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Temporary Onshore Accommodation - Design, Layout, Accommodation, Facilities and Services
Temporary Onshore Accommodation - Design, Layout, Accommodation, Facilities and Services
542 2015
responsible environment
Acknowledgements
Safety Committee
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Temporary onshore
accommodation –
Design, layout, accommodation,
facilities and services
Revision history
Contents
1. Background 6
4.7 Electricity 31
4.7.1 Sources of electrical power 31
4.7.2 Electricity system design 34
4.7.3 Materials 35
4.7.4 General protective devices 35
4.7.5 Switchgear 36
4.7.6 Cables and wires 37
4.7.7 Outlets 38
4.7.8 Earthing 39
4.7.9 Power supply to trailers, transportable buildings, containers and tents 40
4.7.10 Power supply to wet areas 40
4.8 Use of gas 40
4.8.1 Gas supplies 40
4.8.2 Gas system design 41
4.8.3 Materials 41
4.8.4 General protection devices 41
4.8.5 Exhausts and ventilation 41
4.9 Fire safety 42
4.9.1 Fire Safety Strategy 42
4.9.2 Fire safety design guidelines 43
4.9.3 Fire detection 44
4.9.4 Firefighting 44
4.10 Fuel storage and fuel transfer 45
4.10.1 Location of fuel storage areas 46
4.10.2 Transfer of fuel to camp storage 46
4.10.3 Fuel storage arrangements 47
4.11 Waste management facilities 49
4.11.1 Waste Management Plan 49
4.11.2 Waste storage 49
4.11.3 Waste segregation 50
4.11.4 Land fill 51
4.12 Recreation and wellbeing 52
4.13 Places of worship 52
4.14 Camp commissary 53
4.15 Health and hygiene (including insect and pest control) 53
4.15.1 Hygiene 53
4.15.2 Health care 53
References 59
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 6
1 Background
The upstream sector of the oil and gas industry utilizes temporary
accommodation for staff living and working in a wide variety of project
activities, including seismic operations, drilling, pipeline and facilities
construction and geological field studies.
The scale and duration of use of such accommodation varies from a few
people for a few days to hundreds or thousands of people for in excess of
a year. Standards for such accommodation vary greatly from country to
country and from contractor to contractor.
This report does not address the following aspects of a temporary onshore
accommodation facility:
• engineering design, construction and decommissioning methods
• camp operation and maintenance
• the design and layout of work areas such as offices, workshops and
warehousing.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 8
Factors that should be considered during the camp design and layout of a
camp include:
a) minimizing environmental impact
b) areal footprint of the camp
c) layout of camp accommodation and facilities
d) provision of appropriate security
e) access and egress to all parts of the camp
f) vehicle access and parking areas
g) durability and stability of all buildings and structures
h) maintenance of camp facilities during the life of the project
i) design of facilities to provide the required degree of mobility
j) provision of essential utilities including water and electricity
k) drainage requirements
l) earthquake zones
m) work scope changes.
The consequences of selecting a remote location for the camp site should
be considered during camp design and layout.
3.4 Security
Practical security measures should reflect the level of any local security
threats. Camp boundaries should be defined with adequate barriers to
prevent casual access from the local populace and from domestic and
large wild animals.
3.5 Access/egress/walkways
A controlled, single point of access should be used to control vehicle
and pedestrian traffic. Access should be arranged in order to minimize
exposure to local traffic.
Parking areas should be sloped to provide water run off to prevent flooding.
3.7 Durability
All camp facilities and utilities should be designed for the intended life
of the camp. All structures should be weather tight and be provided with
adequate insulation, ventilation and temperature control for the climate in
which they are to be used.
3.9 Maintenance
All buildings/structures and utility systems should be designed to allow
onsite maintenance.
3.10 Mobility
In addition to the selection of a camp type that lends itself to the mobility
requirements of the project, electrical cables, water distribution pipes and
sewage distribution pipes should be designed to be laid above ground and
be fitted with quick connect/disconnect joints and connectors.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 14
3.11 Utilities
Safe and efficient operation of the temporary accommodation is very
dependent upon well-designed and installed utilities.
