Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Operations Framework Regulations (SOR/2024-26)

Marginal note:Hazardous and non-hazardous areas

• 113 (1) An operator must ensure that the boundaries between all hazardous areas and non-hazardous areas on an installation are delineated.

• Marginal note:Classification of hazardous areas

  (2) The operator must ensure that, following the conduct of the risk assessment under subsection 107(1), each hazardous area is classified according to an internationally recognized, comprehensive and documented classification system.

• Marginal note:Separation of areas

  (3) The operator must ensure that hazardous areas of different classifications are separated from one another and from non-hazardous areas.

• Marginal note:Direct access and openings

  (4) The operator must ensure, if practicable, that there is no direct access or other opening between hazardous areas and non-hazardous areas and between hazardous areas of different classifications or, if that is not practicable, that any direct access or opening between those areas is minimized and is designed to prevent uncontrolled air flow between them.

• Marginal note:Piping systems

  (5) The operator must ensure that piping systems are designed to ensure that there is no direct conduit between hazardous and non-hazardous areas and between hazardous areas of different classifications.

Marginal note:Ventilation of enclosed hazardous areas

• 114 (1) An operator must ensure that any enclosed hazardous area on an installation is ventilated such that

  • (a) air is replaced at a rate sufficient to prevent hazardous gas accumulations in the enclosed hazardous area;

  • (b) all air entering the enclosed hazardous area is from a non-hazardous area;

  • (c) the air exhausted from the enclosed hazardous area does not increase the hazard level in another enclosed hazardous area or create a hazard in an enclosed non-hazardous area; and

  • (d) the ventilation system for the enclosed hazardous area is separate from the ventilation system for any non-hazardous area.

• Marginal note:Mechanical ventilation system

  (2) If a mechanical ventilation system is used for the purposes of subsection (1), the operator must ensure that the air in the enclosed hazardous area is maintained at a pressure that is lower than the pressure of any adjacent non-hazardous area or any adjacent hazardous area that is classified as less hazardous.

• Marginal note:Air exhaustion from enclosed hazardous area

  (3) The operator must ensure that all air exhausted from an enclosed hazardous area is vented to an outdoor area that, were it not for the vented air, would be a non-hazardous area or a hazardous area that would be classified as no more hazardous than the enclosed hazardous area.

• Marginal note:Ventilation pressure differential and functionality

  (4) The operator must ensure that measuring devices are installed that will monitor any loss of ventilation pressure differential and any loss of functionality of each ventilation system for a hazardous area and that will, no more than 30 seconds after such a loss occurs, activate audible and visual alarms at the control points from which the system is monitored.

• Marginal note:Positive overpressure relative to atmospheric pressure

  (5) The operator must, in respect of the main control centre and all accommodations areas on an installation, ensure that

  • (a) they are maintained at a positive overpressure relative to atmospheric pressure;

  • (b) all of their external doors that provide a primary means of access to them are equipped with airlocks; and

  • (c) all of their other external doors are equipped with airlocks or other means of maintaining and monitoring positive overpressure relative to atmospheric pressure.

• Marginal note:Power shut-off for mechanical ventilation system

  (6) The operator must ensure that the power source for a mechanical ventilation system that serves a hazardous area, a work area in a non-hazardous area or an accommodations area is capable of being shut off from the control station and from a position that is outside the area being ventilated and that will remain accessible during any fire that may occur within that area.

• Marginal note:Inlets and outlets of ventilation systems

  (7) The operator must ensure that the main inlets and outlets of all ventilation systems are capable of being closed from a position that is outside the area being ventilated and that will remain accessible during any fire that may occur within that area.

• Marginal note:Ventilation system in non-hazardous area

  (8) The operator must ensure that any ventilation system that serves a non-hazardous area is equipped with emergency devices in the event of a mechanical ventilation failure or the detection of hazardous gas, including

  • (a) measuring devices to monitor any loss of ventilation pressure differential;

  • (b) audible and visual alarms;

  • (c) an automated isolation device to prevent hazardous gas from entering the non-hazardous area; and

  • (d) a device to remotely seal the non-hazardous area — including inlets and outlets of all ventilation systems — from the control station and from a position outside the non-hazardous ventilated area that will remain accessible during any fire that may occur within the area.

