant heat emitted by a nearby fire This Appendix gives a procedure for determining whether any individual tank needs protection The procedure is not a comprehensive treatment of all possibilities, but features the following limitations: (a) It is applied only to installations of more than 50 kL aggregate capacity (b) It is a simplified treatment, in that it deals only with the effects of a fire in a conventional building adjoining the storage, so that the conditions described in Items (iii) and (iv) below can reasonably be assumed to apply (c) It deals only with the simplest situation, a single structure in relation to a single tank A building that presents two or more faces to a tank, or multiple simultaneous sources, are special cases requiring individual calculations (d) It cannot be applied where the radiation source is another LP Gas tank, or a flammable liquids storage or the like, for which a different calculation is necessary A number of methods of protection are available, e.g increasing the distance from the fire source, providing physical protection by burying, mounding, or insulation, radiation barriers or by applying cooling water Of the various options, permanent physical protection is considered preferable to the palliative approach of water-cooling, since cooling systems are vulnerable to interruption, and require either operating procedures or automatic devices to bring them into action The premises on which this Appendix is based are as follows: (i) The temperature of a tank shell should not be allowed to exceed 300°C after 45 of exposure to thermal radiation Although this level of heat gain may result in the lifting of the safety valve, it is sufficient by a considerable margin to avoid weakening the tank shell (ii) The tank shell temperature will not exceed this level if the heat radiation received at the tank shell does not exceed 10 kW/m This has been estimated for the worst case, i.e the tank is effectively empty of LP Gas liquid and the tank surface has deteriorated to the point where it will not reflect heat (iii) In the average building fire, the fire temperature will be 1000°C, for which the emission will be 150 kW/m 2, according to the National Building Technology Centre Technical Record 517, and confirmed from other recognized international sources (iv) The temperature of 1000°C is valid only for fires in buildings Caution should be exercised in extrapolating to other types of fire load, as the nature of the burning material or the way in which it is stacked could increase the flame temperature greatly The duration of the fire also needs consideration Such cases are outside the scope of this Appendix and should be treated in consultation with a fire specialist The procedure is firstly to estimate the possibility of a nearby fire, then calculate the likely radiation from that fire, then check whether, at the distance prevailing, the radiation received by the tank is within acceptable limits If not, measures have to be taken to protect the tank COPYRIGHT 123 Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited M2 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE protection by proceeding as follows: AS/NZS 1596:1997 Determine for each tank whether it needs radiant heat (a) From Table 4.1, note the separation distance for the tank from a protected place Note any structure, storage or stack which could be a source of fire visible from the tank under consideration Ignore any such fire source that is more than times the protected-place separation distance from the tank (b) By outlining the surface area as shown in Figure M1(a), determine the extent of the area (H high, B across) within which a fire would be significant to the tank (c) By identifying the areas as shown in Figure M1(b), determine what portions of that area H × B will be visible fire area This is the net fire area (A) in square metres Use the following guidelines to estimate the net fire area (A): (d) (i) Where the whole of the area in Item (b) is combustible (e.g a timber wall) or is of material likely to collapse in an internal fire (e.g fibrous cement, glass, sheet metal), then A is the whole of the area H × B measured as in Item (b) (ii) Where the building face is not combustible but has openings (e.g brick wall with windows), A is the total of those openings, plus 25% for possible external fire plumes unless fire windows, fire doors or fire shutters are fitted (iii) Where a building is divided into fire-isolated compartments in accordance with the Building Code of Australia, work on the basis that the fire will be limited to the compartment nearest the tank (iv) Parked cars may be ignored, but assess any trucks that are a regular feature of the site (v) Stacks of combustible-solids, tanks holding flammable liquids, and other special hazards must be independently assessed Calculate the distance D from the following equation (or read from Figure M2): D = 2.2√A M2 M3 EVALUATION Where the calculated safe distance D is more than the actual separation planned, choose a method of tank protection (see Clause 11.3.2) COPYRIGHT Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited AS/NZS 1596:1997 124 FIGURE M1 STEPS IN FINDING DISTANCE FROM A FIRE COPYRIGHT Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited 125 FIGURE M2 VALUES OF D COPYRIGHT AS/NZS 1596:1997 AS/NZS 1596:1997 126 APPENDIX N DRIVER INSTRUCTION SIGNS (Normative in Australia only) N1 DRIVER INSTRUCTION SIGNS Driver instruction signs of a minimum size of 125 mm wide by 270 mm high and printed on a white background shall be displayed in a readily visible location on LP Gas dispensers in Australia N2 WARNING SIGN Figure N1 The warning sign shall take substantially the form indicated in N3 FILLING INSTRUCTIONS form indicated in Figure N2 The filling instruction sign shall take substantially the Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited NOTE: Liquefied petroleum gas may be abbreviated to LP Gas or LPG COPYRIGHT 127 AS/NZS 1596:1997 NOTES: WARNING — RED (Signal Red R13) TEXT — BLACK CIRCLE & SLASH — RED SYMBOL — BLACK INSTRUCTION — BLACK Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited CIRCLE & SLASH — RED SYMBOL — BLACK INSTRUCTION — BLACK CIRCLE & SLASH — RED SYMBOL — BLACK INSTRUCTION — BLACK CIRCLE & SLASH — RED SYMBOL — BLACK INSTRUCTION — BLACK CIRCLE & SLASH — RED SYMBOL — BLACK INSTRUCTION — BLACK TEXT FIGURE N1 WARNING SIGN COPYRIGHT — RED AS/NZS 1596:1997 128 NOTES: INSTRUCTIONS — BLUE (Bright Blue B23) (Signal Red R13) Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited SQUARE & INSTRUCTION—BLUE SYMBOL AND TEXT — BLACK GASKET — RED (Signal Red R13) SQUARE & INSTRUCTION—BLUE SYMBOL AND TEXT — BLACK GASKET — RED SQUARE & INSTRUCTION—BLUE SYMBOL AND TEXT — BLACK TRIGGER AND ARROW — RED WARNING AND TEXT — RED SQUARE & INSTRUCTION—BLUE SYMBOL AND TEXT — BLACK TRIGGER AND ARROW — RED SQUARE & INSTRUCTION—BLUE ARROW — RED FIGURE N2 FILLING INSTRUCTIONS COPYRIGHT 129 APPENDIX AS/NZS 1596:1997 O SCOPE OF AS/NZS 1596 Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited (Informative) FIGURE O1 LP GAS CONTAINER SUPPLYING SEVERAL SITES BY RETICULATION FROM A SINGLE LP GAS SUPPLY COPYRIGHT Licensed to LUU MINH LUAN on 25 Feb 2002 Single user licence only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited AS/NZS 1596:1997 FIGURE O2 130 LP GAS CONTAINER SUPPLYING APPLIANCES ON A SINGLE SITE COPYRIGHT ... Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee ME/15, Storage and Handling — Liquefied Petroleum Gases, to supersede AS 1596—1989, LP Gas — Storage and handling, AS 1596 Supplement — 1994, LP Gas Storage and. .. Zealand Standard® Storage and handling of LP Gas Originated in Australia as AS CB20—1965 Previous Australian editions AS 1596—1989 and AS 1596 Supplement 1—1994 Originated in New Zealand as NZS. .. only Storage, distribution or use on network prohibited AS/ NZS 1596:1997 Australian/New Zealand Standard® Storage and handling of LP Gas AS/ NZS 1596:1997 This Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard