Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Fire and explosion
This document provides general advice on the fire and explosion hazards associated with the operation of vents and vent collection systems. It is aimed at employers and technical staff with responsibility for the design, operation and maintenance of equipment used for the collection and venting of gaseous and volatile flammable emissions. The guidance is expected to be relevant to vent collection projects in many types of industry including; solvent-using sector, petroleum industry, organic chemical industry, printing industry etc.
Advice is given on the important safety issues that you should consider when designing a VOC collection system. The use of risk assessments to identify and prioritise those areas of significant risk is described and the opportunities available to reduce and manage those risks are discussed.
A brief review of some of the important the health and safety legislation that regulates activities involving flammable atmospheres is also included together with a list of useful reference documents.
Pressure relief venting systems that are used to provide the rapid release of unwanted excess pressure in reactors, vessels etc as a result of fire or vigorous reaction are outside the scope of this guide.
This guidance does not specifically address the risks arising from the use of end-of-pipe abatement equipment although many of the principles discussed below are directly relevant. Specific guidance will be published shortly to provide advice on the operation of thermal oxidisers, items of VOC abatement equipment frequently used in association with vent collection systems, and solvent evaporating ovens.
