Unregisterd wrote:
We build automation machinery, we have been adding "Air Dump" valves to our machines to make them safe whenever the machine is estopped. It sounds like this may be over-kill, as far as safety goes. If we were to follow the OSHA "Lockout/Tagout" procedures, we wouldn't have to dump the air source to our machine, or would we ??
I'm gonna go out on limb here and try to address this.
No, you don't "have to have an air dump valve" to meet OSHA guidelines.
But that said let me explain.
OSHA is looking for the equipement to have a means by which stored energy can be and is released when the equipment is to be worked on. Typically this is when maintenance is to be done.
Furthermore, in an emergency situation, equipment should be designed such that these energy sources are controlled to prevent injury. This is where the e-stop controlled dump-valve usually comes in to play. When used, the machine should be designed to releive presure via the dump-valve without introducing unexpected and uncontrolled movement (like a nip roll shooting up, for instance).
But as far as being required, no, they are not. So long as lock-out equipment is provided, means by which stored energy can be released or controlled, and affected personnel are properly trained, OSHA guidelines (in this aspect) are met.
Please keep in mind that I am not trying to offer a quantitative interpretation of the OSHA code but only to answer whether a dump-valve is "required".
Steve