American Petroleum Institute

Inspection for Fire Protection - First Edition
 N PUBL 2004

Annotation

GENERAL

This publication covers the inspection of storage and processing facilities at petroleum refineries for conditions that could cause fires, and to ascertain the physical condition, location, and availability of fire-fighting equipment. Inspection for physical conditions that may cause accidents is covered in API Publication 2002, Inspection for Accident Prevention in Refineries.

The inspections and tests referred to in this publication should be conducted by a person who has been trained and designated by management to carry out this responsibility. It may be an operator, a supervisor, a fire/safety person, or any trained person-including, possibly, a qualified person from outside the company. A good understanding of the actions and conditions that may Clause fires and the ability to apply this knowledge to prevent fires is required.

The purposes of the fire protection inspection are:

1. To locate potential fire causes and either eliminate them or recommend improved methods of controlling them.

2. To improve fire protection through design, equipment, practice, procedural, and policy revisions or additions.

3. To ensure readiness of fire-fighting equipment.

Upon completion of the inspection, the responsible supervisor should be advised of the necessary repairs or replacements and of recommendations for improvements through revisions or additions. Detailed documentation of all inspections should be maintained.

All supervisors should impress upon their employees their responsibilities to avoid actions that could cause fire hazards. Abnormal conditions, such as oil or gas leaks and accumulations, defective or damaged equipment, and infractions of fire prevention regulations should be reported to the responsible supervisor immediately.