The Hydrogen Economy Safety Culture Sweet Spot: A Codes and Standards Gap Analysis

A strong industry-wide safety culture is paramount as world economies make the transition from carbon-based fossil fuels to hydrogen. Companies working with carbon-based flammable gases are likely best suited and most poised for success in making this pivot to hydrogen technologies. However, these companies are prone to making one of two errors when making this pivot: 1) underestimating risk by treating hydrogen like all other flammable gases, opening the door to inappropriate use, incidents, and injury; or 2) overestimating risk by treating hydrogen as an unpredictable and resource constraining untouchable, which inhibits market entry by responsible companies.

There exists a safety culture sweet spot of giving proper respect to working with hydrogen, which is best achieved through a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen’s unique physical properties and how those properties correlate to unique codes and standards.

Leveraging a decade of experience as a health and safety professional in the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Program and a passion for trying to help people make sense out of complex regulations, the presenter will discuss the following:

• A review of hydrogen’s unique properties and how they compare to other commonly used fossil fuels;
• Discuss why hydrogen has its own dedicated codes and standards, when there are already codes and standards that address flammable gas;
• Discuss the relevant hydrogen codes and standards that address the afore mentioned safety implications relevant to hydrogen’s unique properties;
• Provide a map to assist companies in better navigating hydrogen codes and standards.