1. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Objectives
After studying this chapter, the student will be able to:
Describe the different types of permit systems found in the chemical processing industry
Describe hot work permits (CFR ).
Describe energy isolation and lockout/tagout (CFR ).
Analyze the confined space entry procedure (CFR ).
Review opening and blinding permits.
Utilize a permit to enter.
Describe and energy isolation permit.
Recognize and unplugging permit.
Describe cold work permit.

2. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Key Terms
Blinding – a term applied to the installation of slip blinds between pipe flanges. Blinding isolates a process stream and allows a craftsperson to work on a piece of equipment safely.
CFR – Code of Federal Regulations.
Degradation – the breakdown or loss of physical properties.
Designated equipment owner– the process technician who operates a piece of equipment or process.
Electrical lockout log– includes the name of the person locking out the equipment, the date, time, and location. This same information is recorded when the lock is removed.
Enclosed space– any space that has restricted entry.

3. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Key Terms
Mechanical permit acceptor – the person who accepts and returns a work permit.
Mechanical person – the person who performs the work.
Permit system – a regulated system that uses a variety of permits for various applications. The more common applications are cold work, hot work, confined space entry, opening blinding, permit to enter, lockout/tagout.
Routine hot work area – mechanical or fabrication shops.
Standby – a technician that is certified and trained to support and warn technicians who have entered a confined space.
Vapor pressure – is the pressure exerted in confined space by the vapor above its own liquid.

4. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Types of Permits
Describing the different permitting systems used by the chemical processing industry is a difficult process. Variations between plants are enormous with only a few common permit systems. There are three that are common between the industry: government mandated
Hot Work Permits
Confined Space Entry
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lock Out Tag Out)

5. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Types of Permits
Examples of a permitting system could include:
Hot Work Permits
Confined Space Entry
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lock Out Tag Out)
opening/blinding permits
routine maintenance permit
unplugging permit

6. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Types of Permits
Hot Work Permits
The purpose of the Hot Work Permit is to protect personnel and equipment from explosions and fires that might occur from hot work performed in an operational area:
Examples include:
portable grinders, open fires, welding, energized electrical equipment, dry sandblasting, soldering etc.
Hot work permits have multiple layers of protection
CFR Process Safety Management Standard Hot Work

7. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Types of Permits
Hot Work Permits
Hot work is defined as any maintenance procedure that produces a spark or excessive heat, or requires welding or burning. Examples include: grinders, open fires, welding equipment, energized electrical circuits, internal combustion engines, electric motors, and so on.
According to the PSM standard, employers are required to have a permit for hot work operations. The permit must include the following topics:
Fire prevention and protection measures in place before work begins
Date permit is approved for
Location, equipment, and item where hot work is performed
Fire watch posted and in place during procedure and 30 minutes after work is complete
Permit must be displayed at the work site until the work is complete

8. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Types of Permits
Confined Space Entry (29 CFR )
The chemical processing industry has a variety of areas where confined space entry routinely takes place.
Confined space awareness includes:
Define Confined space entry
Describe the hazards associated with confined space entry
List those involved in the confined space procedure
Identify hazards
Describe testing and monitoring equipment, ventilation equipment, radio equipment, and retrieval equipment

9. Chapter 9 Safety Permit Systems
Types of Permits
Confined Space Entry
A confined space is defined as a space large enough so a person can enter, has restricted entry, and is not designed for continuous occupancy.
Examples include:
excavations, sewers, pits, reactors, boilers, furnaces, distillation columns, strippers, absorbers, vessels, tanks, silos, blenders, drums, piping, pumps compressors, heat exchangers, extruders or any space that entry or allows the head of he worker to go below the top of the confined space.
Often chemicals inside a vessel will break down over extended periods of time. This is called degradation.

10. Chapter 9 Operating Hazards
Types of Permits
Confined Space Entry
A confined space entry permit should include:
work to be performed
location
date(s) and authorization period
atmospheric testing results and entry conditions
entrant’s name
entry supervisor and standby names
hazards and how to control
isolation and control methods
communication procedures
other active permits – Hot work
rescue and emergency procedures
Equipment to be used

11. Chapter 9 Operating Hazards
Types of Permits
Confined Space Entry
Preparing the space for entry
The process operator will secure the vessel or area by isolation. Example: pipe entering and exiting the vessel will be isolated and blinded.
Any remaining chemical must be removed. This may require water washing, purging, or inerting. All electrical equipment must be de-energized, lock-out and tagged before entry.
Blower may be required to ventilate the vessel. Oxygen concentration must be between 19.5% and 23.5%.
A standby attendant is required.

12. Chapter 9 Operating Hazards
Types of Permits
Control of Hazardous Energy
The purpose of the hazardous energy standard is to protect employees from the hazards associated with the accidental release of uncontrolled energy.
The lockout/tagout procedure is a standard designed to isolate a piece of equipment from its energy source.

13. Chapter 9 Operating Hazards
Control of Hazardous Energy
The chemical processing industry harnesses energy from 7 basic form: electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, compressed gases and liquids, gravity and spring tension. The two most common classifications of energy are kinetic and potential.
Kinetic is closely associated with movement while potential is related to stored energy.

14. Chapter 9 Operating Hazards
Control of Hazardous Energy
OSHA established a 6-step procedure for locking out a piece of equipment.
Preparation for shutdown – identify type of energy and hazards
Shut down the equipment
Isolation of equipment – closing valves, shut down main disconnect and circuit breakers, electric, hydraulic, etc
Apply lockout/tagout devices to breakers, valves switches, and energy isolating devices
Control of stored energy – relieve pressure
Verification step – lock-tag-try
All of this information should be recorded on a lockout logbook.

15. Chapter 9 Operating Hazards
Control of Hazardous Energy
Opening or Blinding Permits
The purpose of the opening or blinding permit is to limit accidents through improved communication for installing and removing a blind.
Routine Maintenance Permits
This permit is designed to prevent accidents by improving communication be operators and the mechanical craftsperson doing mechanical work.
The operator must check out the area where the work is being performed.
Hazards must be identified and permit displayed near work site.