Marginal note:Ignition prevention

• 115 (1) In order to prevent the ignition of flammable, combustible or explosive substances on an installation, an operator must ensure that measures are implemented to prevent the uncontrolled release or accumulation of those substances, including by ensuring that materials and equipment are properly arranged.

• Marginal note:Design — systems and equipment

  (2) The operator must ensure that any system or equipment that is to be used in a hazardous area is designed to control ignition sources and to prevent fire and explosions in that area, taking into account the area’s classification under subsection 113(2).

• Marginal note:Risk assessment

  (3) For the purposes of meeting the requirements under subsections (1) and (2), the operator must ensure that any control measures identified in the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1) are implemented.

• Marginal note:Other requirements — equipment

  (4) The operator must ensure that any equipment located in a hazardous area is rated for use in that area and is installed, ventilated and maintained to ensure safe operation.

• Marginal note:Safe distance operation

  (5) The operator must ensure that any equipment that is operated in a non-hazardous area is operated at a safe distance from any flammable, combustible or explosive substances and is, unless it is rated for use in a hazardous area, equipped with an automatic and manual means of deactivation in the event of fire or hazardous gas detection.

• Marginal note:Equipment in event of emergency

  (6) The operator must ensure that any equipment that is located in a non-hazardous area and that is to remain in service in the event of an emergency associated with a gas release is rated for use in a hazardous area and is installed, ventilated and maintained to ensure safe operation.

• Marginal note:Cargo tank

  (7) The operator must ensure that

  • (a) the gas mixture inside a cargo tank is maintained outside the explosive limits; and

  • (b) the systems associated with the cargo tank are designed to

    • (i) prevent fire, gas or explosion hazards during all operating modes through the use of sufficient control measures, including alarms, and through redundancies in those measures, and

    • (ii) ensure that affected persons are made aware when the systems become impaired.

• Marginal note:Work permit

  (8) A work permit is required for all hot work carried out on an installation.

• Marginal note:Safe distances

  (9) The work permit for hot work must set out safe distances to be maintained between the hot work and any well or any flammable, combustible or explosive substance.

Marginal note:Means of escape, evacuation and rescue

116 An operator must ensure that an installation is equipped with a safe means of escape, evacuation and rescue, taking into account the results of the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1) and comprehensive and documented safety studies.

Marginal note:Temporary safe refuge

• 117 (1) The operator must ensure that the installation is equipped with a temporary safe refuge that will, in the case of an emergency, including an accidental event,

  • (a) provide sufficient space to accommodate all persons who may need to use the refuge until they have been evacuated, the accidental event has been brought under control or the emergency otherwise ends;

  • (b) protect the persons referred to in paragraph (a) from fire, gas release and explosion hazards for as long as they are in the refuge;

  • (c) provide the means for communication and command and, if applicable, for the monitoring and control of the accidental event for as long as persons are in the refuge; and

  • (d) provide signage and lighting to enable safe evacuation from the refuge.

• Marginal note:Areas required to remain safe

  (2) The operator must ensure that the accommodations area, main control centre and any other area of an installation that is required to remain safe for persons to occupy during an emergency, including the temporary safe refuge, are

  • (a) designed to prevent ingress of hazardous substances; and

  • (b) designed and located to enable occupation for the time required to implement emergency and evacuation procedures.

• Marginal note:Periodic verification

  (3) The operator must verify on a periodic basis that the temporary safe refuge meets the requirements set out in subsections (1) and (2) and must record the findings resulting from the verification.

Marginal note:Exits, access and escape routes

• 118 (1) An operator must ensure that

  • (a) in any area where persons are normally present on an installation, there are at least two exits, each connected to an escape route that provides safe, direct and unobstructed access to temporary safe refuges, muster areas, embarkation stations and evacuation points; and

  • (b) there are means for persons to descend to the water.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Despite paragraph (1)(a), if an area referred to in that paragraph has an area less than 20 m² or is a passage less than 5 m in length, the operator must ensure that there is at least one exit as described in that paragraph in that area.

