Subchapter 14. Petroleum Safety Orders--Drilling and Production
Article 35. Drilling and Well-Servicing Machinery and Equipment

§6625.1 Diesel Engines Runaway Protection.

(a) In order to prevent diesel engine runaway as defined in Section 6505, no employer shall operate a stationary, vehicular or mobile diesel engine within 50 feet of the open well bore or other source of ignitable gas or vapor, unless the employer complies with subsection (b) through (f).

(b) The concentration of the flammable gases or vapors shall be at all times 10 percent or less of the lower explosive limit (LEL). Where concentration of the flammable gases or vapors is found to be greater than 10 percent of the LEL, the diesel engine(s) shall be shut down immediately.

(c) The air shall be continuously monitored at the well bore or at other sources of ignitable gas or vapor with an approved device to determine if a flammable atmosphere exists at concentrations greater than 10 percent of the LEL, or

(d) Where the air is not continuously monitored pursuant to subsection (c), diesel engines shall be operated under at least one of the following conditions:

(1) The diesel engine has an approved automatically actuated air intake shut-off valve that is equipped with a remote control readily accessible from the operator location or the equipment control panel where an operator is present, or

(2) The diesel engine's combustion air is provided by a duct that runs from a non-hazardous area to the air intake of the diesel engine, and the duct's air inlet is located not closer than 50 feet from the open well or other source of flammable gas or vapor, or

(3) The diesel engine has an approved automatically actuated system for injecting an inert gas into the engine's cylinders, and the system is equipped with a remote control that is readily accessible from the operator location or the equipment control panel where an operator is present, or

(4) The employer utilizes another approved method or device, as defined in Section 3206 of the General Industry Safety Orders, that is designed to automatically shut down the diesel engine effectively and stop a diesel engine runaway.

(e) The air intake shut-off valve or emergency shut-off device used to comply with this section shall be maintained and tested in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.

(f) Diesel engines experiencing runaway conditions shall be shut down immediately, and not restarted until the area affecting the safe operation of the diesel engine is free of flammable gas or vapor.

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 10-31-2012; operative 11-30-2012 (Register 2012, No. 44).