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The inadvertent or accidental opening of manual hand valves has been a contributing cause in many ammonia releases and although the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enacted the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) regulation in 1989 (Title 29 §1910.147), the industry has lacked clarity on how to apply this regulation to manually operated hand valves in an ammonia refrigeration system.  Since becoming law, many industries have widely implemented energy control programs, often referred to as lockout/tagout or LOTO programs. Historically, LOTO programs have appropriately focused on hazardous electrical and mechanical energy. IIAR has developed this document with the aim to fill a gap in the industry and to provide guidance to owners, operators, maintenance personnel, and contractors by describing the best practices on applying an energy control plan to manual hand valves in ammonia refrigeration systems. It is a tool to supplement an existing LOTO program relative to manual hand valves.

Summary of LOTO Guideline chapters:

Overview of LOTO Devices (Chapter 2): Chapter 2 summarizes LOTO devices commonly used on manual hand valves and provides guidance on selecting and implementing LOTO devices.

Energy Control Program (Chapter 3): Chapter 3 describes a framework for incorporating manual hand valves into an energy control program. Valves are divided into three categories, each representing a different level of risk.

Common Scenarios Involving Manually Operated Hand Valves (Chapter 4): Chapter 4 summarizes common scenarios involving manual hand valves and provides guidance on how to apply LOTO to each scenario.

Qualification Requirements (Chapter 5): Personnel who operate manual hand valves in an ammonia refrigeration system must be qualified to do so. Chapter 5 provides guidance on qualification requirements.

Contractors (Chapter 6): Many facilities utilize contractors for operation and maintenance tasks. Chapter 6 offers guidance for
contractors who operate manual hand valves in an ammonia refrigeration system.

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