ISO 15544:2000

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15544
First edition
2000-09-15
Petroleum and natural gas industries —
Offshore production installations —
Requirements and guidelines for
emergency response
Industries du pétrole et du gaz naturel — Installations de production en
mer — Exigences et lignes directrices pour les réactions d'urgence
Reference number
©
ISO 2000
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ii © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword.iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope .1
2 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms .1
3 Framework for emergency response.5
4 Emergency response strategy (ERS) .6
5 Emergency response plan (ERP) .7
6 Command and control.8
7 Detection of the need for emergency response .9
8 Competence .10
9 Maintenance of emergency response equipment .11
10 Communications.12
11 Escape, refuge, evacuation and rescue .14
12 Environmental emergency response.15
13 Medical emergency response.16
Annex A (informative) Guidelines on the development and assessment of an emergency response
strategy.18
Annex B (informative) Guidelines on emergency response plans.22
Annex C (informative) Guidelines on detection .29
Annex D (informative) Guidelines on competence .31
Annex E (informative) Guidelines on communication.33
Annex F (informative) Guidelines on escape, refuge, evacuation and rescue .35
Annex G (informative) Guidelines on environmental emergency response .42
Bibliography.43
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO
member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical
committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this International Standard may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard ISO 15544 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 67, Materials, equipment and
offshore structures for petroleum and natural gas industries, Subcommittee SC 6, Processing equipment
and systems.
Annexes A, B, C, D, E, F and G of this International Standard are for information only.
iv © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Introduction
The successful development of the arrangements required to promote safety and environmental protection during
the recovery of hydrocarbon resources requires a structured approach to be applied to the identification and
assessment of the hazards which may be present during the various phases in the lifecycle of an offshore
installation. These principles also apply to the development of the strategy, arrangements and procedures required
to respond to emergencies. An understanding of the hazards can be achieved by the application of ISO 17776 [4],
which gives guidelines for the processes of hazard identification and assessment for the offshore industry.
The content in this International Standard on escape, refuge, evacuation and rescue is consistent with the content
of ISO 13702 [1] but addresses in more detail how these aspects are built into development of emergency
response measures.
This International Standard has been prepared primarily to assist in the development of new installations, and as
such it may not be appropriate to apply some of the requirements to existing installations. Retrospective application
of this International Standard should only be undertaken where it is reasonable to do so. During the planning of a
major change to an installation there may be more opportunity to implement the requirements, and a careful review
of this International Standard should be undertaken to determine those clauses which can be utilized in the change.
This International Standard is based on an approach where the selection of measures for emergency response is
determined by an evaluation of hazards on the offshore installation. The methodologies employed in this
assessment and the resultant recommendations will differ depending on the complexity of the production process
and facilities, type of facility (i.e. open or enclosed), manning levels, and the environmental conditions associated
with the area of operation.
The verbal form “shall” indicates provisions that are mandatory and “should” indicates provisions to be considered.
Users of this International Standard should note that, while observing its requirements, they should at the same
time ensure compliance with such statutory requirements, rules and regulations as may be applicable to the
individual offshore installation concerned.
The principal objectives of this International Standard are to describe both the approach to be used and important
considerations in determining the emergency response measures that are required on an offshore installation in
order to:
� assure the safety of all personnel;
� minimize impact on the environment;
� minimize impact on assets and operations.
The technical guidance in clauses 4 to 13 of this International Standard is arranged as follows:
Objectives identify the goals to be achieved by the emergency response measures being described.
Functional requirements represent the minimum conditions which shall be satisfied to meet the stated objectives.
The functional requirements are performance-orientated measures and, as such, should be applicable to the
variety of offshore installations utilized for the development of hydrocarbon resources throughout the world.
Guidelines describe recognized practices which should be considered in developing the measures for emergency
response. The guidelines are limited to principal elements and are intended to provide specific guidance which, due
to the wide variety of offshore operating environments, may in some circumstances not be applicable.
The functional requirements and guidelines are supplemented by annexes A to H. The guidelines and annexes
should be considered in conjunction with statutory requirements, industry standards and individual company
philosophy, to determine the particular measures that are necessary for emergency response.
vi © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15544:2000(E)
Petroleum and natural gas industries — Offshore production
installations — Requirements and guidelines for emergency
response
1 Scope
This International Standard describes objectives, functional requirements and guidelines for emergency response
(ER) measures on installations used for the development of offshore hydrocarbon resources. It is applicable to
fixed offshore structures or floating production, storage and off-take systems.
NOTE For mobile offshore units, the ER plans developed in conformance with the requirements and recommendations of
the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are generally adequate for the normal, independent operation of the unit in most
locations. The following aspects of ER planning are generally not addressed by IMO and should be specially considered:
� area evacuation, e.g. precautionary evacuation in areas of tropical revolving storms;
� combined operations wherein an integrated command and ER system should be developed;
� arctic operations;
� uncontrolled flow from a well.
2 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
For the purposes of this International Standard, the following terms, definitions and abbreviated terms apply.
2.1 Terms and definitions
2.1.1
abandonment
act of personnel onboard leaving an installation in an emergency
2.1.2
accommodation
place where personnel onboard sleep and spend their off-duty time
NOTE It may include dining rooms, recreation rooms, lavatories, cabins, offices, sickbay, living quarters, galley, pantries
and similar permanently enclosed spaces.
2.1.3
control
limiting the extent and/or duration of a hazardous event to prevent escalation
2.1.4
control station
place on the installation from which personnel can monitor the status of the installation, initiate appropriate
shutdown actions and undertake emergency communication
2.1.5
embarkation area
place from which personnel leave the installation during evacuation
EXAMPLES A helideck and associated waiting area or a lifeboat/liferaft boarding area.
2.1.6
emergency
hazardous event which cannot be handled by normal measures and requires immediate action to limit its extent,
duration or consequences
2.1.7
emergency command centre
location from which the person in overall charge coordinates ER activities
2.1.8
emergency response
ER
action taken by personnel on or off the installation to control or mitigate a hazardous event or initiate and execute
abandonment
2.1.9
emergency response arrangement
plant and equipment provided for use under emergency conditions
2.1.10
emergency response measure
anything provided to facilitate the management of an emergency
NOTE This is a generic term which includes emergency response arrangements, as well as the planning, procedural and
organizational aspects of managing emergencies.
2.1.11
emergency response team
group of personnel who have designated responsibilities in an emergency for the safety of the installation, the
safety of others or for environmental protection
2.1.12
emergency station
place to which emergency response personnel go to undertake their emergency duties
2.1.13
escalation
increase in the consequences of a hazardous event
2.1.14
escape
act of personnel moving away from a hazardous event to a place where its effects are reduced or removed
2.1.15
escape route
route leading to the place where people muster, or to an area from which people may leave the installation in an
emergency
2.1.16
essential safety system
system which has a major role in the control and mitigation of a hazardous event and in any subsequent
evacuation, escape and resc
...