OSHA Hazard Information Bulletins
April 20, 1990
| MEMORANDUM FOR: |
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS |
| THROUGH: |
LEO CAREY
Director
Office of Field Programs |
| FROM: |
THOMAS J. SHEPICH
Director
Directorate of Technical Support |
| SUBJECT: |
Hazard Information Bulletin - Couplings And Marking
Recommendations For Plant Airline Used For Breathing |
The Directorate of Technical Support issues Hazard Information Bulletins
(HIBs) in accordance with OSHA Instruction CPL 2.65 to provide relevant
information regarding unrecognized or misunderstood safety and health
hazards, and/or inadequacies of materials, devices, techniques and
engineering controls. HIBs are initiated based on information provided by
the field staff, studies, reports and concerns expressed by safety and health
professionals, employers and the public. Information is compiled based on a
comprehensive evaluation of available facts, literature and in coordination
with appropriate parties. HIBs do not necessarily reflect OSHA policy.
This bulletin is prompted by a recent incident where an employee at a DOE
facility narrowly escaped injury when he accidentally hooked his air manifold
and air purifying accessory (APACC) unit into a nitrogen system and was
deprived of oxygen long enough to black out. An investigation into this
incident indicated that three factors had contributed to the accident:
(1)
Couplings on the nitrogen lines were identical to those on the plant air
system, (2) The nitrogen lines were not properly color coded, and (3) the
plant air system was used to supply respirable air.
To help ensure that employees do not inadvertently hook up to gas supplies
other than to respirable air, the following guidelines are recommended:
(A) If similar couplings are used for the plant air supply system
and other gas delivery systems, replace couplings on gas systems or air
supply system with another, unique type of coupling. See CFP
1910.134(d)(3).
(B) Use color coding to identify piping (See the American National
Standard Scheme for Identification of Piping Systems ANSI A13.1-1981 for
further information).
(C) Develop a maintenance procedure to assure that air supply-lines
are properly identified by employees.
Please distribute this bulletin to all area offices, state plan states, and
consultation project officers.
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