Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area Petroleum Operations Framework Regulations (SOR/2024-25)

Marginal note:Fire and gas detection system

• 132 (1) An operator must ensure that an installation is equipped with a fire and gas detection system.

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (2) The operator must ensure that the fire and gas detection system

  • (a) provides continuous, reliable and automatic monitoring functions to allow persons to be alerted to the presence and location of fire and hazardous gas, as well as the concentration and composition of that gas;

  • (b) as far as is practicable, is functionally and physically independent of other essential systems or, if that is not practicable, is arranged so as not to adversely affect or be adversely affected by the operation of those systems;

  • (c) includes an alarm system with audible and visual alarms that are distinct from other types of alarms, that can be heard or seen at the main control centre and in other areas where persons are normally present, that are, on detection of fire or gas hazards, automatically activated and that can also be manually activated; and

  • (d) allows control measures, including those that are designed to be initiated automatically, to be initiated manually to prevent abnormal conditions from escalating and causing major accidental events.

• Marginal note:Risk assessment — design

  (3) The operator must ensure that the design of the fire and gas detection system is based on the results of the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1).

• Marginal note:Design

  (4) The operator must ensure that the fire and gas detection system is designed

  • (a) to detect the types of fire and hazardous gas releases identified in the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1);

  • (b) to detect hazardous gas and smoke in the air intakes of any mechanically ventilated non-hazardous areas; and

  • (c) such that the means to manually initiate fire and gas alarms are available at or near the office of the installation manager, at the main control centre, at every control station and at any other locations identified in the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1).

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (5) The operator must ensure that the fire and gas detection system meets the following requirements:

  • (a) its detection components must

    • (i) be capable of detecting the types of fire and hazardous gas releases identified in the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1) in the areas in which they are located,

    • (ii) ensure reliable and early detection, taking into account their response characteristics, redundancy and performance under foreseeable conditions in which detection may be required,

    • (iii) be rated and maintained for use in the areas in which they are located, as those areas are classified in accordance with the classification system referred to in subsection 113(2), and

    • (iv) include failure and malfunction indicators;

  • (b) the system and its components must be protected from mechanical damage and damage caused by fire, explosion and physical and environmental conditions to which they may be exposed so that they remain capable of fulfilling their intended functions under all foreseeable operating conditions;

  • (c) the system must allow for all necessary information to be continuously provided to the main control centre and other strategic locations to permit the management of emergency situations; and

  • (d) the system must be capable of being reset only if the cause of its activation has been resolved.

• Marginal note:Testing and maintenance

  (6) The operator must ensure, in relation to the testing and maintenance of the fire and gas detection system, that the following requirements are met:

  • (a) the system must be capable of being overridden for the purposes of testing and maintenance activities;

  • (b) override commands and functions must be applied for the shortest amount of time possible and with as few as possible being applied simultaneously; and

  • (c) the testing and maintenance activities must not impair the system beyond what is necessary to undertake those activities and must not impede its functioning.

• Marginal note:Work permit

  (7) A work permit is required for the testing and maintenance of the fire and gas detection system.

• Marginal note:Management of override effects

  (8) The work permit must set out measures to be taken to manage the effects of overriding the fire and gas detection system.

• Marginal note:Leak repair

  (9) The operator must ensure that any leak of gas that is detected by the fire and gas detection system or by means of an auditory, olfactory or visual method — including the observation of the dripping of hydrocarbon liquids from an equipment component — is repaired

  • (a) immediately, if the repair is necessary for the purposes of safety or the conservation of petroleum resources; or

  • (b) as soon as the circumstances permit, in any other case.