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NFPA 326, Standard for the Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair

2020 NFPA 326 Standard - Current Edition
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  • Description

    Help protect personnel working in tanks and containers by referencing the best practices and requirements of NFPA 326, 2020 edition.

    There are dangers inherent in work involving the entry, cleaning, and repair of tanks and containers that contain or have contained flammable, combustible, or otherwise hazardous substances. NFPA 326, Standard for the Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair, provides general provisions for helping to ensure a tank or container is safe before entry, cleaning, repair, or other activities are performed.

    Used by oil and chemical companies around the world, this vital standard for helping to protect workers incorporates applicable content from NFPA 327, Standard Procedures for Cleaning or Safeguarding Small Tanks and Containers Without Entry, and correlates with additional consensus and industry standards and US government rules and regulations.

    NFPA 326 offers in-depth information on necessary precautions and procedures, testing, inspection, and certification. It helps ensure that you are following CSB- and OSHA-required safety precautions for cleaning and repairing tank containers.

    Chapters cover:

    • Basic precautions, including ignition concerns
    • Preparation for safeguarding, such as lockout/tagout, isolation, and removal of flammable, combustible, or other hazardous substances
    • Testing procedures for oxygen content, flammable vapors, and toxic vapors and gases
    • Control or removal of vapors
    • Inspection and certification of tanks and containers
    • Procedures for access to and entry of tanks
    • Cleaning tanks and containers

    Get current with the life safety requirements in NFPA 326, 2020 edition.

    NFPA 326, Standard for the Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair, is revised to reflect the latest industry methods and technologies. The newly amended NFPA 326 includes updated definitions extracted from outside sources and edited content and references to other publications.

    Get the resource you need to help keep commercial and industrial workers safer on the job by ordering your copy today.

     

    Are you interested in other editions of the NFPA 326? Use the drop-down menu above to select the edition year you need.

  • Table of Contents (2020 Current Edition)

    NFPA® 326 Standard for the Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair, 2020 Edition

    Chapter 1 Administration
    1.1 Scope.
    1.2 Purpose.
    1.3 Application.
    1.4 Retroactivity.
    1.5 Equivalency.
    1.6 Units.
    1.7 Enforcement Requirements. (Reserved)
    Chapter 2 Referenced Publications
    2.1 General.
    2.2 NFPA Publications.
    2.3 Other Publications.
    2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections.
    Chapter 3 Definitions
    3.1 General.
    3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
    3.3 General Definitions.
    Chapter 4 Basic Precautions
    4.1 General.
    4.2 Ignition Concerns.
    Chapter 5 Preparation for Safeguarding
    5.1 Lockout/Tagout.
    5.2 Removal of Flammable, Combustible, or Other Hazardous Substances, Liquids, or Gases.
    5.3 Isolation.
    Chapter 6 Testing Procedures
    6.1 General Procedures.
    6.2 Testing for Oxygen Content.
    6.3 Testing for Flammable Vapors.
    6.4 Testing for Toxic Vapors and Gases.
    Chapter 7 Control or Removal of Vapors
    7.1 General.
    7.2 Removal of Flammable Vapors by Displacement with Air (Ventilation).
    7.3 Removal of Flammable Vapors by Displacement with Inert Gas.
    7.4 Removal of Flammable Vapors by Displacement with Water, Fuel Oil, or Chemicals.
    7.5 Removal of Flammable Vapors by Displacement with Steam.
    Chapter 8 Inspection and Certification of Tanks and Containers
    8.1 General.
    8.2 Designations.
    Chapter 9 Procedures for Access to and Entry of Tanks
    9.1 General.
    9.2 Access to Tanks.
    9.3 Tank Entry.
    9.4 Closing the Tank Access Opening.
    Chapter 10 Cleaning Tanks and Containers
    10.1 General.
    10.2 Purpose and Extent of Cleaning.
    10.3 Removal of Residual Liquids and Solids.
    10.4 Cleaning Inspection.
    10.5 Cleaning Methods.
    Annex A Explanatory Material
    Annex B Informational References
  • Prior Editions

    Protect workers! Changes in the 2015 NFPA 326 safety precautions for tank container cleaning and repair reflect information from the CSB and OSHA.

    Globally used by oil and chemical companies and refineries and other industries, NFPA 326, Standard for Safeguarding of Tanks and Containers for Entry, Cleaning, or Repair outlines the basic procedures to safeguard a tank or container that contains or has contained a flammable, combustible, or otherwise hazardous substance before entry, cleaning, repair, or other activities can be performed. This Standard incorporates relevant parts of NFPA 326, Standard Procedures for Cleaning or Safeguarding Small Tanks and Containers Without Entry. Chapters cover:

    • Basic precautions including ignition concerns
    • Preparation for safeguarding, such as lockout/tagout; and removal of flammable, combustible, or other hazardous substances
    • Testing procedures
    • Control or removal of vapors
    • Inspection and certification of tanks and containers
    • Procedures for access to and entry of tanks
    • Cleaning tanks and containers

    Changes respond to issues raised by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.

    In response to CSB Bulletin No. 2009-01-SB entitled Seven Key Lessons to Prevent Worker Deaths During Hot Work In and Around Tanks - Effective Hazard Assessment and Use of Combustible Gas Monitoring Will Save Lives, the Standard's Chapter 6 emphasizes the need and importance of periodic or continuous testing by a qualified person for atmosphere hazards including but not limited to flammable and toxic vapors from more than one sampling point.

    Other changes correlate NFPA 326 with OSHA and other NFPA® codes.

    • "Material Safety Data Sheets" is renamed "Safety Data Sheets" in accordance with OSHA Hazard Communication alignment with the United Nation’s Global Harmonization System (GHS).
    • The 2015 edition also includes updated referenced publications.

    Staying up-to-date is vital for commercial and industrial worker safety in tanks or containers that contain dangerous substances. (Softbound, 19 pp., 2015)

     

    Interested in other editions of NFPA 326? Use the drop down menu above to select the edition year you need.

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