Posted: 09/11/2008

The following ES&H document has been published:

Document: ES&H Manual, Chapter 14, "Pressure, Vacuum, and Cryogenic Systems"
URL: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/hazardous_activities/pressure/policies.htm
Date: 9 September 2008

Chapter 14, "Pressure, Vacuum, and Cryogenic Systems", is a new chapter that meets the SLAC Worker Safety and Health Program requirement to develop a comprehensive pressure safety program compliant with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 851, "Worker Safety and Health Program" (10 CFR 851), which came into effect May 25, 2007.

The chapter is generally written in performance language based on one core safety criterion: that no single failure of a pressure system or operator error shall result in an accident or an uncontrolled release of materials. That is, pressure systems must be at least single-fault tolerant against failure or operator error. This criterion gives pressure system designers the flexibility to use a number of optional methods to meet the design safety goal.

Much of the chapter is the development of detail around long-standing SLAC requirements, such as adherence to the work smart standards (WSS), safety review by the Hazardous and Experimental Equipment Committee (HEEC) of certain pressure systems, and the registration of non-code pressure vessels by means of the mechanical engineering safety inspection (MESI). Many of these requirements are clarified or expanded.

Newly defined requirements include

• Per 10 CFR 851, vacuum systems must now be evaluated according to pressure vessel codes due to backfill pressurization potential
• Safety review for both conventional applications, which include such pressure systems as utility or process gas delivery systems, and science applications, which include systems that are outside the scope of the accepted codes or systems that fall outside the applicable regulatory or code requirements
• Refined roles and responsibilities for system owner, project manager, and equipment custodian
• System or vessel decommissioning

To view the comment and response record for this revision, go to https://www-internal.slac.stanford.edu/esh/docreview/reports/revisionhistory.asp?RevisionID=76

To comment on this revision, go to Review Type: Ongoing at the bottom of the left-hand pane and click on Add a comment. Comments will be responded to and considered in the next revision.

Questions on the content of this chapter may also be submitted directly to Mike C. McDaniel (http://www.slac.stanford.edu/contact/hazmat1).