Quick Start Guide
Chapter 7: Pressure Safety and Cryogenics

Program: Pressure Safety and Cryogenics
Revised 09/12
URL:http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/pub3000/CH7.html
Revision Record: http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/pub3000/Pub3000Changes.html

Who needs to know about these requirements?

The requirements of Pressure Safety and Cryogenics apply to:

• All Berkeley Lab employees, participating guests, visitors, and subcontractors

Whenever they are

• Working with air, liquids, or gases at, above, or below atmospheric pressure


• Using cryogenic liquids

Why?

Unsafe practices with pressure and cryogenics may result in:

• Pressure system or component failure or collapse, resulting in injury or property loss


• Pressure buildup if even small amounts of cryogenic liquid are confined and then warm up


• Vacuum system implosions

What you need to do before performing work:

1. Define work/protocols.


2. Analyze hazards. Perform risk-assessment.


• Workers who handle pressure systems are required to analyze hazards with work processes available in Work Process A, General Requirements, Pressure Safety Principles and Requirements for All Systems).


• Workers who handle low-pressure gas systems are required to analyze hazards with work processes available in Work Process B, Low-Pressure Gas Systems.


• All high-hazard pressure systems must be covered by an approved Safety Note or manufacturer’s documentation of equivalent degree of safety.


3. Develop controls.
   • Vacuum systems backfilled from a pressurized supply must have a pressure-relief valve.
   
   
   • Workers using low-hazard pressure systems must complete Berkeley Lab course EHS0231, Compressed Gas and Cryogen Safety.
   
   
   • Workers using high-hazard pressure systems must be trained in a manner agreed on by the user and the Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S) Division pressure safety representative.
   
   
   • Each high-hazard pressure system user must also be trained in requirements in the Activity Hazards Document (AHD) for the system and operating requirements in the Safety Note.
   
   
   • Workers handling cryogenic materials must follow requirements described in Work Process F, Cryogenic Systems, and PUB-3000, Chapter 29, Safe Handling of Cryogenic Liquids.
   
   

Where to find out more:

• LBNL Health and Safety Manual (PUB-3000), Chapter 7, Pressure Safety and Cryogenics

Whom to contact for help:

• The EH&S Division, Joe Dionne at ext. 7586, for general questions about the Laboratory Pressure Safety Program as well as AHDs.


• The Engineering Division, Ken Chow at ext. 6051 or Mike Kritscher at ext. 8647, for review and approval of the design, installation, and testing of pressure systems as well as AHDs and Engineering Notes.


• The Facilities Division, Mike Dong at ext. 6458 or Jamie Abenojar at ext. 7669, for the design, fabrication, installation, and testing of all plant facility pressure equipment, as well as AHDs.