COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY

Responsible Office: Code Q/ Office…./Ext. 4-3530, Mail Stop 237-14

Directive Title: Chapter 42: Safety Lanes, Barricades, Hazard Labeling, and Posting

Document History Log

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42.1 Responsibilities

42.1.1 Safety Division shall:

1. Provide technical safety evaluations of the work areas at the request of the supervisor.
2. Maintain oversight of hazard assessment activities, safe work procedures, and employee training.
3. Provide specialized safety training at the request of the supervisor and maintain training records.
4. Provide specialized safety consulting on an as-requested basis.
5. Periodically review and revise this chapter as appropriate.

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42.1.2 Facilities Engineering Branch (JCE) shall:

Reflect the requirements of this chapter when planning and implementing new or modified facilities work at Ames.

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42.1.3 Plant Engineering Branch (JCM) shall:

Maintain or upgrade pipe paint colors and markings and other hazard warnings to meet the requirements of this chapter whenever maintenance work causes markings to be effected.

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42.1.4 Supervisors shall:

1. Complete a workplace assessment to determine what hazards are present, or are likely to be present, for all operations.
2. Identify hazards that require barricading or posting as described in this chapter.
3. Ensure personnel are trained to identify hazards and recognized and honor barricades and warning signs.
4. Post hazard warnings in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
5. Replace posted hazard warnings that are illegible.
6. Remove posted hazard warnings that are no longer applicable to the location where they are posted.

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42.1.5 Employees shall:

1. Read and observe the safety requirements delineated in this chapter.
2. Report any existing or potential safety hazards to the supervisors.
3. Seek supervisor guidance on safety related questions.
4. Obey safety signs, barricades, and warnings.

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42.2 Safety Lanes and Barricades

42.2.1 Safety lanes and safe-access lanes are typically floor markings that identify safe passage through or out of shops, warehouses, and similar locations. They also identify access lanes to control panels and emergency equipment, which shall be kept clear and unobstructed.

42.2.2 They shall be clearly marked with either yellow or yellow-and-black striped lines, or by plastic tape affixed to the floor.

42.2.3 Barricades are used to identify and deny access to hazardous areas. The following precautions are to be taken:

1. Excavations breaks in roads or floors, and similar conditions shall be barricaded to prevent injury to personnel and reduce the possibility of damage to equipment and vehicles.
2. Barricades shall be provided with appropriate flashing lights during nighttime hours and periods of reduced visibility.
3. Barricades shall be placed far enough in advance of the actual working area to prevent traffic congestion.
4. Adequate signs (such as "Road Closed," "Aisle Blocked," "Detour," etc.) shall be used in conjunction with barricades.
5. Breakaway links shall be used in all chains that barricade an area in order to permit ready access by fire fighting personnel and equipment.
6. Such chains shall be identified by the "international orange" color.
7. Work performed at heights can jeopardize persons at floor level as a result of falling objects. Such floor-level areas shall be barricaded.
8. Areas where ladders, scaffolding, or staging are being used shall also be barricaded as a protection against falling objects.

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42.3 Hazard Labeling and Posting

42.3.1 General Labeling and Posting

42.3.1.1 All employees shall comply with posted warnings and instructions.

42.3.1.2 In locations where other languages are used, consideration shall be given to provide messages in those languages as appropriate.

42.3.1.3 Labels and posting are used to identify safety hazards and provide instructions. The letter, color, format, and work requirements of ANSI Z535.2 (2007 edition) shall be used to convey safety-related information on signs. The seven types of safety signs are:

1. DANGER
2. WARNING
3. CAUTION
4. NOTICE
5. Safety instructions and safety equipment location
6. Fire safety
7. Directional arrows

42.3.1.3 The first five types of safety signs use a signal word or words to designate a level of hazard seriousness. No signal words are used for fire safety or directional arrow signs.

42.3.1.4 Signal words are the word or words that designate a degree or level of safety alerting. Specific signal words are defined here and the definition repeated where they appear in subsequent sections. The signal word or words shall always be located in a distinctive panel located in the uppermost portion of the safety sign.

