Background

The IGN upgrade project was launched in April 2001 at a meeting to which potential contactors were invited. This page provides links to the presentation material used at that meeting,  to the UKOOA decision making framework and to the overall structure of the eventual guidance.

It is worth stating the reasons for this industry project, and assessing where the industry is now in terms of the guidance at it’s disposal. The Interim Guidance Notes (IGN) were published in 1992 and constituted a major step forward by consolidating the then existing knowledge of assessment of fire and explosion major accidents and how to design for them. Much work has been carried out since that time, and the HSE and operators have funded both individual projects and a number of Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) that have contributed significantly to the understanding of key issues. It is the view of UKOOA and the HSE that now is an appropriate time for a review of the information available in the public domain and that consolidated guidance be developed which builds on the IGN.