API Safety and Fire Protection Committee (SFPS)

The Safety and Fire Protection Subcommittee (SFPS)mission is to provide proactive safety and occupational health leadership and expertise to the industry, API committees and member companies. The SFPS seeks to advance and improve the industry’s overall safety and occupational health performance by combining resources to identify and address important public, employee and company issues.

The objectives of the SFPS are to promote safe, healthful, efficient and environmentally sound practices in the petroleum industry, and to initiate, monitor and respond to governmental actions in these areas. The foundation of these activities is the development and maintenance of technical standards and communication and sharing of information related to petroleum industry safety, fire protection, and occupational health. Below is a list of the subcommittees and the areas they work with.

Safety Task Force
Safe Entry & Cleaning of Petroleum Storage Tanks
Guidelines and Procedures for Entering and Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks
Safe Access/Egress Involving Floating Roofs of Storage Tanks in Petroleum Service
Guidelines for Safe Work in Inert Confined Spaces in the Petroleum & Petrochemical Industries
Contractor Safety Performance Process
Contractor & Owner Safety Program Implementation

Fire Protection Task Force
Fire Protection in Refineries
Protection Against Ignitions Arising Out of Static, Lightning, and Stray Currents
Safe Welding, Cutting, and Hot Work Practices in the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industries
Management of Atmospheric Storage Tank Fires
Interim Study - Prevention and Suppression of Fires in Large Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tanks
Guide for Safe Storage and Handling of Heated Petroleum-Derived Asphalt Products and Crude-Oil Residua
Ignition Hazards and Safe Work Practices for Abrasive Blasting of Atmospheric Storage Tanks in Hydrocarbon Service
Flame Arresters in Piping Systems
Application of Water Spray Systems for Fire Protection in the Petroleum Industry
Safe Hot Tapping Practices in the Petroleum & Petrochemical Industries
Preparing Tank Bottoms for Hot Work
Flame Arresters for Vents of Tanks Storing Petroleum Products
Spark Ignition Properties of Hand Tools
Ignition Risk of Hydrocarbon Vapors by Hot Surfaces in the Open Air
Fireproofing Practices in Petroleum and Petrochemical Processing Plants
Safe Operating Guidelines for Vacuum Trucks in Petroleum Service
Overfill Protection for Storage Tanks in Petroleum Facilities
Fire Protection Considerations for the Design and Operation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Storage Facilities