This Standard applies to metallic pipelines used for transmission and distribution of fluids, both buried and above ground. The responsibility for the application of this Standard rests with the owner, licensee or the operating authority of the pipeline.

This Standard sets down the minimum requirements for managing the safety of personnel working in the vicinity of pipelines and equipment installed on pipelines and specifically addresses the requirements for the control of electrical hazards on transmission and distribution pipelines.

The practical rules and guidelines also provide the basis for an engineering assessment by competent persons of situations that are not specifically addressed by the Standard.

This Standard describes the mechanisms that create hazardous electrical conditions on such pipelines and provides guidance on how to calculate and mitigate these hazards to minimize the risk of—

(a) harm to people making contact with the pipeline including employees and the public;

(b) damage to the pipeline coating and metal; and

(c) damage to equipment such as the pipeline cathodic protection (CP) system and telemetry systems.

The risk management based methodology developed by the power industry for a similar purpose in power system earthing design has been adopted to provide a consistent approach to risk treatment for similar electrical hazards in the power and pipeline industries.

Guidance on the treatment of lightning strikes is also provided.

The Standard also recognizes that alternating currents may cause corrosion of metallic pipelines.