Origination Date:
October 7, 2011
Revision Date:
Release Authorized by:
Danny Trahan, Safety Director
June
2012
Manual Rev 4
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PURPOSE .................................................................................................................................................................... 1
SCOPE ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
APPLICATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................................................................ 2
1.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 2
2.0 PREPARING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST LINE BREAKS........................................................................ 3
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
3.0
3.1
3.2
4.0
5.0
Lockout/Tagout Plan ........................................................................................................................ 3
Permits ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Showers and Barricades ................................................................................................................... 4
Attendant/StandBAy Person ............................................................................................................ 4
Spill Containment ............................................................................................................................ 4
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT .................................................................................................... 4
Respirators ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Acid and Hot Suits ........................................................................................................................... 4
PROCESS ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................. 5
P2S Health, Safety & Environmental
Copyright © 2012, P2S. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 of 6
Origination Date:
October 7, 2011
Revision Date:
Release Authorized by:
Danny Trahan, Safety Director
June
2012
Manual Rev 4
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE
PURPOSE
This practice provides the requirements for breaking into established (used) piping systems and related equipment.
This practice also applies to subsequent breaks in all undrained lines.
SCOPE
This practice includes the following major sections:




General Requirements
Preparing and Authorizing
Personal Protective Equipment
Process
APPLICATION
This practice applies to work activities and employees under the control of P2S and its contractors.
DEFINITIONS
Cleared Lines  Pipelines or equipment that have been drained, vented, flushed, and verified to be clear of any
hazardous residue, pluggage, or pressure.
First Line Break  The initial opening of lines or equipment after appropriate preparation.
Hot Tap  A mechanical method of adding a new tie-in or drain point to an existing piping service or equipment
without interruption of the existing service.
Line Break  Opening of drained or undrained lines or equipment by disconnecting flanges, opening valves,
breaking pipe joints, removing blanks, or opening ports or penetration of a line by mechanical or other means.
Undrained Lines  Any line or equipment system that has not been drained or flushed clear through existing
drains, vents, or bleed valves.
1.0
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The need for line or system breaks must be determined by the client’s operations personnel who must then initiate a
request to P2S for those breaks.
A Safety Task Assignment (STA) must be developed before any line breaking tasks are executed; refer to Practice
000.653.1304, Pre-Task Planning, Risk Analysis.
No P2S employee may begin making a line break until he/she receives and understands specific safety instructions
from his/her supervisor.
Only employees who have been approved by P2S’s Project/Site Management and appropriately trained to make
first line breaks will perform this type of work. P2S Project/Site Management must maintain a list of approved
employees.
P2S Health, Safety & Environmental
Copyright © 2012, P2S. All Rights Reserved.
Page 2 of 6
Origination Date:
October 7, 2011
Revision Date:
Release Authorized by:
Danny Trahan, Safety Director
June
2012
Manual Rev 4
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE
Employees must be instructed in emergency first-aid procedures (such as washing or applying cold packs).
Employees must seek immediate first aid if any hazardous process or other toxic substances comes in contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or shoes, or if they inhale a hazardous or other toxic substance.
2.0
PREPARING AND AUTHORIZING FIRST LINE BREAKS
Management cannot guarantee that all piping systems or equipment are completely drained, contain no plugs, or are
free of pressure even after the first connection has been broken.
Warning! When cooling occurs, a vacuum that may be holding liquids in pockets could
break without warning and liquid may be released and flow to the lowest
point. Plugs (particularly solidified process materials) can move and release
materials after the first connection has been broken.
All systems have the potential to discharge hazardous liquid from open ends of lines or broken flanges. This can
occur at any time, even after the line has been drained and vented.
2.1
Lockout/Tagout Plan
The client’s operations personnel must furnish a lockout/tagout plan identifying each break point. The client
representative and a P2S supervisor then must physically mark each break point. The client representative and the
P2S supervisor must agree on the location of first breaks.
The client representative must close isolating valves and stop pumps in the system. The system must be locked,
tagged, tried, and tested in accordance with Practice 000.653.3315, Hazardous Energy Control.
The client representative must prepare the system for safe opening by depressurizing, draining, flushing, and
venting the system.
All efforts must be made to confirm that no unknown substances or chemicals are in, or processes are feeding the
system. A plan must be in place for collecting or containing and disposing of spilled materials.
2.2
Permits
If the P2S supervisor and the client representative agree that P2S will do the work, permits must be completed and
signed.
If the permit to work process is in place, a Permit to Work must be issued (refer to Practice 000.653.1302, Permit to
Work) as well as a Line Break Permit.
Before a line break can be performed, a Line Break Permit, Form 000.653.F0129, will be
completed by the supervisor and the required approvals obtained.
The appointment and training of Line Break Authorized Persons is similar to Permit to Work and Confined Space
Entry Permit Authorized Person (refer to Practice 000.653.1302). However, in addition, they will have sound and
thorough knowledge in matters relating to the preparation and conduct of line breaks. Practical experience in
preparing line break permits under guidance will be an integral part of training. Appointment is made in writing on
Form 000.653.F0205, Authorized Permit Issuers, by the Project Manager.
P2S Health, Safety & Environmental
Copyright © 2012, P2S. All Rights Reserved.
Page 3 of 6
Origination Date:
October 7, 2011
Revision Date:
Release Authorized by:
Danny Trahan, Safety Director
June
2012
Manual Rev 4
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE
Note:
2.3
When performing a line break in an operating facility, it is a common
requirement to use the facility “line break permit process” instead of the
process described above.
Showers and Barricades
Each employee must be shown the location of the nearest exit, safety shower, and eyewash station before starting
work.
The entire work area and adjacent areas must be barricaded to prevent potential exposure. The volume and pressure
of the system must be considered when placing barricades. Maintain a minimum of a 10-foot (3.1-meter) barricade
around all hot suit jobs.
No unauthorized personnel will be allowed inside barricades. Personnel required to enter barricaded area must be
protected by the same clothing and equipment as the employee(s) making the line break.
2.4
Attendant/Standby Person
It will be the responsibility of the Line Break Permit Issuer to determine if an attendant/standby person is required.
The requirement for an attendant/standby person must be specified on the permit.
2.5
Spill Containment
Spill containment measures will be in place before opening any line or equipment.
3.0
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Required personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing must be indicated on the line break permit. Employees
must be trained in the use of special protective equipment such as air-supplied respirators, self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA), and respirators. PPE must be worn until the line is broken and the system has been cleared.
3.1
Respirators
Respirators must be worn where concentrations of a toxic substance might exceed allowable exposure limits.
3.2
Acid and Hot Suits
Acid and hot suits must consist of chemical resistant rubber boots, pants, jacket, long gauntlet gloves, and hood.
Suits must be constructed of materials designed for the corrosive (acid or base) that is suspected to be present. Acid
suits must be issued to employees through the toolroom or otherwise signed for and returned.