3.12 Drainage
Prevention of flooding and pooling of rainwater is an important
consideration during the site selection and the site preparation process.
Although every effort should be made to select a site that is not likely to
flood, in some circumstances this may not be possible in which case, the
following precautions should be considered:
a) installation of berms/ditches to protect against floodwaters
b) raising of the site and/or installations to allow for excess water
c) installation of site drainage
d) installation of non-return valves on sewage lines
e) provision of roofing over bunded areas
f) provision of fixed pathways
g) full treatment of effluent (due to lack of soakage).
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 15
4 Accommodation, facilities
and services
Whichever type of camp is selected, and wherever it is sited, there is a
requirement to meet recommended minimum standards for temporary
living accommodation and related facilities and services.
General considerations for all areas should include the provision of:
a) natural light during the daytime and adequate artificial light
b) outside lighting for safe movement at night
c) ventilation to ensure sufficient movement of air in all conditions of
weather and climate
d) air conditioning (heating and/or cooling) as appropriate. Where gas
heaters are used, minimum requirements should include:
• outside storage for gas supply
• adequate airflows, with venting to the outside
• carbon monoxide detectors
e) supplies of safe potable water
f) sanitation facilities. See 4.3 (Wastewater management).
g) waste management
h) furniture for each worker to secure his or her belongings (such as a
ventilated clothes locker), which can be locked
i) pest and mosquito control.
Where two-tier beds are used, the floor space is calculated for the floor-
level tier only.
Care should be taken to ensure that the disposal of drainage water does
not cause any inconvenience to any local population.
A range of sewage treatment systems is available to treat grey and black water.
In general, grey water volumes will be much greater than the amounts
of black water produced, while needing less treatment. For this reason,
the two flows should be kept and treated separately. Sewage treatment is
usually limited to dealing with organic load.
Grey water
Grey water flows from kitchens need to be equipped with grease traps as a
first stage. These will capture large solid components and collect grease.
Black water
Black sewage is made up of waste flow from toilets, urinals and other
sources with high organic load. Leakage into fresh water supply systems
should be prevented.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 20
Type of sewage Brief description of Suitability of system for Advantages Disadvantages Remarks
treatment system system Grey and/or Black water
treatment. Yes = Suitable,
No = unsuitable
Public sewer system Public sewer collection Yes Yes Where available and usage Risk of overloading public systems.
transport and treatment is permitted, only a piping and
system connection system is required, or
removal and transport by vacuum
truck.
Sewage Treatment Mobile or fixed local Capacity Yes High degree of treatment and High cost of equipment. May need storage tanks
Plant (STP) treatment system may be output can be easily disposed of. High operating cost and energy to buffer peak discharge
exceeded Output suitable for local disposal consumption (including fuel and to match daily
transport) and atmospheric pollution sewage production with
(CO2, etc.). steady STP capacity
(including outages for
Subject to break down, requiring
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services
maintenance or even
back-up plan (redundant units or
break down).
vacuum truck removal to public
22
system).
Requires substantial transport.
Moving mobile units difficult as
these are heavy with high centre
of gravity and require time to re-
establish decomposition function at
each site.
Solid/sludge residue needs to be
transported for disposal.
Septic tanks Collecting tanks Yes Yes Relatively simple system. May need dismantling on site Could be of use for local
Aerobic in which organic No need for transport of large abandonment. community.
decomposition takes components. Can be locally built. Solid residue build up, may need to Minimum distance from
place in various stages. be removed and disposed of. water wells (WHO) 50 m
Output harmless enough for local
Aerobic, meaning
disposal. Confined spaces!
oxygen is present (often
through aeration). May be allowed to partly drain Cannot be used in floodable
water directly through “soak away” location!
(porous) construction.
Type of sewage Brief description of Suitability of system for Advantages Disadvantages Remarks
treatment system system Grey and/or Black water
treatment. Yes = Suitable,
No = unsuitable
Septic tanks Collecting tanks Yes Yes Relatively simple system, but a little May need dismantlement on site Could be of use to local
Anaerobic in which organic more complicated than aerobic type. abandonment. community.
decomposition takes No need for transport of large Solid residue build up, may need to Minimum distance from
place in various stages. components. Can be locally built be removed and disposed of. water wells (WHO) 50 m.
