Work Permit Conditions and Firewatch Duties
Work Permit Conditions and Firewatch Duties
Work Permit Conditions and Firewatch Duties
4
Inspect Work Permit Conditions
and Perform Firewatch Duties
12 hrs
INTRODUCTION
Certain safety procedures must be followed to make sure that:
Maintenance work is done safely.
Plant remains safe while the maintenance work is being done.
In this module, you will learn to:
Identify work permits
State work permit safety regulations
Identify firewatch duties
To learn more about work permits refer to Loss Prevention e-
learning course (http://lp.aramco.com.sa/cbt/main.htm)
Purpose of All Work Permits
Work Permits describe the hazards of the job
and what precautions to take.
All maintenance jobs on plant require work
permits.
After operations inspects the jobsite, it issues
the permit.
The permit is displayed at the jobsite.
TYPES OF WORK PERMITS
There are four categories of Saudi Aramco maintenance jobs:
Release of hazardous liquids or gases
Hot work
Cold work
Entry into confined spaces
Different jobs need a different work permit. The color tells you the
maintenance job being done.
Release Work Permit
Job has a potential of
releasing flammable
liquids or gases (130F
or below flash point), or
Injurious liquids and
gases (chemicals),
obtain Release Work
Permit, (yellow).
Hot Work Permit
Job has an ignition
source (including
vehicles) or involves
energized electrical
equipment, then a Hot
Work Permit, (white
with red edges) must
be obtained.
Cold Work Permit
Jobs that do not
create a source of
ignition and require
only hand tools,
obtain Cold Work
Permit, (blue).
Entry Work Permit
Job requires entry into
enclosed spaces where
hazardous liquids or
gases might be present
or where there is
insufficient oxygen,
obtain an Entry Work
Permit, (green).
Multiple Work Permits
Some jobs may require more than one type
of work permit.
WORK PERMIT CERTIFICATES
Men who issue or receive work permits take
special safety courses from Loss Prevention
to gets a certificate valid for 2 years.
Operations personnel issue work permits.
Maintenance personnel receive work permits.
EXERCISE A
Work Permit Safety Regulations
Each work permit is a safety checklist.
The actions required on the front side of the work
permits are the absolute minimum safety regulations
should met.
As an outside operator, you must check that all the
safety regulations are followed for work that is done in
your area.
You must stop the work if the worksite conditions are
unsafe.
J OINT INSPECTION REGULATIONS
Before a work permit is issued for a job, the jobsite is
inspected by operations and maintenance personnel
doing the work, we call this a joint inspection.
Joint inspection identifies potential hazards and
ensures that all personnel involved from both
departments are aware of the job to be done.
SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR RELEASE WORK
If a maintenance person opens a pipe or piece of equipment which
contains liquid or gas, he could come into contact with the liquid or gas.
He could be injured. Also, the liquid or gas could ignite or spill. Therefore,
the piping or equipment must be free of flammable or injurious
liquids and gases before they are opened.
If possible, nitrogen gas, steam, or water should be used to purge the
equipment. If purging is not possible, the equipment must be free of
pressure and liquid, and it must be isolated. All isolation valves must
be closed, locked, and tagged.
All personnel must stay upwind of the release. All ignition sources must
be removed or controlled when flammable liquids or gases are released.
The cathodic protection unit could be a source of ignition for free
hydrocarbons. Therefore, when opening any line under cathodic
protection, first shut off the cathodic protection unit with a lock and
hold tag.
SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR RELEASE WORK
Another source of ignition for free hydrocarbons is static electricity. If the
flow of static electricity is interrupted between flanges, a spark could ignite
any hydrocarbons in the area.
Therefore, electrical bonding is required whenever opening a pipeline that
has contained hydrocarbons. A wire can provide electrical bonding
between the flanges to be separated.
A firewatch is set up.
Firefighting equipment is kept ready.
You must wear a face shield, chemical splash goggles, rubber gloves and
boots, and acid-resistant coveralls whenever you work on equipment that
contains injurious liquids like acids.
Authority to issue Release Work Permits is restricted to supervising
operators and above.
If release work has to be done in a critical environment, the foreman or
shift superintendent must countersign the permit.
SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR HOT WORK
Hot work is work that creates a potential ignition source or involves live
electricity, welding, torch cutting, grinding, and blasting.
The equipment to be worked on must be completely isolated by
disconnecting or blinding it from all energy sources.
The equipment must be free of hydrocarbon gas. Hot work is not done if
the combustible gas test results are above 0.0 LEL (lower explosive level).
Firefighting equipment must be kept ready.
A firewatch must be posted for all hot work involving open flames.
