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Parent Category: Safety Info Posts

Category: Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

Published: 17 July 2019

Most anyone who has spent a day inside an industrial facility has seen a "Chicago Coupling" or as some may call it, a "crows-foot", although they may have never heard the phrase that describes this device...

Photo Source: chicagocoupling.com

Having been raised as a safety engineer in the petrochem industry I learned early on that this was a [low-pressure] "water hose" of industrial-grade - NOTHING MORE.  A few companies allowed this fitting to be used on LOW-pressure airlines (e.g. <150psi), but when used for low-pressure air it had to be PINNED and EQUIPPED with a "whip check"...

Photo Source: capitalrubber.com

So let's discuss why this fitting is to NEVER EVER be used on a process containing a HHC/EHS - even for draining or venting!

First and foremost...

(NOTE:  this is not a "Haywood" rule, this is using our First Line of RAGAGEP - manufacturer's instructions; which I share all my sources directly from the manufacturer to make the case that we MUST STOP using this connector for work within our PSM/RMP processes)

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