Council Directive 92/91/EECShow full title

PART B U.K. Special minimum requirements applicable to the on-shore sector

1. Fire detection and fire fighting U.K.

1.1. Wherever workplaces are designed, constructed, equipped, commissioned, operated or maintained, adequate measures must be taken to prevent fires from starting and spreading from the sources identified in the safety and health document. U.K.

Provision must be made for fast and effective fire fighting.

1.2. Workplaces must be equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment and, as necessary, with fire detectors and alarm systems. U.K.

1.3. Non-automatic fire-fighting equipment must be easily accessible and simple to use and, where necessary, protected from damage. U.K.

1.4. A fire protection plan detailing the precautions to be taken, in accordance with Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this Directive, to protect against, detect and combat the outbreak and spread of fires" must be kept on site. U.K.

1.5. The fire-fighting equipment must be indicated by signs in accordance with the national regulations transposing Directive 92/58/EEC into law. U.K.

Such signs must be placed at appropriate points and be made to last.

2. Remote control in emergencies U.K.

Where required by the safety and health document, certain equipment must be capable of remote control at suitable locations in the event of an emergency.

Such equipment must include systems for the isolation and blowdown of wells, plant and pipelines.

3. Communication, general and emergency U.K.

3.1. Where required by the safety and health document, every workplace at which workers are present must be provided with: U.K.

(a)

an acoustic and optical system capable of transmitting an alarm indication to every manned part of the workplace as necessary;

(b)

an acoustic system capable of being heard distinctly at all parts of the installation where workers are frequently present.

3.2. Facilities for raising the alarm must be provided at suitable locations. U.K.

3.3. When workers are present at workplaces which are not normally manned, appropriate communication systems must be placed at their disposal. U.K.

4. Safe assembly points and muster list U.K.

Where required by the safety and health document, safe assembly points should be specified, muster lists should be maintained and the necessary action should be taken.

5. Means of evacuation and escape U.K.

5.1. Workers must be trained in the appropriate actions to be taken in emergencies. U.K.

5.2. Rescue equipment must be provided at readily accessible and appropriately sited places and kept ready for use. U.K.

5.3. Where escape routes are difficult and where irrespirable atmospheres are or may be present, self-contained escape apparatus must be provided for immediate use at the workstation. U.K.

6. Safety drills U.K.

Safety drills must be held at regular intervals at all workplaces at which workers are usually present.

The main purpose of such drills is to train and check the skills of workers to whom specific duties have been assigned in the event of emergency involving the use, handling or operation of emergency equipment, taking into account the criteria laid down in the safety and health document referred to in point 1.1.

Where appropriate, workers, who have been so assigned, should also be drilled in the correct use, handling or operation of that equipment.

7. Sanitary equipment U.K.

7.1. Changing rooms and lockers U.K.

7.1.1. Appropriate changing rooms must be provided for workers if they have to wear special work clothes and where, for reasons of health or propriety, they cannot be expected to change in another room. U.K.

Changing rooms must be easily accessible, be of sufficient capacity and be provided with seating.

7.1.2. Changing rooms must be sufficiently large and have facilities to enable each worker to lock away his/her clothes during working hours. U.K.

If circumstances so require (e.g. dangerous substances, humidity, dirt), lockers for work clothes must be separate from those for ordinary clothes.

Provision must be made to enable wet work clothes to be dried.

7.1.3. Provision must be made for separate changing rooms or separate use of changing rooms for men and women. U.K.

7.1.4. If changing rooms are not required under point 7.1.1. each worker must be provided with a place to store his/her clothes. U.K.

7.2. Showers and washbasins U.K.

7.2.1. Adequate and suitable showers must be provided for workers if required by the nature of the work or for health reasons. U.K.

Provision must be made for separate shower rooms or separate use of shower rooms for men and women.

7.2.2. The shower rooms must be sufficiently large to permit each worker to wash without hindrance in conditions of an appropriate standard of hygiene. U.K.

The showers must be equipped with hot and cold running water.

7.2.3. Where showers are not required under the first subparagraph of point 7.2.1, adequate and suitable washbasins with running hot and could water must be provided in the vicinity of the workstations and the changing rooms. U.K.

Such washbasins must be separate for, or used separately by, men and women when so required for reasons of propriety.

7.2.4. Where the rooms housing the showers or washbasins are separate from the changing rooms, there must be easy communication between the two. U.K.

7.3. Lavatories and washbasins U.K.

Separate facilities must be provided in the vicinity of workstations, rest rooms, changing rooms and rooms housing showers or washbasins, with an adequate number of lavatories and washbasins.

Provision must be made for separate lavatories or separate use of lavatories for men and women.

8. First aid rooms and equipment U.K.

8.1. First aid equipment must be appropriate to the type of activity carried out. U.K.

One or more first aid rooms must be provided.

Clearly visible first aid instruction in the event of accidents must be displayed in these rooms.

8.2. First aid rooms must be fitted with essential first aid installations and equipment and be easily accessible to stretchers. U.K.

They must be signposted in accordance with the national regulations transposing Directive 92/58/EEC into law.

8.3. In addition, first aid equipment must be available in all places where working conditions require it. U.K.

This equipment must be suitably marked and easily accessible.

8.4. A sufficient number of workers must be trained in the use of the first aid equipment provided. U.K.

9. Traffic routes U.K.

Where road vehicles enter the workplace, traffic regulations must be established as necessary.