Sewers and sump pits within 75 feet must be covered. Fire blankets can
be used for this. The blankets should be kept wet.
Precautions must be taken to prevent the release of flammable materials
from vents, drains, and relief valves into the hot work area.
Periodic combustible gas tests must be taken to make sure no flammable
materials are present.
Hot work must be stopped immediately if unsafe conditions develop during
the job.
A work permit certified operator is authorized to issue the work permit. If
hot work must be performed in a critical environment, the foreman or shift
superintendent must countersign.
SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR COLD WORK
Cold work is generally considered to be safe. However,
all safety regulations written on the work permit must be
met completely.
Whenever a safety check is not required, it is marked
N/A (not applicable) on the work permit.
Personnel must take all general precautions to avoid
injuries or damage to equipment.
A work permit certified operator is authorized to issue
the work permit.
SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR ENTRY WORK
Entry into tanks, sumps, sewers, deep ditches, and valve pits requires
entry work permits, this requires the authority the shift superintendent,
unit foreman or the superintendent.
The equipment must be gas free, purged, isolated by blinding or
disconnecting and must be locked, tagged, and electrically deenergized
before entering.
When a tank to be entered contains sludge or sediment that could release
toxic vapors, it must first be force-ventilated.
The person entering the tank must wear a lifeline so the standby man can
keep in contact with him to remove the person from the tank in an
emergency.
You must perform periodic or continuous gas tests during the work.
An operator must be assigned by his supervisor to be a standby man.
Gas Test Information
You must perform periodic or continuous gas tests during the work. This
information is on the back of each work permit.
It is better to be safe than sorry when you work around inert gases
such as nitrogen and argon.
These asphyxiant gases, as well as carbon dioxide, Freon, steam,
and engine exhaust, can dilute the concentration of oxygen in the air.
If the oxygen deficient air is inhaled, death can occur.
Gas Test Information
Ventilation is usually poor in confined spaces. This increases the chance of an
oxygendeficient atmosphere in the confined space.
Nitrogen is a commonly used gas in many Saudi Aramco operations. It is used
to purge and leak-test pipelines and equipment because it is inert and not
flammable.
Some people think that nitrogen gas is harmless because fresh air is 79%
nitrogen. With that much nitrogen in the air, why should an increase make a
difference?
Increasing the concentration of nitrogen (or any other gas) in air results in a
decrease in oxygen levels. Even a slight decrease in oxygen is dangerous.
Deprived of oxygen, permanent brain cell death occurs in four to six minutes.
If you suspect or detect that the oxygen level is dropping in a confined space,
you must immediately get out. Get into the fresh air. Keep other persons from
entering and call for help.
If someone has collapsed in the confined space, you must not enter to rescue
him unless you wear a Scott Air-Pak.
The harm is caused by oxygen deprivation. The goal of rescue is to restore
adequate oxygen levels before permanent brain death occurs.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
At the beginning of each shift, the relieving supervising operator
and craftsman can extend the work permit.
At the beginning of each working day, new work permits must be
issued after checking the area.
All information except the signature must be in English, in ink, and
printed legibly on the work permit.
All work must be stopped immediately if an emergency or unsafe
condition develops during the work.
EXERCISE B
FIREWATCH DUTIES
Firewatch prevents conditions that could cause an accident in an
area where work is being done.
He must be present when work requires flammable gases or
liquids to be released.
Before an outside operator can be a firewatch, he must:
Attend the firefighting training course at the Fire Training
Unit.
Be certified to use the LTX-310 multi-gas detector.
Be familiar with work permits and its procedures.
Be certified to use the Scott Air-Pak.
Be familiar with the different sources of ignition in the plant
and understand how to control them.
Know how to report hazardous conditions and call for
assistance.
FIREWATCH DUTIES
Firewatch is:
Responsible for the safety of the men doing the
work.
Prevent damage to plant equipment that could be
exposed to a fire or an explosion.
Stop the work if a hazardous condition develops
immediately.
Perform emergency procedures if an emergency
occurs.
FIREWATCH EQUIPMENT
Firewatch must know how to use safety equipment required to
respond to emergencies.
He must have this safety equipment ready to use at the jobsite:
Fire extinguisher
LTX-310 multi-gas detector
Scott Air-Pak
Fire hose
Lifeline
Communication equipment (portable radio or nearby phone)
Visit jacket, to be worn
Before you act as a firewatch, be sure these items are readily
available. Inspect them first to be sure they are in good working
order.
This equipment can save your life.
EXERCISE C
INSPECT WORK PERMIT AND J OB
SITE CONDITIONS
THANKS