BS PD 6686:2006
Guidance on directives, regulations and standards related to prevention of fire and explosion in the process industries

Standard No.

BS PD 6686:2006

Release Date

2006

Published By

British Standards Institution (BSI)

Status

Be replaced 2012-12

Replace By

BS 5908-2:2012

Latest

BS 5908-2:2012

Scope

This Published Document discusses the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) legislation intended to minimize the risk of fire and explosion in the process industries. It provides a comprehensive guide to the standards, draft standards and other documents that contain the technical, practical and organizational information to ensure compliance with EU Directives and UK regulations. This legislation specifies a risk assessment approach to dealing with fire and explosion hazards, so the procedures adopted in performing a risk assessment are used in this document as a framework with which to guide the reader to the information required to prepare the assessment. The fire and explosion hazards covered in this code arise from use in the workplace of dangerous substances, as defined in the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) [1], and combustible substances that do not fall under the DSEAR definition of Dangerous Substances but which are capable of burning and thus participating in a fire. NOTE 1 Fire and explosion hazards fall into two types in the process industries; those associated with the use of dangerous substances and the operation of equipment in explosive atmospheres, and those associated with chemical reaction hazards and uncontrolled exothermic reactions and decompositions. This Published Document concentrates on the first of these fire and explosion hazards. The second, although part of DSEAR [1], is not the subject of standards, but needs to be considered in the overall risk assessment. Although such topics are not comprehensively covered in this code, some further reading is listed in the bibliography. This Published Document is not applicable to the offshore industry or to the mining industry. It is not applicable to oxidizing substances or preparations, or to substances that are used or manufactured solely for their explosive properties. NOTE 2 Some further reading on such substances and preparations is listed in the bibliography. NOTE 3 This Published Document refers only to standards or other types of document that are published by recognized standards bodies. Some fire and explosion hazards, chemical reaction hazards, for example, are not the subject of standards, but need to be considered in the overall risk assessment. Although such topics are not comprehensively covered in this code some further reading is listed in the bibliography.

BS PD 6686:2006 history

• 2012 BS 5908-2:2012 Fire and explosion precautions at premises handling flammable gases, liquids and dusts. Guide to applicable standards and regulations
• 2006 BS PD 6686:2006 Guidance on directives, regulations and standards related to prevention of fire and explosion in the process industries