PRC-EL-00-002

HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION

PROCEDURE

Revision : 00
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1 Purpose
This aims to identify the hazardous areas classification adopted by SPPC in order to reduce to an acceptable
level the probability of coincidence of a flammable atmosphere and an ignition source.

2 Application
This procedure is needed for any project where explosive gas atmosphere may occur to allow the proper
selection of machinery and electrical equipment to be installed in the project environment.

3 Key Words
Hazardous area, Characterization of the substances, Operating conditions, release sources, Ventilation
conditions

Appendixes
Appendix A : HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION FLOW CHART
Appendix B : PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION

Issued by :

Checked by :

Approved by :

Date :

Date :

Date :

Signature :

Signature :

Signature :

For enforcement

For information

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PURPOSE .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS ........................................................................................................................... 3
HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION ...................................................................................................... 4
HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION DRAWING .................................................................................. 6

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1. PURPOSE
This aims to identify the hazardous areas classification adopted by SPPC.
The object of the hazardous area classification approach is to reduce to an acceptable level the probability of
coincidence of a flammable atmosphere and an ignition source.
2. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
The preliminary analysis of hazardous area is based on the reference documents listed below:

Process Flow Diagram (PFD) showing flows, temperatures and pressures.

Where relevant, a piping and instrumentation diagram (PID) (for example for processing plant).

Equipment list: knowledge of the existing equipment and equipment features.

Data sheet or technical specification for installed equipments.

Load equipment list: knowledge the mode of operation.

Balance of heat and matter

General arrangement drawing showing the position for all equipment, including operational vents and
drains to atmosphere. In addition this should show principal sources of ignition such as heaters,
roadways with unrestricted access, flares, workshops, hot work areas etc.

More information and data required shall be assembled which according to the complexity of installation.

Flash points or, where more complex conditions requiring a point-source release approach apply, the
boiling ranges or other relevant physical characteristics of the fluids handled that will enable the fluid
category.

Consideration of ventilation, whether open area, restricted (sheltered) or enclosed: for sheltered or
enclosed situations the positions of openings such as doors, windows and inlets/outlets will be
needed. The location of below-grade areas, such as pits and pipe-trenches, should also be specified.

Identify material (e.g. diesel) and process conditions (temperature and pressure).

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3. HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION

3.1

Method of Hazardous Area

The hazardous area classification, based on the process fluids and conditions and the type and location of
equipment, must be carried out before the choice of appropriately certified electrical equipment is made.
Area classification is a method of analyzing and classifying the environment where explosive gas atmosphere
may occur to allow the proper selection of machinery and electrical equipment to be installed in that
environment.
The methodology of hazardous area classification involves the following steps (as mentioned in APPENDIX
A):
1) Characterization of the substances according to their physicochemical properties
2) Operating conditions
3) Qualification of release sources
4) Ventilation conditions
5) Area classification based on applicable standards
6) Determination the extent of areas
3.1.1.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Substances and their physicochemical properties will be identified in order to define the hazard potential of
substances.
3.1.2.

OPERATING CONDITIONS

Analyze the operating conditions in order to define if flammable substances are treated in the conditions that
promote the formation of explosive atmospheres.
3.1.3.

QUALIFICATION OF RELEASE SOURCES

Identify the different sources of release of gas or liquid that can form an explosive atmosphere.
3.1.4.

VENTILATION CONDITIONS

Identify the ventilation conditions that can form or not an explosive atmosphere.
3.2

Input of Hazardous Area Classification

The preliminary analysis of hazardous area is based on the following input:

3.2.1.

FOR SUBSTANCES

The chemical properties of substances in order to determine the gas group (IEC60079-20).
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Description of equipment and their operating conditions to determine the type of the classified area.

Determination of ventilation conditions in the place where the equipment is installed.

Molecular weights

Boiling point (Initial Boiling Point) of flammable liquids (mixtures)

Flash point

Ignition temperature

LFL and UFL

Relative density

Ventilation and ventilation obstacles

Concentration of flammable substances

Please refer to APPENDIX B.

3.2.1 FOR EQUIPMENT
Based on the reference documents (PFD, equipment list, Data sheet or technical specification, load equipment
list), we can determinate the following data:

Operating conditions (pressure and temperature)

Characteristics of the substance that exist in the equipment (Relative density, Ventilation conditions,
concentration of flammable substances)

Based on the input mentioned above, the hazardous area classification will be determined around each
equipment. Hazardous area classification is based on the frequency and duration of the presence of an
explosive atmosphere.
3.3

Output of Hazardous Area Classification

The hazardous area classification presents a quite detailed set of information, in order to permit:

Identification of all the plant parts which could present points of potential danger.

Classification of dangerous area drawing.

Make the appropriate selection and choice of electrical equipment and instruments to be installed.

Classify the access roads to the sites, if necessary.

Development of an appropriate arrangement in order to separate hazardous area and non-hazardous

area.

Isolate the area near gas.

Installation the local in the not-classified area.

Installation the storage of flammable materials in open areas.

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Justify the locations of gas detectors.

Implement the input and output ventilation systems and combustion equipment according to direction
of ventilation.

4. HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION DRAWING

4.1. Definition
The preparation of the hazardous area classification drawing provides an opportunity to verify that the
coverage of all sources of release has been comprehensive. It also provides an opportunity for smoothing
zone boundaries to remove unmanageable detail.
Dangerous areas classification drawings present graphic data and tables mainly prepared by the mechanical
plant draftsman, with the help of discipline specialists.
Dangerous areas Classification drawings are produced after the plot plan, piping layout and the general
arrangement drawing, since these layout drawings derive the information related to plans and lateral views of
the plant, and derive the position of equipments constituting the dangerous point.
The classification of dangerous area drawing permit the detailed definition of the plant planimetric drawings,
related to the electrical equipment layout and to the definition of construction characteristics of the
instruments and related boards and accessories.
4.2. Description
On the drawings label we should write the project phase and the issue scope; with every project phase, which
is identified by means of one of the characters of the drawing identification, the issue scope should be
represented with two alphabet letters to be written in the foreseen place in the label.
The dangerous areas classification drawings should represent the information allowing the understanding of
the criteria according to which the areas surrounding the equipment or any other object representing a
possible risk source are classified.
The dangerous areas classification drawings always show a plan view of the plant, both for Onshore and
Offshore plants.
Offshore plants require also the side views of' the platforms, which in any case are already required by the
plot plans.
It is advisable that the same scale adopted for the general arrangement drawing and/or for the plot plans,
should be used also for the production of dangerous areas classification drawings.
The dangerous areas classification drawings should be separately identified each time the represented plant
area changes; if the same area needs to be subdivided into more than one sheet, these should have the same

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drawing identification and a progressive sheet number, starting from 1. Naturally a suitable scale for reducing
the number of sheets should be adopted, allowing at the same time a good interpreting of the whole plant in
the drawing.
The drawings should be kept up-to-date to take account of:

New or modified equipment.

Changes in installation protection.

Experience in operation of the installation.

Changes in method or frequency of operations.

Reclassification as a result of measurements in and around hazardous areas.

The positions of all openings such as doors, windows and ventilation inlets and outlets, and utility entries if
not sealed vapour-tight should be included as the careful positioning of these openings can affect the sizing of
related external hazardous areas.
4.3. Graphic Part
The dangerous Areas arrangement plans recall the contents of the general arrangement drawing and,
therefore, they should present the identified equipment in a scale, the main pipe-rack and cable ways, the big
size ventilation ducts, the holding docks below the tanks and the equipments which can spill dangerous or
polluting liquids, the underground constructions such as underground tanks underground canals, e.tc, with
suitable graphic representations.
In this planimetry the different sources of danger are not described in detail, this will be done with a separate
document. It is, in any case, a good idea to permit a logical reference between the drawing and the document,
giving every item representing a source of danger a different progressive number. Such progressive number
can be the same for several items, only if these are identical and, therefore, they present the same
characteristics as source of danger.
4.3.1. GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION
A. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The rims of the dangerous areas should be drawn with continuous or hatched lines of 0.8 mm. The hatched
line should be used only for the safeguard areas or for the dangerous area; all the others belonging to class I
and 3 and zone 0, 1 or 2 require a continuous line. The internal hatchings should be reproduced with a 0.3
mm thickness.
Records should be marked up to show the boundaries of all hazardous areas and zones present using the
shading convention adopted in IEC 60079-10, shown in FIGURE1.

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Figure 1: Shading convention adopted in IEC 60079-10

The hazardous area classification drawings should be in sufficient scale to show all the main items of
equipment and all the buildings in both plan and elevation.
B. FORMAT
The drawings are generally done in Al format or, only if absolutely necessary, in A0 format.
C. SYMBOLS
The dangerous areas drawing require the use of general standard symbols that are described in the legend.
It is acceptable to indicate any requirement for small local zones/areas, e.g. around pumps and control valves,
in a note on the drawing.
It is possible to provide a typical hazard radius based for the following standard equipment/arrangements:

Pumps;

Equipment drains and liquid sample

Compressors;

Vents;

Piping systems;

Pig receivers and launchers;

Liquid pools due to spillage;

Sumps, interceptors and separators;

Pits or depressions;

Surface water drainage systems.

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APPENDIX A : HAZAR
RDOUS ARE
EA CLASSIIFICATION
N FLOW CH
HART Revvision : 00
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APPEN
NDIX A: HA
AZARDOUS
S AREA CL
LASSIFICA
ATION FLOW CHART

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APPENDIX B: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION

APPENDIX B: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF HAZARDOUS AREA CLASSIFICATION

EQUIPMENT
UNIT
(1)

TAG NUMBER
(2)

DESCRIPTION
(3)

OPERATING
CONDITIONS

FLAMMABLE FLUID
TYPE
(4)

L.E.I
(%v)

SELF-IGNITION
TEMPERATURE

STATUS

DENSITY

P (Barg)
T(C)

SPACE
FORM
(6)

VENTILATION
TYPE
QUALITY
(7)

RELEASE
SOURCE
(5)

HAZARDOUS AREA (M)

Division

horizontal

vertical

DEVICES
Gr- T class
(8)

NOTES:
(1) Number of unit that contain the installed equipment
(2) Tag of equipment
(3) Description of the equipment: skid, multiphase pump,
(4) Type of flammable fluid: methane, diesel,
(5) Type of release source: Valve, flange,
(6) Description of Space: open space, closed space
(7) Type of Ventilation : natural, forced
(8) Specify the temperature class; T2, T3,

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