Study on safety requirements for industrial handling of hydrogen
AFRY conducted a study commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment on the safety requirements for industrial hydrogen handling and the need to update legislation.
The study included a review of current legislation, hydrogen safety issues, and safety challenges related to hydrogen production, use, storage, and transportation.
The study examined the current state and development needs of chemical safety legislation concerning the technical safety of hydrogen handling. The focus was on hydrogen technologies of national importance that support low-carbon economy projects and Finland’s green transition goal to become a leader in hydrogen economy and emission-free energy systems.
The development needs of regulation were assessed from the perspective of hydrogen industry safety and operational conditions, considering not only achieving a high level of safety but also how requirements and conditions affect Finland’s attractiveness as a destination for hydrogen investments.
Currently, Finland’s national chemical safety legislation allows for the implementation of various hydrogen projects. However, in a changing environment, ensuring equal and smooth processing of investments, predictability, and achieving a minimum level of technical safety requires updates to national legislation, standards, and guidelines where applicable.
Identified legislative amendment needs in the current legislation include:
- General safety considerations for hydrogen production, use, storage, handling, transportation, and distribution, including the safe placement of facilities, permitting processes, and lifecycle operation.
- Safety considerations related to hydrogen pipelines and networks.
- Safety considerations for hydrogen refueling stations.
- Safety considerations for large-scale interim hydrogen storage facilities (such as underground storage).
"Extensive interviews were conducted as part of the study with representatives planning hydrogen projects, responsible for standardisation, and authorities. These discussions were highly insightful, and all parties shared the same goal for hydrogen regulation: clear regulations, guidelines, and common rules for all stakeholders to ensure smooth processes, predictability, and sufficient technical safety. Due to hydrogen’s properties, its use carries risks that must be addressed in the early stages of project engineering, starting from preliminary studies and covering the entire lifecycle of a facility or operation. Representatives of hydrogen projects considered safety one of the most significant cornerstones and prerequisites for their projects, which is truly heartwarming to hear as someone working in process safety," says Kaisa Vaskinen, HSE Technology Manager at AFRY.
The information produced in the study can be used to support the formation of Finland's EU positions on hydrogen economy and to influence EU regulation.