Anaerobic, meaning
Output harmless enough for local Confined space risk.
no oxygen is present
disposal, but needs oxygenation May need accelerator to start up
(sealed through water
before disposal. and will need some time before it is
locks).
fully functional.
Can be designed for us in floodable
location.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services
Pits Simple dug pit or For small Yes Very simple system, but not Odours. Minimum distance from
borehole, which after volumes suitable for large population or long May need addition of lime. water wells (WHO) 50 m
use, is backfilled. duration.
23
Evaporation by boiling An option used in small Yes No Where discharges are produced, Very energy intensive.
Arctic or other sensitive storage and transport are
environments is impracticable.
evaporation by boiling.
Incinerate Incinerator toilets, No Yes Where discharge, storage and Incinerator toilets are very energy
or dry encapsulating transport are impracticable. intensive. Dry toilets are suitable in
toilet with separate combination where incineration of
incineration. other waste is on site.
Collect and transport Sewage is piped and For small Yes No local disposal of any kind. Odours.
out collected in a container amounts. May be limited to Black water only, Transport exposure.
and then pumped into while grey water is locally treated Dismantling on site abandonment.
trucks for transport and and disposed of.
disposal.
Can be a quick, temporary solution.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 24
There are many possible sources of supply of water. Each has its own
advantages and disadvantages. These are summarized in the Table 2
(Sources of water supply).
For more guidance on water testing, refer to IOGP Report 397, A Guide to Food and
Water Safety for the oil and gas industry.
Arsenic is very detrimental to human health. Water containing this chemical can at
best be used as industrial.
Processes designed to remove arsenic can be used to render the water usable.
Arsenic removal can be done by using special filters (aluminium oxide) or putting
the water through a reverse osmosis process.
Buried systems should be free of any leakage and if at all possible be kept under
constant pressure to avoid ingress of contaminants. If for any reason pressure has
not been maintained, it is advisable to flush the system.
Water well dug Water well from natural Y Y YM Where clean aquifer is near May take water from other As above.
aquifer, dug by hand or the surface this can be users or natural environment. Observe minimum distances
simple machines. Usually relatively easily built. Requires
27
Chlorine Add chlorine to eliminate pathogens. Y Y Generally Simple and relatively cheap. Remains Dosage should be precise and controls
Yes present in the water and hence provides checks needed (Liquid chlorine requires
28
The number of persons, cultural variety, and shift model should be adequately
provided for in the catering arrangements including reasonable eating conditions
and timing.
Dining rooms
Changing areas close to the dining room should be provided. (Personnel wearing
working overalls and shoes are not allowed in dining areas.)
Kitchen design
The layout of kitchen(s) and associated facilities should take into consideration the
following criteria,
a) Areas for food handling and waste disposal should be segregated to avoid
cross–contamination.
b) The kitchen should be designed and equipped to provide:
6. cooking facilities
Food storage
Suitable food storage facilities should be provided to ensure that all food
served is properly preserved and fit for consumption.
Bakery
For more guidance on food safety, refer to IOGP Report 397, A Guide to
Food and Water Safety for the oil and gas industry.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 31
4.6 Laundry
An easily accessible camp laundry should provide facilities for washing,
drying, ironing and storage of house hold-linen (e.g. bed linen, towels and
pillowcases) and personal clothes including working overalls.
The design of the laundry should enable the segregation of laundry categories
at all times, including dirty and clean laundry, and dry and wet laundry.
4.7 Electricity
Electricity is an essential service in any temporary accommodation. If not
properly managed, it can cause fires and fatal accidents from electrocution.
