Page 11 - SWP Access to Hazardous Areas

Strategies and Effective Practices

to Manage and Mitigate Hazards

Facilities often document their visitor work practices within
two procedures. The first procedure sets expectations for
allowing visitors onsite and provides a general orientation of
the locations of hazardous areas and facility-level emergency
actions to take if a site emergency occurs. The second
procedure contains the requirements for visitors entering
individual hazardous areas or process units, including a
description of the hazards, hazard controls, and emergency
procedures. For small facilities, these two documents may
exist as a single combined document. For large or complex
facilities, it is recommended that the general facility safety
orientation procedure and the specific unit/hazardous area
procedures are separate, as there may be many distinct
hazardous areas within a larger facility.
All onsite staff should be trained in this safe work practice with
respect to their job duties. Support staff need to understand
what actions to take before entering a process unit. Process
unit staff need to understand their responsibilities in allowing
visitors to enter the unit and when to refuse entry.

Physical barriers are an effective means to prevent
unauthorized personnel from accessing hazardous areas.
Examples of physical barriers used to mark hazardous areas
include fencing, plastic chains, gates, locks, and signs.
Electronic surveillance measures such as cameras and motion
detectors, both with remote monitoring, can also be employed
to manage access to hazardous areas. Visitor Badges with
embedded GPS technology (so-called “smart passes”) can
also help control access and prevent unauthorized people
from accessing a hazardous area.

IDENTIFICATION AND MARKING OF HAZARDOUS AREAS WITHIN AN

OPERATING FACILITY
g Facilities should identify all hazardous areas within the facility boundaries and clearly mark these areas on a plot
plan and within the facility.
g Hazardous areas may be marked by various means including fences, chains, ropes, or signs.

g Signs can be used to convey the type of hazard encountered within the hazardous area.
g Facilities should designate pedestrian walkways and crosswalks within their operating facilities that allow
employees and visitors to safely walk within the facility without entering hazardous areas. These controls also serve
to control interactions between people and vehicles.
g Facilities should designate vehicle routes within their operating facilities that allow vehicles to be driven within the
facility without entering hazardous areas.

SAFE WORK PRACTICE, ACCESS TO HAZARDOUS AREAS 8