Streamlining repetitive task concerning clearances while maintaining safety.

1.  What is your site doing concerning multiple temporary lifts of clearances for work activities that are of limited scope and duration? The use of eSOMS controls our temp lifts.  It is OPS policy that all temp lifts utilize concurrent verification for lifting and re-hanging the hold tags and our clearance and tagging procedure limits the duration of the temp lift to one shift (cannot be turned over) without Shift Supervisor approval. 

2.  Is there any equipment allowed to be worked on safely only under work orders that require energy isolation point(s) which are controlled by the work order? 

 I&C will perform fill and vent of pressure and level transmitters after maintenance without clearance.

Some filter changes are isolated by procedure and performed using approved work sequence.  These changes are only allowed when line-of-sight control can be maintained on all isolation points. 

 3.  Does your clearance process use a line-of-sight for a control point and how is this controlled? Â  (Line-of-sight is where the isolation point is NOT danger tagged because the isolation point is accessible, visible to, and under the sole control of the worker performing the activity requiring the isolation). 

 At this time, I am not aware of any activities that use both clearance and Line-of-sight to control isolation.  It has been discussed to use this for filters that have the pump hand switch on one elevation, discharge valve on another and all the other valves at the filter.  In this case the pump would be shut down and isolated per tagout, and the filter isolated per the work sequence of the approved work order with tagging clearance held by the workers. 

4.  Are maintenance personnel allowed to hang or help hang any clearance tags and under what circumstances?  If did use maintenance personnel, were they allowed to position any breaker, fuse or valve and hanging the clearance tag(s). Electrical maintenance performs tagging for 4160V breakers when they are to be removed from the cubicle for tag out or have been removed from the cubicle for tag in.  EM performs breaker operations for Tagouts for electrical maintenance work.  EM also performs breaker racking activities for areas where CPR trained personnel are required to respond within 4 minutes that Health Physics cannot support.  Maintenance lifts leads, and pulls fuses where fuses are not in a fuse holder.  OPS performs all valve clearance operations with the exception of instrument isolation valves down stream of root valves.