The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has identified a potential safety issue in regard to the use of beam clamps on many Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) facilities. It is determined that the use of beam clamps as grounding conductors could potentially cause fires and present electrical hazards to personnel. Many OCS facilities are utilizing beam clamps as current carrying external ground to meet the requirements in the API RP 14F. The beam clamps are approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Factory Mutual Research Corporation (FM) to mount and support conduit and cable from structural beams, not as temporary or permanent external equipment grounding conductors. Example below:
