scope:

This Standard applies to the Safe Control of Operations Systems (SCOS) for the safe flow of gas, in pipelines, installation pipework and associated equipment/installations intended to convey primarily Natural Gas (NG), a 2nd family gas as defined by BS EN 437 Specification for test gases, test pressures and categories of appliance, for gas appliances and includes the following types of permitry:

• Permits to Work (PtW)

• Non-Routine Operation (NRO)

• Routine Operation (RO)

• Form of Authority (FoA)

• Safety & Engineering Procedures.

This Standard primarily addresses NG (in either gaseous or liquid state). However, the items of legislation under Section 3 do not have similar scopes with respect to gases covered. For example, GS(M)R address NG only whereas GS(I&U)R cover virtually all fuel gases. This Standard applies in full for NG (and similar unconventional gases).

The intent of this Standard is to provide appropriate guidance for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which is not covered by, for example, GS(M)R. However, for most issues, the guidance (as opposed to the legislation) is the same for LPG as for NG.

For gases other than NG the majority of this Standard is appropriate. However, due account may need to be taken of differences in gas properties and legislative requirements.

This Standard applies to:

• licensed gas transporters (GTs and IGTs)

• Utility infrastructure providers (UIPs)

• gas conveyors

• LPG network owners

• operators of other gas networks downstream of the meter, such as Universities, Hospitals, dock yards etc. Where the risks are similar to operating a conventional gas network

• gas users who have their own network on a private site.

Note: GTs responsibilities extend to the end of the network i.e. the outlet of the Emergency Control Valve (ECV). Definition of Network, ECV and Meter Installation are provided in IGEM/G/1.

This standard applies to any activity in the vicinity of electrical installations/cables which comes under IGEM/GL/6. Operations on electrical installations are covered under Electricity at Work Regulations.

This standard applies to all following sites:

• continuously manned Sites 24/7 e.g. terminals

• daily Manned Sites, (during normal working hours) e.g. compressors

• unmanned Sites, e.g. above ground installation (AGI's), pipelines.

The principles contained within this Standard can be applied wherever written procedures are required and Appendices 5 to 8 provide suitable examples of templates that could be used.

All pressures are gauge pressures unless otherwise stated.

Italicised text is informative and does not represent part of a formal Standard.

Appendices are informative and do not represent part of a formal Standard unless specifically referenced in the main sections via the prescriptive terms "must", "shall" or "should".

Individual organisations, for example GTs may have designated titles for roles, such as Responsible Engineer (RE), Network Controller (NC), Site Controller (SC) (see the note below), Authorising Engineer (AE) and Competent Person (CP). These roles are defined in either IGEM/G/4 or Appendix 1.

Note: The roles of Network and SC are fundamentally the same (see Sub-Section 11.1 for roles descriptions). The NC refers to the control of work on a pipeline network and the SC refers to the control of work on a manned site. For the purposes of this document the term NC is used throughout but, with some sensible interpretation, can also be read as SC.