Maintenance personnel, protection systems

Identified hazards can either be reduced at the root (e.g., reduction of inventory) or by introduction of protective systems (e.g., automatic emergency shutdown). The increased understanding of the chemistry and the process that is obtained from hazard evaluation procedures provides guidance for many other elements of process safety management as well (e.g., procedural instructions, emergency strategies, personnel training, and preventive maintenance). 

Facility personnel who perform inspections on fixed fire protection systems must be knowledgeable of the systems and have received training on the inspection protocols. Facility personnel may be operations personnel, maintenance personnel, security personnel, fire protection personnel, or others assigned by management. 

The inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems by qualified personnel is essential to ensure the operability of the systems during an emergency. 

Qualifying personnel performing the inspections, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems. 

Facility personnel who perform testing and maintenance on fire protection equipment and systems must be experienced and knowledgeable in the systems and on the protocols for testing and maintenance. Knowledge can include work history, educational experience, craft certification, manufacturer certification, field verification, and job assessment and testing. Testing and maintenance personnel may be pump mechanics, pipe fitters, instrument technicians, electrical technicians, millwrights, fire protection personnel or other qualified personnel. 

It is important that the outside service company meet the facility pre-qualification criteria. As part of the review, the facility pre-qualification must determine if the service company is knowledgeable and experienced in the types of fire protection systems they will be servicing. Some states have licensing laws that require the service company designate a responsible managing employee who is licensed by the state. The service company should be able to provide evidence that the personnel performing inspections, testing, and maintenance are qualified to perform the work. 

It is essential that impressed current cathodic protection systems are properly maintained. This usually means that a budget system of training for personnel and maintenance schedule is developed by the client, engineer, corrosion specialist and contractor at the initial design and specification stage. 

A permit system requires a special document (permit), which acts like a checklist, to be filled out. Usually, the work involves some type of hazard. Personnel involved in the hazardous work must fill out a permit and the permit must be inspected and verified as complete before work can begin. The function of the permit system is to force personnel involved in a hazardous task to take the time to review all the steps, the personal protection equipment (PPE) required, the type of hazard(s) expected, and equipment required to perform the task safely. The permit system also temporarily transfers custody of a piece of equipment. As an example, a unit has a failed pump that must be repaired. This will require the pump to be removed from the process unit and taken to maintenance repair shop for repairs. The permit system places responsibilities on the issuer of the permit (operators) and the recipient of the permit (maintenance personnel). In essence, a permit system is an extra step in the direction of safety and accident prevention. Some of the more common permits are ... 

It cannot be overemphasized that the O SHA is an extremely valuable analytical tool that concentrates on the human interface with the system from both operations and maintenance standpoints. Therefore, because of the critical requirement of ensuring that operations and maintenance personnel are protected from any hazards in their tasks, the importance of a properly performed O SHA is of paramount concern in the system safety analysis process. 

Funded by the aviation industry, the ASRS has operated successfully for twenty-four years. The ASRS is trusted by aviation s sharp end pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, ground crew, maintenance workers, and other personnel. The system is voluntary, confidential, and nonpunitive. The pirrpose of the program is to collect, protect, and use incident data to improve the national aviation system. Information from the ASRS snpports aviation system policy, planning, and improvement, and strengthens the fbnndation of hnman factors research in aviation by identifying deficiencies to be corrected by appropriate authorities. 

Because there are many complexities in safety, many companies have additional mles covering particular safety problems. This may be a company safety handbook or similar document. The handbook may give details about such topics as fire protection and fire response procedures. It may list, cite or define standards that designers, maintenance staff, or supervisors must foUow. There may be separate manuals for design and maintenance personnel and particular operations or departments. The handbook may collect all safety manuals and operating procedures into one document system. 

A simple scheme of the reactor module and the fact that all modules installed are of the same type make it possible to reduce the number of personnel for operation and maintenance of the modular NPP as compared with the NPP unit comprising one large-power reactor that incorporates many safety systems, such as protection systems, localizing accident systems, and control and auxiliary systems. For example, the safety systems of the AP-1000 reactor [XIX-16] have 184 pumps, 1400 valves, and 40 km of pipelines and cables [XIX-16]. 

Some of the above items, such as (e), (f), (g) and (h), may not apply to experimental devices. The design shall also take into account the capabilities for performance of the operating and maintenance personnel. Attention to human factors will ensure that the installation is tolerant of human errors. Among the appropriate elements in minimizing human errors are the systematic application of ergonomic principles to the relevant engineered systems the provision of automatic control, protection and alarm systems the elimination of human actions that jeopardize safety the clear presentation of data and reliable communications (see also para. 2.23). 

The test and maintenance of the conventional protection systems are not only a problem from a point of view of the plant operation, but are also a typical safety issue for the relevant probability of errors due to complex and/or improper procedures, long test and maintenance intervals, complex personnel skillness both on plant operation and electronics. The IPS design address all those issues trying to make the system test and maintenance as easy as possible through the following characteristics ... 

System, facility, and personnel protective equipment design requirements (e.g., ventilation, noise attenuation, radiation barriers) to allow safe operation and maintenance. 

Filtration and water-knockout systems are used to clean up the gas before it enters a compressor. Cooling systems are sometimes required to maintain compressor discharge temperatures below 54°C to avoid damage to the pipeline s protective coatings. Automated compressor stations are typically staffed by maintenance and repair personnel eight hours per day, five days per week. Other stations are staffed on a 24-hour basis because personnel must start, stop, and regulate compressors in response to orders from the dispatch office. 

Introduction Review and audit processes are used in the chemical process industry to evaluate, examine, and verify the design of process equipment, operating procedures, and management systems. These processes assure compliance with company standards and guidelines as well as government regulations. Reviews and audits can encompass the areas of process and personnel safety, environmental and industrial hygiene protection, quality assurance, maintenance procedures, and so on. 

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