External supply
Generators
Diesel generators are the most frequently used type and are to be
preferred because of their proven reliability and the relative safety of
diesel fuel. However, for small camps or backup systems, small petrol
engines might have to be used if a small diesel alternative is not available.
a) Generators should be located in an enclosure that has sound
attenuation and that provides weather protection, or be located at
an appropriate distance from the accommodation and be designed
to be suitable for outdoor service. The location should be downwind
of the camp if possible.
b) Generators and fuel storage tanks should be protected by bunding
to contain fuel or oil spills.
c) To achieve independent, continuous operations and fuel supply, day
tanks should be installed close by the generators.
d) Where multiple generators are required to be operated in parallel,
synchronizing, load sharing and preferably load shedding systems
should be installed.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 33
9. frequency meter
Solar power
4.7.3 Materials
The insulating and dielectric materials used in all electrical equipment
and transformers should be non-toxic and should not contain compounds
that are persistent and hazardous environmental contaminants or capable
of producing these on combustion, such as polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), asbestos, Halon, etc.
All applied materials and components should be suitable for the purpose
for which they will be used, tropicalized, protected against water ingress,
humidity, corrosion and damage, taking into account the prevailing
weather conditions.
Due care should be taken of the effect of direct sunlight (UV radiation and
heating) on outdoor equipment.
These devices should provide isolation of faulted circuits with minimum time
delay on a selective basis avoiding blackouts of large sectors. The protection
functionality should cover, as a minimum, protection against the negative
effects of short circuit current, over-current and earth-fault conditions.
In any event, this protection should become active within a time corresponding
to the short circuit current withstand capability of equipment, system stability
operating limits and the maximum fault clearance times.
4.7.5 Switchgear
For switchboards rated ≤1000 V, the maximum permissible operating time
of circuit protection for a bus bar fault should not exceed one second.
The switchboard and its components should have adequate short circuit
capacity, designed for a minimum of three seconds.
For:
• single-phase systems: two-pole switches should be used
• three-phase systems: four-pole devices should be used.
All circuits are to be clearly identified and labelled for maintenance and
safety purposes.
Where used, overhead cables should be clearly marked and they should
not cross vehicle access roads or do so at a defined clearance height. Low
voltage (≤1000 V) overhead cables should be insulated.
Where buried cables are used, they should be buried to a suitable depth
with markers to demarcate the cable route. Armoured cables should be
used for buried cabling and should be earthed at both ends.
The use of PVC wiring in indoor locations should be avoided and instead
XLPE (cross linked polyethylene) or fire retardant or LSZH (low smoke
zero halogen) cabling and wiring should be used.
All cables should have a 3rd or 5th core earth / ground conductor
depending on the nature of the supply, single or three phases. In TN-S
earthed systems, the earth conductor should be connected to the neutral
point of the power supply and grounded to earth.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 38
4.7.7 Outlets
Power outlets
Only plugs fitted with armoured cables may be inserted in these power outlets.
Convenience outlets
See IET publication Electrical Plugs and Wiring and World Electricity
Supplies1 or equivalent reference document.
1
INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (IET). Electrical Plugs and Wiring and World
Electricity Supplies. Prepared by IEE/BSI. ISBN 978-0-58045-158-4. 2005.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 39
4.7.8 Earthing
The low voltage (LV) electrical system neutral should be solidly earthed
in the vicinity of the generator skid/trailer and the associated LV system
should have separate neutral and protective conductors, i.e. a TN-S system.
For the purpose of earthing of the electrical system and equipment, the
installation should have one common earth grid connected to at least two
groups of earth electrodes.
The common earth grid should extend throughout the installation in the
form of a main ring. The metal frames of mobile units such as trailers,
portacabins and containers should be interconnected by means of a
secondary earth loop.
Only certified gas bottles should be used with a valid test mark. Gas bottles
showing signs of corrosion or mechanical damage should be discarded.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 41
4.8.3 Materials
Flexible hoses should be gas grade and less than three years old.
They should only be used for the connection to the gas bottles, be kept
outdoors, free of tension or sharp bends and not subject to any friction
or contact with sharp edges. The remainder of the gas ducting should be
fixed gas grade copper tubing.
The tubing should be fixed and supported at regular intervals such that
connections will not be subject to vibration or differential movement.
Areas where gas burners are present should have heat and carbon
monoxide detectors and alarms.
Gas cooking stoves should be fitted with a suction hood, providing active
ventilation to the open air. As combustible grease tends to accumulate in
such hoods, they should be fitted with cleanable filters and fixed CO2 fire
suppression systems.
