Proper equipment tagging
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Periodically complete a site survey to ensure that the Process and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID, also known as a flowsheet) accurately depicts plant equipment, valves and instruments as installed in the facility.
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Ensure that all equipment, valves, and instruments are correctly labeled as shown on the P&ID
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Add or correct labels for any equipment, valves, or instruments that have incorrect or missing labels
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Ensure equipment involved in a job is identified / tagged prior to issuing Permit to Work (PTW)
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Pipelines are color coded according to standard practices (please see references)
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Proper tagging of emergency response equipment verified by Site HSE personnel
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Tagging / marking of the capacity of tanks/storage vessels helps avoid overfilling incidents
Stopping or discontinuing work if incorrect tagging is identified
- Authorize personnel to stop any Permit to Work (PTW) activities if any incorrectly identified equipment is found.
Regular inspection and review of tagging/identification
- Periodically scheduled inspections / reviews for proper Equipment Identification can be established based on the hazardous consequences, the Risks assessed, and prior incidents.
- Establish and periodically audit procedures for the tagging of new spares, equipment, and materials.
Specific procedures are required when loading or unloading chemicals into storage tanks
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Understand potential hazardous interactions among different materials that are unloaded into storage tanks at your facility.
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Always check all the documentation and labeling on incoming shipments of raw materials to confirm that the material being received is as expected.
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Follow plant procedures for identification of incoming raw materials and for unloading those materials.
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Make sure that all the piping and equipment in the raw material unloading areas are clearly labeled. Also, there should be no connections between pipes serving different tanks containing incompatible materials.
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If the raw material unloading area has confusing piping, or incompatible materials are unloaded in locations near to each other, inform management about the issue so that improvements can be made.
- If supplier or transportation company truck drivers unload materials into storage tanks at your plant, make sure they are familiar with your unloading facilities and can ensure that they unload materials into the correct tank.