What is blast-resistant site accommodation and when is it required?
For sites handling significant quantities of hazardous substances, managing the potential consequences of a major accident is a critical part of site safety.
This is particularly relevant at establishments operating under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH), where risks can include fire, toxic releases and explosions.
Where a site assessment identifies a risk from blast overpressure, the location and specification of occupied buildings and temporary accommodation can become an important consideration.
Blast-resistant site accommodation provides a specialist solution for these environments, allowing facilities such as offices, canteens, changing rooms, toilets and showers to be provided in accordance with the site’s assessed requirements.
What is blast-resistant site accommodation?
Blast-resistant accommodation is specifically designed to withstand a defined level of blast overpressure.
Unlike standard site cabins, blast-resistant units are engineered for use in environments where a blast hazard has been identified and a particular level of resistance is required.
Wernick Hire’s ready-to-rent 32ft blast-resistant units are available in 100 mbar, 150 mbar and 300 mbar options, with units designed to withstand the specified free-field overpressure for 100 milliseconds.
The appropriate specification will depend on the requirements established for the individual site and the location in which the accommodation will be positioned.
What does COMAH have to do with blast-resistant accommodation?
COMAH applies to establishments where certain dangerous substances are present above specified thresholds. Its purpose is to prevent major accidents and limit their consequences for people and the environment.
Depending on the substances, processes and risks present, potential major accident scenarios can include explosions and associated blast overpressure.
For COMAH operators, understanding who and what could be affected by these scenarios forms part of wider major accident hazard management. This can include considering the location and vulnerability of buildings occupied by employees, contractors and visitors.
This does not mean that every COMAH establishment requires blast-resistant accommodation, or that COMAH specifies a particular blast rating.
Instead, the requirement for blast-resistant buildings, their location and the appropriate level of resistance should be determined by the site’s own risk assessment and engineering requirements.
Where temporary accommodation is required within an area where a blast hazard has been identified, specialist blast-resistant units may form part of the site’s overall risk-management approach.
Where is blast-resistant accommodation used?
Blast-resistant accommodation is most commonly associated with higher-hazard industrial environments, including sites within the chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas and wider process industries.
Requirements can arise during:
- Planned shutdowns and turnarounds
- Maintenance and refurbishment programmes
- Construction and expansion projects
- Temporary increases in site personnel
- Longer-term requirements for additional accommodation
These projects can significantly increase the number of employees and contractors requiring facilities on site.
Depending on the site layout and identified hazards, teams may require temporary offices, welfare or changing facilities in areas where standard accommodation would not meet the project’s specified requirements.
How is it different from a standard site cabin?
Standard anti-vandal cabins provide robust and secure temporary accommodation for a wide range of sites. Blast-resistant accommodation is designed for a different requirement.
The key difference is its resistance to a specified level of blast overpressure.
A standard cabin should therefore not be considered an alternative to a blast-resistant unit where specialist accommodation has been specified following the site’s assessment.
It is also important not to assume that every blast-resistant unit provides the same level of resistance.
Wernick Hire offers ready-to-rent units across 100, 150 and 300 mbar ratings, allowing accommodation to be selected against the specification established for the project.
What facilities can blast-resistant units provide?
Choosing blast-resistant accommodation does not mean compromising on the facilities available to people working on site.
Wernick Hire’s blast-resistant units can be configured to provide:
- Offices
- Canteens
- Changing rooms
- Toilet blocks
- Showers
Units can be supplied individually or linked together to create larger modular arrangements.
This allows the accommodation layout to respond to the number of people using it, the facilities required and the space available on site.
When should blast accommodation be considered?
Where a project is taking place on a site with identified major accident hazards, accommodation should be considered as part of the wider planning process.
This can be particularly important during shutdowns and major works, where large numbers of contractors may temporarily be brought onto site.
Early planning allows project, engineering and safety teams to establish:
- The accommodation required
- The appropriate blast specification
- Where units can be safely positioned
- Whether individual or linked units are required
- Site access and installation requirements
- Power, water, waste and other supporting services
- Delivery and programme requirements
The blast rating of the building is therefore only one part of the overall requirement.
Planning the complete accommodation package
Specialist accommodation projects can involve several different elements before a unit becomes operational.
Alongside the blast-resistant buildings themselves, consideration may need to be given to foundations, access, furniture, power, alarms, utilities, delivery and installation.
Wernick Hire can coordinate these requirements as part of a complete site accommodation package, providing one point of contact from the initial enquiry through to installation.
With ready-to-rent 100, 150 and 300 mbar blast-resistant units, accommodation can be configured around the specific requirements of the project, whether that means an individual office or a larger linked facility.
Discuss your blast-resistant accommodation requirements
Whether you are planning a shutdown, maintenance programme, major project or longer-term requirement on a COMAH or other high-hazard site, early accommodation planning can help establish the right solution before work begins.
Speak to Wernick Hire about your site requirements and our team can help you plan the accommodation package from enquiry through to installation.
