Working in Gas Plant in Qatar is a very hard hard job with various dangers arising to you such as fire explosion, live process plants, Gas leak etc. With the Different Dangers going, the people must carryout their works effectively and efficiently and for their safety within the working environment the Gas Company have a certain safety rules mandatory to follow while entering the plant and doing the work.
And I have enlisted as many as Safety Rules as possible with Brief Descriptions;
1. Permit To Work; Without Permit you cannot work within the plants. The Permit to Work is the Package of Documents including JSA ( Job Safety Analysis), P&IG or Work Related Drawings, TBT (Tool Box Talk Form), Work Group Declaration form, Different operational related checklists, LMRA (Last Minute Risk Assessment) Checklists, Equipment & Machinery related Checklists, and finally the approval from the Field Operator, Issuing Authority & Discipline Supervisor . After the permit holder of work team leader confirms the work site is made safe for work and verifies all possible hazards as eliminated to reduced to safe zone he signs the JSA including Field Operator who have to sign JSA in most critical jobs. No Job can be carried out without the valid permit, if found carrying the job without permit you can be punished/fined as per Qatar Gas and Qatar Rules.
2. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) ; As per Company Rules, they have stated the Mandatory PPE working in a plant and Additional PPE working to Different Conditions
Mandatory PPE
- Safety Helmet; To protect your head from possible injuries
- Safety Glasses (White & Black according to Conditions); To protect your Eyes from possible injuries, Dust & Over Light
- Nomex Coveralls: Fire Resistive Coveralls which catches fire very late than normal clothes.
- Toxic Clip (Single Gas Detector); For Detection of Gas Leaks (Mainly H2S)
- Safety Boot: To protect your Legs from Possible Injuries.
- Escape Hoods: To Escape from the gas leak areas or fire where the gas is not in normal state and may harm people causing to different injuries sometimes death.
- Ear Plugs & Ear Muffs; To Protect ear from exposure to high noise in running plants.
- Mask in Dust and Toxic Gases Areas.
- Gloves for Hand Safety
- Water Bottles to fight against Heat Stress as there is extreme heat around 50-60 Celcius.
Additional PPE
- Safety Belts During Working at Height which is working above or below 1.8 m as per Qatar Petroleum rules.
- Gas Defender for continuous gas monitoring during the activity (critical & hot work permit mandatory to have Gas Defender)
- Face shield while drilling or other Activity where you need to protect your face from different kind of injuries, water etc.
- rain covers,water shoes or water coveralls during the work in water exposure areas.
- Oxygen Cylinders while working on Confined Space Entry Level 2 & Acid Gas Injection Areas.
- Safety Watch and Fire Watch during CSE related work and in any critical and hot work.
There are many additional PPE according to vary in Work and situation.
3. Continuous Gas Monitoring; Working in Gas Plant there is always the risk of flammable and toxic gases so please have a gas test in before the start of work from field operator, during the work at certain intervals by permit holder or work-group leader also after the lunch from field operator. No work Should be conducted without Gas Monitoring in certain interval of time. As you conduct the gas monitoring you are always alert of hazards from the flammable and toxic gases.
4. Isolation: Proper isolation of the process lines and electrical lines must be conducted prior to the start of the work if any needed. If you don't carry isolation, it's always the danger of accidents and sever injury.
5. Confined Space Certificate: You should not enter the confined space without the confined space certificate which is hold by safety watch you should sign the CSE Certificate before entering the confined space and also sign after exit from the confined space. Where safety watch must keep all records of exit and entry to confined space.
6. System Override: You must obtain authorization before overriding the safety system. You must obtain authorization from Field Operator, Issuing Authority or Discipline Supervisor.
7. Work at Height: You must wear all protective equipment mandatory for working at height to protect yourself from Falls and injuries. Safety Belts are mandatory while working at height and must be properly fitted to the body and supporting scaffold and structure.
8. Seat Belt: Seat Belts are mandatory while driving. If you don't use seat belts the action maybe taken against you as per law of Qatar Gas.
9. Suspended Load: Do not stand or work under the suspended load. As the injury may be vital or you may die doing so.
10. Speed Limit and Use of Mobile Phone While Driving: This is strictly prohibited to use the mobile phone and exceed the speed limit within the plant while driving. If found doing so the severe action may be taken against you. The speed limit within the plant is 30Km/hr. but during shutdowns the speed limit is 20 Km/hr.
11. No Smoking: No Smoking within the plants and smoking is only allowed in designated areas only.
12. No Alcohol or Drugs: If anyone is found taking drugs and Alcohol, not only in Qatar Gas, also outside anywhere in Qatar, they can have a punishment resulting up to life imprisonment in Saudi Arabia.
These are the golden rules you must compulsorily follow while entering the gas plants to keep you safe from injuries. Apart from these Rules you must be self aware of what i can do and what i cannot. Which protects you from the uncertain dangers that may arise because of lack of knowledge and you also should be aware of working environment and working procedures and proper Barricade should be established within the working environment.
If you find something missing please don't hesitate to comment down below as it is not only for you its for all the people from different nations working there
