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

Marginal note:Ignition prevention

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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).

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Cargo tank

  (7) The operator must ensure that

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Work permit

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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,

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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;

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    (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

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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

• The following provision is not in force.

  118 (1) An operator must ensure that

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Location of escape routes

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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

• The following provision is not in force.

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

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Arrangement and selection

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

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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

  • The following provision is not in force.

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

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    (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

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Lifeboats — specifications

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Lifeboats — towing devices

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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

• The following provision is not in force.

  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.

Marginal note:Transportation and positioning

• The following provision is not in force.

  121 (1) An operator must ensure that an installation, or any part of it, is transported and positioned

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) in a manner that does not compromise safety or the protection of the environment;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) in a manner that minimizes interference with and hazards to other activities in proximity to that installation;

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    (c) under the supervision of a competent third party;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (d) in the case of a self-elevating mobile offshore platform, with the legs of the platform secured in accordance with the rules of the classification society that issued the certificate of class required under section 140; and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (e) with the support of vessels that are classified in accordance with section 177.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Risk assessment

  (2) Before an installation, or any part of it, is transported and positioned, the operator must ensure that the following requirements are met:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) a risk assessment must be conducted that takes into account

    • (i) personnel requirements,

    • (ii) the towing vessels that will be used, the towing plan, including towing arrangements, and the operating limits of the towing equipment’s components,

    • (iii) the processes and control measures to be implemented to ensure safety and the protection of the environment,

    • (iv) physical and environmental conditions and the ability to reliably forecast those conditions, and

    • (v) any contingency measures to be taken in the event of adverse physical and environmental conditions or the occurrence of any other foreseeable adverse event during transportation and positioning; and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) a transportation and positioning plan must be prepared that takes into account any requirements of the competent third party referred to in paragraph (1)(c) and, if the installation is a floating platform, the plan must be prepared in accordance with the rules of the classification society that issued the certificate of class required under section 140.