42.3.1.5 The safety alert symbol shall precede the signal word.

42.3.1.6 The height of the safety alert symbol shall be equal to or exceed the signal word letter height.

42.3.1.7 The base of the symbol shall be on the same horizontal line as the base of the letters of the signal word.

1. DANGER: Indicates a hazardous situation, which if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury. This signal word is to be limited to the most extreme situations.

2. WARNING: Indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

3. CAUTION: Indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury. It may also be used without the safety alert symbol as an alternative to "NOTICE".

4. NOTICE: Used to address practices not related to personal injury.

5. Safety instruction or safety equipment location signs indicate general instructions relative to safe work practices or indicate the location of safety equipment.

42.3.1.8 Fire safety signs do not have a signal word. The message panel below shall be in safety red letters on a white background in either a square or rectangular field.

42.3.1.9 The safety symbol panel, if used, shall be safety red on white or white on safety red.

42.3.1.10 Directional arrow symbol shall be in white on a black or colored background on a rectangular field.

42.3.1.11 This distinctive symbol shall appear in the uppermost portion of the visual alerting devices.

42.3.1.12 When these directional arrows are used in conjunction with DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, or NOTICE signs, the arrows shall be in a lower sign panel.

42.3.1.13 The color of the arrows shall be in the same color arrangement as the message or symbol as described in the ANSI Z535.2 definition section 5.0 inclusive.

42.3.2 Sign Placement

42.3.2.1 Signs shall be so placed to alert and inform the viewer in sufficient time to take appropriate evasive actions to avoid the potential harm from the hazard.

42.3.2.2 Safety signs shall be so placed that they are legible, non-distracting, and not hazardous in themselves.

42.3.2.3 Safety signs shall not be located in areas where they may be removed by the motion of the hazardous device, or rendered ineffective by situational conditions of the hazard.

42.3.2.4 The alerting devices shall not be blocked by moveable panels such as doors, windows, racks, gates, etc.

42.3.3 Pipe Labeling

42.3.3.1 Because of the potential hazards associated with pipe transfer systems, piping shall be labeled accurately as to the contents and intended direction of flow. The 2007 edition of ASME A13.1, Scheme for Identification of Piping Systems, is adopted.

42.3.3.2 Table 1 - Piping and Utility Line Labeling Color Scheme summarizes the Ames color scheme. Designers and facility managers shall refer to ASME A13.1 - 2007 standard for additional details.

42.3.3.3 Directional flow arrows and other piping symbols shall utilize the color codes shown above.

42.3.3.4 Insulated piping where the outside surface is a non-ASME color shall use color-coded labels from the ANSI/NEMA Z535.1 - 2006 Safety Color Code.

42.3.3.5 Labels shall be applied in locations visible from the ground and close to valve systems.

42.3.3.6 Labels shall also be applied at appropriate intervals along the piping run.

42.3.3.7 Labeling and color-coding of the Center's vacuum systems are not mandatory under this policy. Labeling is encouraged for traceability or aesthetics at the discretion of the designer or facility manager.

42.3.3.7 Previously specified radioactive markers are acceptable if already installed or until existing supplies are depleted.

42.3.3.8 Pipe paint colors, markings and other hazard warnings to meet requirements of this chapter shallbe upgraded when construction or maintenance cause new piping to be installed or existing markings to be effected.

42.3.4 Method of Identification - Legend

42.3.4.1 This Standard considers a legend to be primary and explicit for identification of contents.

42.3.4.2 Positive identification of the contents of a piping system shall be by lettered legend, giving the name of the contents in full or abbreviated form.

42.3.4.3 Arrows shall be used to indicate direction of flow.

42.3.4.4 Flow can be in both directions, arrows in both directions shall be displayed.

42.3.4.5 Contents shall be identified by a legend with sufficient additional details such as temperature, pressure, etc., as are necessary to identify the hazard.

42.3.4.6 Legends shall be brief, informative, pointed, and simple for greatest effectiveness.

42.3.4.7 Legends shall be applied close to valves or flanges and adjacent to changes in direction, branches, and where pipes pass through walls or floors; and at intervals on straight pipe runs sufficient for identification.

42.3.4.8 Identification shall be accomplished by stenciling, the use of tape, or markers.

42.3.4.9 In any situation, the number and location of identification markers shall be based on the particular piping system.

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