The Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996

PART I INTRODUCTION

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 and shall come into force on 11th April 1996.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“dangerous fluid” has the meaning given by regulation 18(2);

“emergency shut-down valve” means a valve which is capable of adequately blocking the flow of fluid within the pipeline at the point at which it is incorporated;

“the Executive” means the Health and Safety Executive;

“fluid” includes a mixture of fluids;

“local authority” means—

(a)

in relation to England, a county council, a council having the functions of a county council, the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority, a metropolitan county fire and civil defence authority, or the Council for the Isles of Scilly;

(b)

in relation to Scotland, the council for a local government area; and

(c)

in relation to Wales, a county council or a county borough council;

“major accident” means death or serious injury involving a dangerous fluid;

“major accident hazard pipeline” has the meaning given by regulation 18(1);

“operator”, in relation to a pipeline means—

(a)

the person who is to have or (once fluid is conveyed) has control over the conveyance of fluid in the pipeline;

(b)

until that person is known (should there be a case where at a material time he is not yet known) the person who is to commission or (where commissioning has started) commissions the design and construction of the pipeline;

(c)

when a pipeline is no longer, or is not for the time being used, the person last having control over the conveyance of fluid in it;

“pipeline” shall be construed in accordance with regulation 3.

(2) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in these Regulations to—

(a) a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to the regulation or Schedule in these Regulations so numbered; and

(b) a numbered paragraph is reference to the paragraph so numbered in the regulation or Schedule in which the reference appears.

Meaning of “pipeline”

3.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, in these Regulations “pipeline” means a pipe or system of pipes (together with any apparatus and works, of a kind described in paragraph (2), associated with it) for the conveyance of any fluid, not being—

(a) a drain or sewer;

(b) a pipe or system of pipes constituting or comprised in apparatus for heating or cooling or for domestic purposes;

(c) a pipe (not being apparatus described in paragraph (2)(e)) which is used in the control or monitoring of any plant.

(2) The apparatus and works referred to in paragraph (1) are—

(a) any apparatus for inducing or facilitating the flow of any fluid through, or through a part of, the pipe or system;

(b) any apparatus for treating or cooling any fluid which is to flow through, or through part of, the pipe or system;

(c) valves, valve chambers and similar works which are annexed to, or incorporated in the course of, the pipe or system;

(d) apparatus for supplying energy for the operation of any such apparatus or works as are mentioned in the preceding sub-paragraphs;

(e) apparatus for the transmission of information for the operation of the pipe or system;

(f) apparatus for the cathodic protection of the pipe or system; and

(g) a structure used or to be used solely for the support of a part of the pipe or system.

(3) For the purpose of sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph (2) a valve, valve chamber or similar work shall be deemed to be annexed to, or incorporated in the course of, a pipe or system where it connects the pipe or system to plant, an offshore installation, or a well.

(4) A pipeline for supplying gas to premises shall be deemed not to include anything downstream of an emergency control.

(5) In this regulation—

“emergency control” means a valve for shutting off the supply of gas in an emergency, being a valve intended for use by a consumer of gas;

“gas” has the same meaning as it has in Part I of the Gas Act 1986(1).

Application

4.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations shall apply—

(a) in Great Britain; and

(b) to and in relation to pipelines and activities outside Great Britain to which sections 1 to 59 and 80 to 82 of the 1974 Act apply by virtue of article 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 1995(2).

(2) These Regulations shall not apply to any pipeline or part of a pipeline of a kind which is described in Schedule 1.

(3) In the case of a pipeline to which the Pressure Systems and Transportable Gas Containers Regulations 1989(3) apply, nothing in these Regulations shall require the taking of any measures to the extent that they are for the prevention of danger within the meaning of those Regulations.

(1)

1986 c. 44.

(2)

S.I. 1995/263.

(3)

S.I. 1989/2169.