Page History

BRIEF

Policy Summary

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's (Berkeley Lab's) Pressure Safety Program manages pressure and vacuum systems used at the Laboratory site by:

• Stating design and build requirements for pressure systems.
• Identifying required training for those handling and using pressure and vacuum systems.
• Listing usage and handling requirements for pressure and vacuum systems.

Who Should Read This Policy

All Berkeley Lab employees, visitors, affiliates, and subcontractors working with pressure or vacuum systems

To Read the Full Policy, Go To:

The POLICY tab on this wiki page

To Read the ES&H Program Details, Go To:

ES&H Manual Chapter 7

Contact Information

EHS Subject Matter Expert for Pressure Safety
Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Division

POLICY

A. Purpose

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's (Berkeley Lab's) Pressure Safety Program manages pressure and vacuum systems used at the Laboratory site by:

• Stating design and build requirements for pressure systems.
• Identifying required training for those handling and using pressure and vacuum systems.
• Listing usage and handling requirements for pressure and vacuum systems.

B. Persons Affected

All Berkeley Lab employees, visitors, affiliates, and subcontractors

C. Exceptions

None

D. Policy Statement

1. Pressure system safety is achieved by careful engineering, hazard controls, assuring structural integrity of the components, regulation of pressures and flow, and provision for pressure relief (Work Process A).
2. Low-pressure gas systems are pressure systems operating below 1 MPa gauge (150 psig) and consisting only of regulator, tubing, gauges, valves, and fittings. Low-pressure gas systems represent the lowest hazard category of pressure systems at Berkeley Lab (Work Process B).
3. Low-hazard pressure systems consist of equipment with a low-hazard level involving routine risks that are accepted as such by the general public (Work Process C).
4. Pressure systems that do not fall into the low-hazard category are high-hazard pressure systems. Specifically, high-hazard pressure systems include:
   1. All pressure vessel systems that contain irritant, toxic, infectious, and/or radioactive fluids at any pressure.
   2. All pressure vessel systems with oxygen or flammable contents.
   3. All pressurized equipment (including ASME-coded vessels that have been structurally modified) that operates at gas pressures over 1 MPa gauge (150 psig) or at liquid pressures over 10 MPa gauge (1,500 psig), or that contains over 100 kJ (75,000 ft-lb) of stored energy (Work Process D).
5. Vacuum systems that are back-filled from a pressurized supply must be equipped with a pressure-relief valve to assure that the system will not be subjected to pressures in excess of the Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (Work Process E).
6. The most severe hazard of cryogenic systems is the possible confinement of even small amounts of cryogenic liquid (Work Process F).
7. Employees who work with pressure systems over 1 MPa (150 psig) or with pressure vessel systems at any pressure must review training requirements with the Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Division pressure safety representative (Work Process G).

E. Roles and Responsibilities

F. Definitions/Acronyms

G. Recordkeeping Requirements

• Pressure Relief Device Certifications: Facilities Division
• Pressure Vessel and System Test Certifications: Facilities Division

H. Implementing Documents

I. Contact Information

EHS Subject Matter Expert for Pressure Safety
EHS Division

J. Revision History

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Source Requirements Documents

Title 8, California Code of Regulations, (CCR) "Industrial Relations," Division 1, "Department of Industrial Relations," Chapter 4, "Division of Industrial Safety"

• Subchapter 1, "Unfired Pressure Vessel Safety Orders"
• Subchapter 2, "Boiler and Fired Pressure Vessel Safety Orders"

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

• NFPA 45-2015, Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals
• NFPA 51-2013, Standard for the Design and Installation of Oxygen–Fuel Gas Systems for Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes
• NFPA 54-2012, National Fuel Gas Code
• NFPA 55-2013, Compressed Gases and Cryogenic Fluids Code

Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, (CFR) Part 851, "Worker Safety and Health Program", Appendix A, "Worker Safety and Health Functional Areas," Section 4, "Pressure Safety"

Other Driving Requirements

Title 29, CFR, "Labor", Chapter 17, "Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor"

• 8 CCR, Subchapter 7, "General Industry Safety Orders (GISO)"
• 8 CCR, Subchapter 4, "Construction Safety Orders (CSO)"

Title 49, CFR, "Transportation," Subtitle B, "Other Regulations Relating to Transportation," Chapter 1, "Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation Subchapter C, "Hazardous Materials Regulations"

• Part 173, "Shippers – General Requirements for Shipments and Packagings"
• Part 178, "Specifications for Packagings"
• Part 180, "Continuing Qualification and Maintenance of Packagings"

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

• ANSI Z49.1-2012, "Safety in Welding, Cutting and Allied Processes"

American Petroleum Institute (API)

• API RP 520 Part I-2014, "Sizing, Selection, and Installation of Pressure-Relieving Devices in Refineries, Part I – Sizing and Selection"
• API RP 520 Part II-2003, "Sizing, Selection, and Installation of Pressure-Relieving Devices in Refineries, Part II – Installation"
• API Standard 620, "Design and Construction of Large, Welded, Low-pressure Storage Tanks"

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

• ASHRAE 15-2010, "Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems"

ASME Standards

• ASME A13.1-2007, "Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems"

Compressed Gas Association (CGA) Standards

• CGA S-1.1-2007, "Pressure Relief Device Standards Part 1 – Cylinders for Compressed Gases"
• CGA S-1.2-2005, "Pressure Relief Device Standards Part 2 – Cargo and Portable Tanks"
• CGA S-1.3-2008, "Pressure Relief Device Standards Part 3 – Stationary Storage Tanks"
• CGA C-6-2007, "Standards for Visual Inspection of Compressed Gas Cylinders"
• CGA C-7-2009, "Standard Method for Determining Cylinder Valve Outlet Connections for Industrial Gas Mixtures"
• CGA Pamphlet P-1-2015, "Safe Handling of Compressed Gases in Containers"
• CGA V-1-2013, "Compressed Gas Cylinder Valve Outlet and Inlet Connections"
• CGA V-7-2009, "Standard Method for Determining Cylinder Valve Outlet Connections for Industrial Gas Mixtures"

Expansion Joint Manufacture Association (EJMA)

• Standards of the Expansion Joint Manufacturer's Association, Ninth Edition, 2007

National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors

• NB 23-2013, National Board Inspection Code

Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association

• Standards of the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association, Ninth Edition, 2007

Brookhaven National Laboratory

• BNL-81715-2008-IR, "Vacuum Systems Consensus Guideline for Department of Energy Accelerator Laboratories"

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)

• Chapter 13, Gas Safety   
• Chapter 18, Lockout/Tagout
• Chapter 29, Safe Handling of Cryogenic Liquids 
• Chapter 45, Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan
• LBNL Facilities Division, SOP0008 Lock-out/Tag-out (LOTO) Operating Procedure
• LBNL Environmental Technologies Area, Safety Alert, Use of Ovens in Lab Areas

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

• SLAC-I-720-0A29Z-001-R023.4, Chapter 14, "Pressure Systems"

Implementing Documents