The Natural Refrigeration

Safe Work Practices(s) are critical for operating and maintaining closed-circuit ammonia refrigeration systems. Developing safe working practices is not just good for workers’ well-being, it is also good for business. The loss of systems’ functionality because of accidents, and the loss of employees’ skills because of injury is costly. It is far more fruitful to spend time to develop and practice safe work than to recover from accidents. Further, the development and engagement of safe work practices is a legal requirement in many jurisdictions and is broadly required in some countries.

In the United States, the federal government’s Department of Labor requires safe work practices (SWP) to be included as part of Process Safety Management (PSM) programs for facilities with significant amounts of toxic or flammable materials. But regardless of system size or location, the concepts of SWP should be implemented. Following are some requirements from the US Dept of Labor Occupational of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) PSM regulations.

OPERATING PROCEDURES:
SWPs must be provided for control of stored energy using lockout/tagout programs; confined space entry; opening process equipment or piping; and control over entrance into a facility by maintenance, contractor, laboratory, or other support personnel. These practices both to employees and to contractor employees.

TRAINING:
The implementation of an effective training program is one of the most important steps that an employer can take to enhance employee safety. Accordingly, PSM requires that each employee involved in operating a process or is newly assigned to a process must be initially trained in an overview of the process and its operating procedures.

The training must emphasize the specific safety and health hazards of the process, emergency operations such as shutdown, and other procedures that apply to employees’ job tasks. Employers must certify in writing that employees have the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely carry out the duties and responsibilities specified in the operating procedures.

OTHER EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:
When selecting a contractor, the employer must obtain and evaluate information regarding the contract employer’s safety performance and programs. The employer also must inform contract employers of the known potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards related to the contractor’s work and the process; explain to contract employers the applicable provisions of the emergency action plan; develop and implement SWPs to control the presence, entrance, and exit of contract employers and contract employees in covered process areas; periodically evaluate the performance of contract employers in fulfilling their obligations; and maintain a contract employee injury and illness log related to the contractor’s work in the process areas.

CONTRACT EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:

The contract employer must:

• Ensure that contract employees are trained in the work practices necessary to perform their jobs safely;

• Ensure that contract employees are instructed in the known potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards related to their jobs and the process, and in the applicable provisions of the emergency action plan;

• Document that each contract employee has received and understood the training required by the standard by preparing a record that contains the identity of the contract employee, the date of training, and the means used to verify that the employee understood the training;

• Ensure that each contract employee follows the safety rules of the facility including the SWPs required;

• Advise the employer of any unique hazards presented by the contract employer’s work.

IIAR WEBINARS FOR SAFE WORK PRACTICES (SWPS):

IIAR has presented the following IIAR Webinars pertaining to SWPs, which are reviewed for accuracy and current practices. These are helpful to inform end user operators and technicians, as well as others responsible for ammonia refrigeration systems.

• Operating Procedures for Ammonia Refrigeration Systems

• Qualifying Ammonia Refrigeration Contractors

• Hot Work Permits for Ammonia Refrigeration Systems

• Heat Stress & Cold Stress Prevention

• Permit to Work: Lockout/Tagout Procedure

• Permit to Work: Confined Space Entry

• Permit to Work: Line Opening Procedures

• Permit to Work: Hot Work Permits

• Permit to Work: Electrical Safety & Arc Flask Protection

• Permit to Work: Working at Height

• Permit to Work: Ground Disturbance

IIAR WEBINAR DEVELOPMENT:
IIAR welcomes suggestions and presenters for our webinar education series. If you have ideas for SWPs, other safety topics, or technical topics that apply to the natural refrigeration industry please contact Tony Lundell, Senior Director of Standards and Safety at tony_lundell@iiar.org.