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NFPA 56, Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems

2023 NFPA 56 Standard - Current Edition
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  • Description

    Get up to date and in compliance with the latest safety criteria for flammable gas piping system cleaning and purging procedures.

    NFPA® 56, Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems, provides comprehensive requirements to help develop safe operating procedures. The 2023 edition is revised to reflect the most current industry knowledge on cleaning new and existing systems, purging piping systems into service, and purging piping systems out of service.

    Changes to NFPA 56 include:

    • Expanded coverage of the training steps to be included in a training plan and how training should be provided to match the language and vocabulary level of the participants
    • Added criteria on when piping is to be purged out of service as well as when it is to be cleaned
    • Addition of a new annex on the consideration of human factors when purging to help users identify key human factors to consider when purging operations are conducted
  • Table of Contents (2023 Current Edition)

    NFPA® 56 Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems, 2023 Edition

    Chapter 1 Administration
    1.1 Scope.
    1.2 Purpose.
    1.3 Coordination.
    1.4 Retroactivity.
    1.5 Equivalency.
    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 General Requirements
    4.1 Piping System Construction.
    4.2 Temperature and Pressure.
    4.3 Cleaning and Purging Procedures.
    4.4 Safety Validation.
    4.5 Management of Change.
    4.6 Documentation.
    4.7 Notification of Hazards.
    4.8 Evacuation of Affected Area.
    4.9 Segment Cleaning.
    4.10 Hangers and Supports.
    4.11 Nonflammable Atmosphere.
    4.12 Utility Coordination.
    4.13 Restricted Access.
    4.14 Hot Work Safety.
    Chapter 5 Training Requirements
    5.1 Training.
    Chapter 6 Cleaning
    6.1 Cleaning of Flammable Gas Piping.
    6.2 Cleaning Media.
    6.3 Temporary Power/Fuel Supply.
    6.4 Temporary Piping (Including Hose Assemblies).
    6.5 Pig Cleaning.
    6.6 Target.
    6.7 Isolation and Protection of Clean Piping Systems or Segments.
    Chapter 7 Purging into Service
    7.1 Charging Piping System with Flammable Gas.
    7.2 Discharge of Purged Gases.
    7.3 Detection Equipment.
    Chapter 8 Purging out of Service
    8.1 When to Purge out of Service.
    8.2 Isolation.
    8.3 Charging with Inert Gas.
    8.4 Discharge of Purged Gases.
    8.5 Detection Equipment.
    Annex A Explanatory Material
    Annex B Purge End Points for Common Flammable Gases
    Annex C Sample Purge Procedure
    Annex D Human Factors Considerations
    Annex E Informational References
  • Prior Editions

    2020 Edition

    Help ensure you and your team are up to date with the latest safety criteria for flammable gas piping system cleaning and purging procedures.

    There are significant risks of injury and loss if proper protocols are not adhered to when cleaning and purging piping systems used for transporting flammable substances. Originally developed at the request of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) in recognition of the inherent dangers, NFPA 56, Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems, 2020 edition, offers essential requirements for developing safe operating procedures.

    This standard is the industry benchmark for helping safeguard personnel and facilities from risks of fire and explosions during pipe system maintenance. From notifying and training personnel involved in cleaning and purging operations to identifying a safe discharge point and preventing the development of a flammable gas mixture in occupied areas, NFPA 56 provides information and requirements that everyone at your facility can apply to better avoid incidents and help protect lives and property.

    Provisions apply to electric-generating plants and in industrial, institutional, and commercial applications including:

    • Cleaning new or existing piping systems
    • Purging piping systems into service
    • Purging piping systems out of service

    The 2020 edition features critical updates that may impact your work and the safety of your facility.

    The revised NFPA 56 offers comprehensive requirements for acceptable safety protocols for charging and evacuating flammable gas piping systems. The standard is updated to reflect the most current industry knowledge and best practices.

    Notable changes include:

    • Further specification to where the standard is not applicable, including gas-consuming equipment and gathering lines from well pads to gas processing facilities, because these systems are addressed in other publications; and well padding systems, because of the complexity and range of issues that make NFPA 56 inadequate for this type of application
    • Revised cleaning and purging activities in Chapter 4
    • Added associated guidance information in Annex A to address gaps within requirements that were identified in the previous edition
    • Added guidance information to Annex A to provide guidelines for the development of an emergency response plan (ERP), assist in developing a comprehensive training program, and verify that personnel can perform their duties prior to the start of the cleaning or purging activity
    • Updated extracts from other NFPA documents to the latest revisions of their source documents
    • Revised information in Annex B extracted from the AGA Purging Manual to be consistent with the latest edition of the publication

    Get the knowledge to help make the right decisions and establish practices for maximizing safety.

    Compliance with NFPA 56, Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems, helps mitigate hazards and keep facilities better protected. Stay informed of the latest criteria by ordering the 2020 edition today.

     

    2017 Edition

    Apply the latest safe procedures for cleaning and purging flammable gas piping systems with this important new edition of the industry benchmark, NFPA 56.

    Without proper safety protocols in place, charging or evacuating flammable gas piping systems can be a dangerous endeavor. NFPA 56, Standard for Fire and Explosion Prevention During Cleaning and Purging of Flammable Gas Piping Systems provides a valuable foundation for making safety-related decisions while developing procedures for these activities.

    NFPA 56 presents key requirements for ensuring the development of safe procedures for cleaning and purging flammable gas piping systems, including:

    • Identifying a safe discharge point
    • Notifying and training personnel involved in such activities
    • Preventing the development of a flammable gas mixture in occupied areas

    Protect your personnel and your facilities from hazards using the 2017 edition of NFPA 56.

    Provisions for written procedures for cleaning and purging activities now cover additional topics. The procedures are now required to address nonconductive components in temporary piping assemblies to account for the static charge that might be induced by those components. Written procedures must also address protection and rescue of personnel, including the selection of fire-resistant clothing based on a hazard analysis in accordance with NFPA 2113, Standard on Selection, Care, Use, and Maintenance of Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Short-Duration Thermal Exposures.

    Safety begins with adequate training on hazard mitigation.

    New training requirements in Chapter 5 help you ensure that knowledge transfer is evident in the training program and the appropriate information is maintained in the training records. Bring everyone in your facility up to speed with the latest edition of NFPA 56. (Print, 62 pp., 2017)

    Interested in other editions of NFPA 56? Use the drop down menu above to select the edition year you need.

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