• Marginal note:Distancing — exits

  (3) The operator must ensure that the exits referred to in paragraph (1)(a) are separated as far apart from each other as possible to increase the likelihood that at least one exit and its connected escape route will be passable during an accidental event.

• Marginal note:Location of escape routes

  (4) The operator must ensure that the installation has escape routes on two of its sides.

• Marginal note:Safe evacuation

  (5) The operator must ensure that all escape routes from an accommodations area or a temporary safe refuge to a muster area, embarkation station or evacuation point are clearly marked and illuminated and provided with fire protection to allow for the safe evacuation of persons in a time frame determined in the safety studies referred to in section 116.

• Marginal note:Size of escape routes

  (6) The operator must ensure that each escape route is of sufficient size to enable the efficient movement of the maximum number of persons who may need to use it, as well as unrestricted manoeuvring of firefighting equipment and stretchers, taking into account the maximum number of persons who can be accommodated on the installation.

Marginal note:Life-saving appliances for installation

• 119 (1) An operator must ensure that an installation is equipped with life-saving appliances that

  • (a) are sufficient in number and have the necessary redundancy to ensure their availability in any emergency situation; and

  • (b) meet the requirements of the LSA Code and the annex to International Maritime Organization Resolution MSC.81(70), Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances, as if the installation were a vessel to which the Code and the Resolution apply.

• Marginal note:Loads

  (2) The operator must ensure that life-saving appliances can withstand all loads to which they may be subjected when they are in use.

• Marginal note:Space requirements and weight

  (3) The operator must ensure that, in determining the number of persons any lifeboat, life raft or marine evacuation system can accommodate, the persons’ space requirements and weight while wearing immersion suits are taken into account.

• Marginal note:Arrangement and selection

  (4) The operator must ensure that the arrangement and selection of life-saving appliances are based on

  • (a) the safety studies referred to in section 116, in particular any escape and evacuation analysis that takes into account any major accidental events; and

  • (b) the results of the risk assessment conducted under subsection 107(1).

• Marginal note:Position

  (5) The operator must ensure that copies of a plan showing the position of all life-saving appliances are posted at the installation, including in the main control centre and in every accommodations area and work area.

• Marginal note:Lifeboats — availability

  (6) For the purpose of subsections (1) and (2), the operator must ensure, with respect to the lifeboats on an installation, that

  • (a) they are kept in at least two separate locations, one of which is adjacent to a temporary safe refuge;

  • (b) they have a combined capacity to accommodate the total number of persons on board the installation — and those kept in each location have a combined capacity to accommodate the total number of persons assigned to that location — even in the event that any one lifeboat is lost or rendered unusable; and

  • (c) if the installation is a floating platform, those lifeboats that are able to be launched under any credible scenario of angle of heel have a combined capacity to accommodate the total number of persons on board the installation.

• Marginal note:Lifeboats — specifications

  (7) The operator must ensure that the lifeboats are totally enclosed and are fire-protected.

• Marginal note:Lifeboats — continuous communication

  (8) The operator must ensure that each lifeboat is capable of being in continuous communication with each other lifeboat and with other vessels in the area.

• Marginal note:Lifeboats — towing devices

  (9) The operator must ensure that each lifeboat is equipped with towing devices.

• Marginal note:Life rafts

  (10) For the purpose of subsections (1) and (2), the operator must ensure that the life rafts on an installation have a combined capacity to accommodate the total number of persons on board the installation.

• Marginal note:Continuous verification

  (11) The operator must verify on a continual basis that the lifeboats, life rafts and other life-saving appliances are available and in a condition to perform as intended and must record the findings resulting from each verification.

Marginal note:Installation designed for removal

• 120 (1) An operator must ensure that an installation is designed to facilitate its removal from the offshore area at the end of its design service life and to reduce any risks to safety, adverse effects on the marine environment and interference with navigation and other uses of the sea that may occur during and after its removal.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the Board has approved, in the development plan, the abandonment or an alternative use of the installation.