The risk assessment should identify what could cause a fire to start, i.e.
sources of ignition (heat or sparks) and substances that burn, and the
people who may be at risk.
Once the risks are identified, appropriate action should be taken to control
them. Consideration should be given to whether the risk can be avoided
altogether or, if this is not possible, how the risk can be reduced and
managed. Consideration should be given to how to protect people if there
is a fire.
In all cases, the following fire risk reduction and fire protection principles should
be incorporated into the design of the temporary accommodation camps:
a) A preference should be given to the construction of cabins/
buildings to be made of fire-resistant materials
b) Tents, where used, should be made of fire-retardant materials.
c) Polyurethane products should be prohibited in mattresses,
cushions and chair upholstery. In the event of a fire, these produce
very toxic black smoke.
d) Insulation materials in sleeping areas that are non-flammable and
that do not have the potential to produce toxic vapours if subjected
to heat should be used.
e) Buildings should be provided with appropriate means of egress to
permit prompt exit. They should be arranged and maintained free
and unobstructed.
f) Every exit and escape route to reach exits should be indicated and
adequately illuminated (this lighting should have a battery supplied
back up).
g) Controls to reduce the potential of fire caused by faults in electrical
equipment in sleeping accommodation should be in place.
h) Controls to reduce the careless disposal of smoking materials in
designated smoking areas should be in place. Combustible materials
should be kept in designated locations away from buildings.
i) Combustible waste within the camp should be kept to a minimum
and stored away from buildings, preferably in a secure compound.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 44
4.9.4 Firefighting
A specific fire safety plan should be developed and posted, including fire
water system, extinguishers, provided with sufficient quantity and type.
Fuels are generally flammable products and some can produce explosive
gas mixtures. If spilled, they are harmful to the environment. If they come
into contact with human skin, they can cause allergic reactions or rashes.
In general, fuels have unpleasant odours.
In warm climates, the need for chemical additives (to avoid fungi from
developing in the fuel) should be considered when designing the storage system.
Fuel tanks and bladders should have a low point or sump, which can be
drained. Regular draining will remove residual water and settled dirt.
When connected to user points (kitchens, heaters etc.), gas bottles should
remain outside in well-ventilated spaces and protected from the sun. A
clearly signposted closing valve should be available outside.
The guidance provided in IOGP Report 413, Guidelines for waste management
with special focus on areas with limited infrastructure should be followed
wherever possible.
The disposal of untreated oily effluents and hazardous waste into pits,
either for burning (in burn pits) or burial should not be permitted.
The method of waste disposal for all waste types should be agreed with
local authorities.
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 51
See IOGP Report 413, Guidelines for waste management with special focus
on areas with limited infrastructure should be followed wherever possible.
The landfill should be authorized for use only after the environmental
risks related to the use of the landfill have been minimized and deemed to
be acceptable.
Suitable facilities for both men and women should be provided if applicable.
4.15.1 Hygiene
Recommendations for the design of healthy and hygienic facilities (kitchen
and mess, food storage, living areas, sanitary and toilets and waste
management) are contained in the respective sections of this document.
Windows and doors in all types of camp should be closeable and fitted
with high quality mosquito netting capable of providing an effective barrier
against even the smallest pests such as sandflies (phlebotomies).
Suitable netting should be installed on the windows and doors in all areas
where people are working, eating, resting and sleeping.
Cockroaches
Spiders
Scorpions
Snakes
Appendix A: Trailer/portacabin
stabilization requirements
Example 1: Minimum foundation stability requirements for trailers with design
wind speed <20 m/s
Webbing
Design, layout, accommodation, facilities and services 58
Stabilized Stabilized
Unit Up to 10 intermediate units 1.5 m Unit
Steel Frame
Appendix A 59
References
IOGP Report 397, A Guide to Food and Water Safety for the oil and gas industry.
London: April 2009.
IOGP Report 413, Guidelines for waste management with special focus on areas with
limited infrastructure. Rev 1.1. London: March 2009.
IOGP Report 541, Temporary onshore accommodation – Selecting the camp type.
London: December 2015.
IPICEA–IOGP, Managing health for field operations in oil and gas activities. IOGP
Report 343. London: October 2011.
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