API Recommended Practice 756

Management of Hazards Associated with Location of

This Recommended Practice (RP) provides guidance for The American Petroleum Institute (API) performed vapor
managing the risk from explosions, fires and toxic cloud explosion (VCE) tests to determine the response of
material releases to on-site personnel located in tents. tents to the potential explosion hazards that may be
The term “tent” is used to describe a wide range of present at refineries, petrochemical and chemical
structures and is defined in 3.18. This RP was developed operations. The data compiled from the testing is
for use at refineries, petrochemical and chemical contained in API Technical Report (TR) 756-1, “Process
operations, natural gas liquids extraction plants, natural Plant Tent Responses to Vapor Cloud Explosions—Results
gas liquefaction plants, and other onshore facilities of the American Petroleum Institute Tent Testing
covered by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119. Program”.
The focus of this RP is primarily on process related
hazards. However, non-process related hazards may exist
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which could present risks to tent occupants. Previous
incidents have demonstrated that tent occupants are
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susceptible to injuries from fires originating inside the
tent, from tent collapse due to extreme weather, and from
Phone: 1-800-854-7179
falling objects. Some of these hazards are addressed by
(Toll-free in the U.S. and Canada)
tent design standards, manufacturer’s recommendations,
and local regulations.
(+1) 303-397-7056
This RP is based on the following guiding principles. (Local and International)
a) Locate personnel away from process areas consistent Fax: (+1) 303-397-2740
with safe and effective operations.
b) Minimize the use of tents intended for occupancy in
API members receive a 30% discount where applicable.
close proximity to process areas.
c) Manage the occupancy of tents in close proximity to
process areas.
d) Design, construct, install, modify, and maintain tents
intended for occupancy to mitigate hazards that the
tent siting could present to occupants in the event of
explosion, fire, and toxic material release.
e) Manage the use of tents intended for occupancy as
an integral part of the design, construction,
maintenance, and operation of a facility.

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Contents

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1 Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Guiding Principles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 Relationship with API RP 752 and API RP 753. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 Normative References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3 Terms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
4 Determination of Tents Requiring Tent Siting Evaluation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.1 Tents Included in the Siting Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.2 Tents Excluded from the Siting Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.3 Tents Evaluated on a Case-by-case Basis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5 Tent Siting Evaluation Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5.1 Work Process Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5.2 General Tent Siting Evaluation Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5.3 Additional Design, Siting and Use Requirements for Tents Included in the Siting Evaluation Study. . . 11
5.4 Considerations for Tents Excluded from the Siting Evaluation Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.5 Personnel Performing Tent Siting Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.6 Management of Tent Occupancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.7 Implementation and Management of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5.8 Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
6 Tent Siting Evaluation for Explosion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.2 Work Process Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.3 Tent Siting Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.4 Detailed Structural Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
6.5 Explosion Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
6.6 Measures to Reduce Occupant Vulnerability from Explosions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
7 Tent Siting Evaluation for Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
7.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
7.2 Work Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
7.3 Egress and Evacuation for Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8 Tent Siting Evaluation for Toxic Material Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8.2 Work Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
8.3 Egress and Evacuation for Toxic Material Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Annex A (informative) Structural Analysis for Tents and Other Soft Sided Structures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Annex B (informative) Example Work Process for Estimating Tent Occupant Vulnerability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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Figures
1 Example of Air Inflated Structure (Top–Exterior View, Bottom–Cross-sectional View) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Examples of Scaffolding Tents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3 Examples of Pole Tents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4 Example of Light Frame Tent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
5 Examples of Tension Membrane Tents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6 Work Process: Tent Siting Evaluation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
7 Work Process: Tent Siting Evaluation for Explosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
8 Tent Siting for Explosion Hazards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A.1 Load Pattern for Case 1 Loading (Blast Source to the Left). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
A.2 Load Pattern for Case 2 Loading (Blast Source to the Left). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
A.3 Load Pattern for Case 3 Loading (Blast Source to the Left). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Table
1 Tent Type/Restrictions vs Siting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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