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Part B - Verifications and approval requirements 
5 Operational structure of offshore stations (topside) 
5.1 Preliminary remarks 
Verification shall be provided that the operational structure of the offshore station (topside), 
including its supporting components, as are to be found in self-erecting offshore stations, for 
example, is resistant against the effects and stresses of site-specific demands and meets the 
applicable standards, regulations and guidelines. The site-specific external conditions, such 
as wind conditions, ice accretion and special circumstances shall be taken into account 
here. 
For all the component verifications listed hereinafter, there shall always be a check of whether 
the verification or at least parts of it shall be conducted on the static total system. 
At an early planning stage, a functional description of the offshore station and, if necessary, 
more detailed concepts to describe the type, scope and design of the operational structure 
(topside) shall be drawn up. The functional description represents the basis for the develop 
ment and design of the whole structure and shall be updated as the project progresses with 
more concrete information in the form of detailed concepts and drafts for the design of the 
offshore station. The functional description and the concepts tailored to it shall be submitted 
to the appointed inspector, who shall draw up verification reports and certificates of conform 
ity for the relevant releases, see Table 1 -2. 
The requirement to compile the functional description and concepts shall furthermore ensure 
that design and structural requirements resulting from occupational health and safety are suf 
ficiently taken into account as these plans are developed in more detail. 
For high-voltage and medium-voltage components on the offshore stations (including the 
high-voltage and medium-voltage cables) it is not necessary for the design to be examined 
and for inspections to be undertaken during the implementation and operating phase in order 
for the releases to be granted. 
5.1.1 Classification into danger, protection and safety zones 
Offshore stations and their immediate vicinity, which shall be specified in more detail in the 
course of a project, shall be subdivided into spatially separate zones according to their use 
and the associated hazards. This subdivision places structural or technical demands on the 
zone in question. 
Danger zones are zones where it must be expected that persons present in the zone and in 
the immediate vicinity are at risk. These are, for example, zones in which hazardous goods are 
stored or handled, zones where there is a risk of explosion, zones with an increased fire risk, 
zones with load handling (where cranes are used) or zones where there is an increased risk of 
falling. 
Danger zones with a high risk potential (e. g. zones where there is a risk of explosion, and 
zones with high fire loads or fire risks) shall be separated from protection zones where in 
creased demands are placed on the protection of the persons present in this zone (e. g. sleep 
ing accommodation, social areas, passageways, and escape and evacuation facilities). 
Safety zones are zones whose purpose is to safeguard the operation of the offshore station, 
on the one hand, and to protect unauthorised persons from hazards, on the other. These can 
be areas with electric power installations (high voltage), control centres, transformer installa 
tions, technical services zones for emergency operations, helicopter landing pads, winch op 
eration areas (winch-down platform) or boat landings.