PACKAGED ICE, INC.

/REDDY ICE
PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT PREVENTION PROGRAM

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES – LINE AND EQUIPMENT OPENING/OIL DRAINING PROCEDURE

SOP-7
Line and Equipment Opening / Oil Draining Procedure

Objective This procedure is established to describe the Safe Work Practice for safely opening lines and
equipment for maintenance and turnaround.
Purpose The purpose of this Safe Work Practice is to provide the procedures for safely opening lines and
equipment in the ammonia refrigeration system. The steps in this procedure are to be followed when
opening an ammonia line or connected equipment to inspect, remove, repair, clean, or reinstall the line
or connected equipment. Examples of operations which could be considered line opening are:
Removing a strainer basket
Working on a transfer pump seal
Removing a valve from a transfer line for repair
Draining oil from an oil trap reservoir
Concerns Whenever ammonia refrigeration lines and equipment are taken out of service, care must be taken to
prevent accidental leakage of ammonia. To minimize potential leakage from lines and equipment that
contain ammonia, they should be pumped out before being opened. It should be assumed that the line
or equipment could contain liquid ammonia unless absolutely proven otherwise. Among the incidents
we are trying to prevent are:
Injury to operator(s) during the line and equipment opening procedure
Potential fire and explosion due to attaining a flammable atmosphere and providing an ignition source
Department Engineering
Operator/ Plant Engineer - Mike Cannon
Responsibility Plant Manager - Steve Waters
Equipment / One controlled pressure receivers located at southwest corner of facility behind evaporative
Location condensers. Five screw compressors, in the engine room on the west end of the facility. One low temp
recirculator in the engine room. One high temperature recirculator in the engine room. Ten Vogt tube
ice machines in the icemaker room. Four evaporative condensers outside the southwest side of the
engine room. Two evaporators in the storage freezer. Four evaporators in the blast freezer. Three
evaporators in the rake room equipment. .
Related Inspection and Maintenance Records – in the Plant Engineer’s office.
documents System Log Book – in the Plant Engineer’s office.
Manufacturer's Installation and Operations documents – in the Plant Engineers office.
Block Diagrams – in the PSM/RMP Program document –Plant Engineers office.
P&IDs - in the PSM/RMP Program document – Plant Engineers office.
Ammonia MSDS – in Right to Know notebook located in the hall at battery charging station.
Copies of all documents – Plant Managers office.
Initial SOP October 2002
development date
Authorized by
Revision No. 0
Annual Review
by

REDDY ICE-DALLAS SOP 7 Page 1 Original Date: October 2002

Revision Date: __________
PACKAGED ICE, INC./REDDY ICE
PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT PREVENTION PROGRAM

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES – LINE AND EQUIPMENT OPENING/OIL DRAINING PROCEDURE

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Task Flow
|
Preparation
|
Assemble equipment
|
Line and equipment opening procedures
|
Oil trap draining procedures

Task Step Comment

Preparation 1. Be familiar with the emergency response procedures for
the facility.
2. Know the location of the nearest eye wash/safety shower.

3. Know the location of the valves, which would be closed to

isolate the line/equipment in an emergency.
4. Be familiar with ammonia first aid procedures.
5. Be familiar with the lockout / tag out procedures.
Assemble equipment 6. Before going to the line and equipment opening Work smart and safe! Do not cut
procedures, assemble the following equipment: any corners.
Elbow length rubber gloves Use the correct tools, material,
Splash goggles and face shield and parts.
Clean bucket containing water
Valve wheel wrench for closing and opening valves
Closed valve markers and locks
Emergency service bucket containing a full face type gas
mask, eye wash bottle, pipe wrench
Line and equipment 1. Notify personnel and supervisors in the area that line and
opening procedures equipment opening procedures are to be carried out.
2. Ensure that a backup person (buddy-system) is available
for the remainder of these procedures.
3. Close and tag the isolation valve(s) in the liquid supply Consult the P&IDs to verify which
line and in the hot gas line for the lines/equipment to be taken valves need to be closed to
out of service. isolate the lines/equipment.
4. If the lines/equipment to be isolated are located on the
discharge side of a pump or compressor, lockout and tag the
pump or compressor motor disconnect.