A complete acid suit must be worn when disconnecting and removing lines or
equipment pieces that have contained a corrosive. All chemicals previously contained
in the line will be specified on the Line Break Permit.
P2S Project/Site Management must approve the purchase of acid suits.
To store, hot suits must be hung on hangers so that they are not creased. This action
will reduce the possibility of physical damage.
P2S Health, Safety & Environmental
Copyright © 2012, P2S. All Rights Reserved.
Page 4 of 6
Origination Date:
October 7, 2011
Revision Date:
Release Authorized by:
Danny Trahan, Safety Director
June
2012
Manual Rev 4
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE

Before wearing the acid suit, each employee must be instructed by the supervisor to:
 Inspect suit for physical defects before wearing (a defective suit should not be
worn).
 Inspect suit for leaks by standing under an operating safety shower (if suit leaks, it
is defective or was put on improperly).
 Identify and test safety showers in close proximity to the work.
 While performing assigned work, the hot suit must be kept on until job is finished.
If sprayed with hot liquid, take measures to cool liquid before removing hot suit.
 Decontaminate the suit in designated areas to remove any hazardous material(s)
after performing work and with the suit still on. A procedure to
decontaminate/sanitize suit must be developed at the project/site.
 Properly store suit, after thorough decontamination, in the proper place to make
sure it is not contaminated or physically damaged.
Note:
4.0
Never tuck pant legs of an acid suit inside of rubber boots.
PROCESS
P2S supervision must be present when the first break is made. The client representative should also be present.
Standard practice for breaking a flange is to loosen the bolts on the lower and opposite side from the mechanic,
keeping the bolts nearest the employee tight and allowing the line to separate in a manner that causes any spillage
to flow away from the employee. The flange should then be spread apart. The employee should always be
positioned on the upwind side of the flange being broken.
When a valve bonnet is removed, the line must be drained, and the valve must be placed in the open position before
the bonnet bolts are loosened.
Ball and plug valves may have pressure in the cavity under the stem packing and bonnet, regardless of the position
of the valve and the pressure in adjacent lines. Ball and plug valves that are to be removed from the system must be
opened, closed, and reopened to relieve pressure only after the line is drained.
If a plugged condition is discovered or suspected, work must be stopped immediately, and a plan developed to
dislodge the plug.
Note:
5.0
Spill containment measure will be in place prior to opening any line or
equipment.
REFERENCES
Document ID
Document Title
000.653.1302
Permit to Work
000.653.1304
Pre-Task Planning/Risk Analysis
000.653.3315
Hazardous Energy Control
P2S Health, Safety & Environmental
Copyright © 2012, P2S. All Rights Reserved.
Page 5 of 6
Origination Date:
October 7, 2011
Revision Date:
Release Authorized by:
Danny Trahan, Safety Director
June
2012
Manual Rev 4
FIRST BREAK PROCEDURE
Document ID
Document Title
Forms:
000.653.F0101
Safety Task Assignment
000.653.F0129
Line Break Permit
P2S Health, Safety & Environmental
Copyright © 2012, P2S. All Rights Reserved.
Page 6 of 6