ISO TR 15916-2015 PDF

Full title and description

ISO/TR 15916:2015 — Basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen systems. This technical report gives guidance on the safe use of hydrogen in gaseous and liquid forms and on its storage (including hydrides), identifying basic safety concerns, hazards and risks and describing hydrogen properties that are relevant to safety; detailed, application-specific safety requirements are addressed in separate standards.

Abstract

Provides an overview of hazards associated with hydrogen (normal H2), summarizes properties important to safety (e.g., flammability, dispersion, buoyancy, low ignition energy, cryogenic behaviour), and offers high-level guidance for designers, operators and safety professionals. It is a technical report (informative guidance), not a normative specification for every application.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication date: December 2015
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 71.020, 71.100.20
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2015)
• Number of pages: 62

Key bibliographic and lifecycle details as published by ISO.

Scope

Gives general guidance applicable across the hydrogen value chain (production, storage, transport and use) for gaseous and liquid hydrogen and for storage in alternative forms (for example hydrides). The report is intended to highlight fundamental safety considerations — material compatibility, leak and dispersion behaviour, ignition and flammability issues, cryogenic hazards, emergency response and system design principles — and to direct users to more specific standards for prescriptive requirements.

Key topics and requirements

• Fundamental properties of hydrogen relevant to safety (physical and chemical characteristics including flammability limits, diffusivity and buoyancy).
• Identification of typical hazards and risk sources in hydrogen systems (storage, transfer, compression, cryogenic handling, hydrides).
• Guidance on materials compatibility, embrittlement concerns and selection considerations for metallic and non‑metallic components.
• Ventilation, dispersion and detection strategies for managing releases and reducing ignition risk.
• Cryogenic handling and low‑temperature effects for liquid hydrogen systems.
• Design and layout considerations, safety distances and basic mitigation measures to reduce consequences of incidents.
• Recommendations for emergency planning, instrumentation, leak detection and maintenance practices.

These topics are presented as guidance and signposts to application‑specific standards rather than as prescriptive, standalone requirements.

Typical use and users

Used as an introductory reference and high‑level guidance by system designers, plant and facility engineers, safety managers, regulatory bodies, researchers, standards developers and emergency planners working with hydrogen production, storage, transport, refuelling and industrial use. It is also used to inform risk assessments and to identify which application standards are relevant for prescriptive safety measures.

Related standards

ISO/TR 15916 is part of the body of ISO work on hydrogen safety developed under ISO/TC 197. It is complemented by multiple application‑specific standards (for example standards covering hydrogen refuelling stations, hydrogen quality and materials compatibility) and has been shown in ISO lifecycle records as being revised/replaced by a later ISO/TS development. Users should consult current ISO/TC 197 publications for the most recent prescriptive documents.

Keywords

hydrogen safety, hydrogen properties, H2, storage, hydrides, cryogenic hydrogen, leak detection, ignition, flammability, materials compatibility, risk assessment, ISO/TC 197.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/TR 15916:2015 is a technical report titled “Basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen systems” that provides high‑level guidance on hazards, properties and safety considerations for gaseous and liquid hydrogen and for certain storage forms.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers fundamental safety topics — hydrogen properties, typical hazards, storage and handling considerations, materials compatibility, ventilation and dispersion, cryogenic issues, detection and emergency preparedness — and points users to more specific standards for prescriptive requirements.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Designers, engineers, safety managers, regulators, standards developers, researchers and emergency planners working with hydrogen systems use it as an introductory, informative reference and to help identify applicable prescriptive standards.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The ISO record shows ISO/TR 15916:2015 as withdrawn in the ISO lifecycle and indicates it has been/will be revised through follow‑on ISO work (references indicate a subsequent ISO/TS development). Consult ISO/TC 197 listings or national standards bodies for the current normative documents that have replaced or updated its guidance.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It sits within the ISO hydrogen standards programme under ISO/TC 197 and is intended to be read alongside multiple application‑specific ISO standards (for hydrogen refuelling, hydrogen quality, materials compatibility, etc.).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Hydrogen safety, H2, storage, hydrides, cryogenics, leak detection, ignition, flammability, materials compatibility, risk assessment.