REDDY ICE-DALLAS SOP 7 Page 2 Original Date: October 2002

Revision Date: __________
PACKAGED ICE, INC./REDDY ICE
PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT PREVENTION PROGRAM

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES – LINE AND EQUIPMENT OPENING/OIL DRAINING PROCEDURE

5. When possible use system suction to evacuate the line/

equipment. If the line/equipment is not connected to a suction
line, then using a hose properly approved, verified to be with in
date and is for ammonia service work to the low suction side of
the system, and evacuates the residual liquid ammonia.
6. After most of the frost has disappeared and the gauge
reads zero psig, the liquid should be gone from the line/
equipment. Close the valve and then remove hose, then
reopen the hand valve to the atmosphere to verify there is no
vapor present. Leave the valve port open and install tag
showing valve is open so no pressure can rebuild in
line/equipment.
7. When you have proven there is no residual vapor
present in the line/equipment by open the valve port to the
atmosphere, the work or procedure may begin.
8. After maintenance or procedure is complete, slowly and
carefully, allow gas only from the suction side or hot gas line to
flow into the line/equipment so any leaks can be detected prior
to introducing any liquid ammonia back into the line/equipment.
Remove all safety tags place all valves back into the open
position and follow any associated SOP startup procedure that
may be involved.

Oil trap draining 1. As the ammonia is compressed and the gas flows out to This is a common occurrence in
procedures the system there will be a certain amount of compressor a mechanical refrigeration
lubrication oil transferred into the refrigeration system piping. system and this procedure,
The oil draining procedure is necessary to maintain system while done on a periodic basis,
efficiency and integrity. By system design there are oil still needs to be handled with
collection points at which oil can be retrieved. This procedure great caution, as the system will
provides a guideline to ensure that draining oil from pot is done be under pressure. As always,
safely, with minimal ammonia release to the atmosphere. treat ammonia with respect.
2. There are numerous locations where oil pots will need to
be drained on a regular basis. Most of these locations will be Verify that your system oil drain
found on the “low pressure” side of our system. This means pots have safety relief valve
that there should only be approximately 30 pounds of ammonia protection installed. Never
pressure pushing the oil out of the system. Pay close attention isolate oil pots that are not
to the frost or the lack of frost on the oil collection pot. When equipped with a safety relief
there is no frost present, this indicates the pot is full of oil and valve.
requires draining. Note that when the pot is empty the pot will
be completely covered with frost and does not require draining.

REDDY ICE-DALLAS SOP 7 Page 3 Original Date: October 2002

Revision Date: __________
PACKAGED ICE, INC./REDDY ICE
PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT PREVENTION PROGRAM

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES – LINE AND EQUIPMENT OPENING/OIL DRAINING PROCEDURE

3. At each location where oil is to be drained, there will be a A safety spring type closing
small diameter pipe (typically ½”) that is pointed downward with drain valve is, by far, much
a hand valve immediately before it. The pipe is pointed safer than a hand valve that
downward so that oil may be collected by means of a bucket. must be turned to open and or
to close.
4. If there is a cap or plug after the hand isolation valve, For steps 4 through 10, always
remove the safety plug or cap slowly from the end of the small be in a position on the updraft
diameter drainpipe. Residual ammonia could be present if the side of the oil drain bucket and
isolation valve were to leak, (This plug is in place to prevent an wear gloves, and a full-face
accidental release of ammonia) respirator.
5. Position a bucket under the drainpipe to catch the oil you
are about to drain. This bucket should be able to sit firmly on
the floor or ground, as the majority of our drain points are
located at floor level.
6. If the spring type self-closing valve is not installed or DO NOT, FOR ANY REASON,
is damaged one should be acquired and installed TAMPER WITH VALVE
immediately. In most cases you will get a lot of foam, SAFETY CLOSING SPRING
continuously allow foam to settle. FEATURE OR FORCE VALVE
INTO THE OPEN POSITION
WHILE DRAINING OIL!
7. Allow the oil to continue draining slowly. As the oil drains
and the pot empties you will notice there will be some short
bursts of “foamy” oil that appears to have some gas or liquid
mixed with it. This indicates that the majority of the oil has been
drained and the valve can be closed.
8. Close the valve and re-insert the safety plug.

9. Carry the bucket of oil to the used oil container, located

under the condensers, in the parking lot at the southwest corner
of the building.
10. Carefully pour the oil into the used oil container.

REDDY ICE-DALLAS SOP 7 Page 4 Original Date: October 2002

Revision Date: __________