Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Safety alert
Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate

Safety alert no. 45

1 July 2010

Purging gas piping

Attention: All workers and companies involved in gas installation and gas servicing
industries.
Introduction
Purging gas piping and equipment are important tasks in the commissioning process of any type of gas
installation from a water heater to a gas fired power station.
What happened?
A number of incidents have occurred either during commissioning or
re-connection of gas pipe work after maintenance work, where purge
gas has been released to an uncontrolled environment and ignited.
The February 2010 incident in Middletown (Connecticut USA)
highlighted this issue, where six workers died and a number of others
were seriously injured. This was a gas power plant under
construction, and near the final completion stage of
construction/commissioning.

Damaged gas fired power plant

A series of purges of the gas pipes had been undertaken a week earlier without incident. A week later, another
series of gas purges were conducted and on the final gas purge, an explosion occurred with tragic results.
The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board have approved 18 urgent recommendations
http://www.csb.gov/newsroom/detail.aspx?nid=330 While the legislative framework and practice in US is
significantly different to Queensland, these incidents and this safety alert are a reminder to all operators, staff,
their employees and contractors to take particular care when purging systems with gas.

Safety issues identified

Lack of risk assessment and hazard identification

Limited or no gas monitoring

Multiple ignition sources in the vicinity

Procedures not adequately documented and or

implemented

Lack of sufficient/competent supervision ad-hoc coordination of personnel/contractors

No communication of tasks/planned events. Workers

unaware purging taking place
Gas pipe blow purge (photo taken by on-site staff
at Middleton a short time prior to incident).

Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Recommendations
1. Compliance/regulatory issues
Identify the regulatory framework
Identify related Australian Standards or industry codes of practice for purging requirements for pipe
installation appliance e.g. AS2885, AS5601, AS NZS 4645, AS NZS 1596 etc (See Table 1 this list is not
exhaustive).
Ensure local authorities e.g. EPA / Councils are consulted or and approvals sought where applicable.
2. Understand the Risks
Conduct a risk assessment to identify all the hazards especially potential ignition sources and develop
adequate control and or mitigation measures.
Ensure gas type/properties identified, e.g. density, static electricity issues.
Consider if non-flammable/inert gases can/should be used in the purge process.
3. Implementation issues
Ensure purge gas is directed away in such a manner that it can be adequately ventilated e.g. vent pipes are
used, with minimum pre determined exclusion zones from the outlet (based on risk and hazard
assessments).
Ensure gas release area is clear with adequate ventilation, wind direction identified, and ignition free
exclusion zone established with appropriate signage.
Ensure burning/ flare stacks are approved equipment for the specific tasks
Ensure a system/s of work is employed e.g. Work Permitting etc
Ensure adequate resources (personnel & equipment) are in place for tasks
Ensure competently trained staff for continuous gas monitoring are in place
Ensure emergency plans are developed, in place and communicated
Ensure communication plan is in place.
For detailed information or relevant standards and guidelines relating to the purging of flammable gas,
go to the Petroleum and Gas safety pages on www.deedi.qld.gov.au

For further information, please contact:

Chief Inspector, Petroleum and Gas
Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate
Mines
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
Telephone: 07 3237 1626 Fax: 07 3224 7768
Email: gassafe@dme.qld.gov.au
Website: www.deedi.qld.gov.au