OSHA'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT INADVERTENT HOOKING UP OF BREATHING AIR INTO NITROGEN SYSTEMS

To help ensure that workers do not inadvertently hook up to inert gas supplies, the following recommendations should be implemented:

•Ensure that all requirements related to respiratory protection as outlined in29 CFR 1910.134 are met. Written standard operating procedures governing the selection and use of respirators must be developed and implemented. Requirements for training and instruction in the proper use of respirators and their limitations must be met at all facilities.

•Ensure (determine) that the couplings of the respirator air lines are incompatible with any other couplings/fittings for non-respirable air or gas delivery systems.Replace couplings on non-breathing air systems with another, incompatible type of coupling.

•Ensure that breathable air systems are not in any way interconnected to non-breathable air systems.

•Develop a maintenance procedure to address supply-line identification (labeling)and painting. Stress the purpose of color coding and the importance of completing detail painting in a timely fashion to ensure that this visual cue is always available to aid workers.

Source: Osha.gov