# Lock out/Tag out (LOTO) Direct bury valves



## CommercialSuper (Mar 30, 2012)

Gentlemen, 

Have you seen a device available to lock out/tag out an installed/existing underground/direct bury valve? 

For example, I am working on a large industrial complex and need to do some work on an active water line. It is isolated by one valve. How do I sucessfully complete LOTO proceedures. I have never seen anything for direct bury valves, only above ground ball valves/gate valves/circuit breakers. 


Thanks in advance.


----------



## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Don't quite understand the problem/question.

Look here, they have a bunch of stuff:

http://www.panduit.com/wcs/Satellit...on_id=2530&locale=en_us&pagename=PG_Wrapper#1


----------



## Jlynn (Oct 22, 2012)

The company I used to work at does a bunch of waterline work and what they used to do worked for us. If the valve has a valve can? The foreman had the mechanic take a piece of steel pipe that fit in the can over the valve and it had a piece of steel over the top so you couldn't get a valve key onto the valve. It's kind of a backwoods thing but it always worked, if someone tried to turn it on they came and found us to see what was up.


----------



## CommercialSuper (Mar 30, 2012)

I'm looking for something along these lines without the backwoods. Maybe I'll pay a fabricator to have some made up and painted/labled. 

I was hoping to buy them off the shelf though

Thanks



Jlynn said:


> The company I used to work at does a bunch of waterline work and what they used to do worked for us. If the valve has a valve can? The foreman had the mechanic take a piece of steel pipe that fit in the can over the valve and it had a piece of steel over the top so you couldn't get a valve key onto the valve. It's kind of a backwoods thing but it always worked, if someone tried to turn it on they came and found us to see what was up.


----------



## CommercialSuper (Mar 30, 2012)

Griz, 

I want to make a valve "secure" and unable for someone to turn it on/off without someone physically cutting my lock off. (prevent idiots from turning on an 8" line when I am working down stream 1000' away) 

I have a valve cover that looks like this: 









and I have a valve buried about 4-5 feet below that looks like this: 









The pipe idea above is decent, but I was hoping for a premanufactured solution. 

The stuff you quoted is all for valves that are accessible, not buried valves. 


griz said:


> Don't quite understand the problem/question.
> 
> Look here, they have a bunch of stuff:
> 
> http://www.panduit.com/wcs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Panduit_Global%2FPG_Layout&cid=1345564329083&packedargs=classification_id%3D2530%26locale%3Den_us&pagename=PG_Wrapper#1


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Not trying to derail thread. But why the hell would you bury a valve anyway and not have it accessible? I just don't know.


----------



## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

CommercialSuper said:


> Griz,
> 
> I want to make a valve "secure" and unable for someone to turn it on/off without someone physically cutting my lock off. (prevent idiots from turning on an 8" line when I am working down stream 1000' away)
> 
> ...


How about a piece of flat bar and a couple of Tapcons....


----------



## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

just put a barricade over the valve boxes, with a sign in english and espanol on it saying..."fvck with this valve, you sing soprano"


----------



## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

griz said:


> How about a piece of flat bar and a couple of Tapcons....


although, i think your idea is MUCH better, and be cheap to do too!


----------



## CommercialSuper (Mar 30, 2012)

dayexco said:


> although, i think your idea is MUCH better, and be cheap to do too!


I haven't paved yet. So it'd have to hold up in dirt. 

Maybe driving rebar? The issue is the facility needs to be able to readily access it/operate it under emergency. Think valve installed as part of a long term project on a bypass line.


----------



## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

So get some 1" or 1-1/2" iron pipe of suitable length.
Threaded on one end.
Install pipe cap.
Drive pipes into dirt, caps up.
One on either side of valve cover.
Drill small hole in cap to accept large self tapping screw.
Use a piece of flat bar to span distance across pipe caps.
Drill flat bar & install self tappers to hold in place.:thumbsup:

I believe you are trying to prevent the inadvertent use of the valve and not provide a means that would rival tag out/lock out at a nuclear facility.


----------



## S.R.E. (Apr 8, 2010)

The local city uses Red paper of some sort with writing on it that says something like "do not shut off". They place it in the top and place the lid on top. Here is something that looks like it would work pretty good.http://www.pollardwater.com/pages_product/DC400.asp


----------



## CommercialSuper (Mar 30, 2012)

S.R.E. said:
 

> The local city uses Red paper of some sort with writing on it that says something like "do not shut off". They place it in the top and place the lid on top. Here is something that looks like it would work pretty good.http://www.pollardwater.com/pages_product/DC400.asp


This is precisely what I've been looking for. Thank you for finding it for me I haven't been able to on my own. 

Gris, the facility is not not nuclear, but it is medical. Unscheduled interruptions of utilities could = death. Not something I want on my conscience. At least this gives me a bit of piece of mind


----------



## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

man, they've got a lousy backup plan...what happens if a pump fails, pipe fails..a contractor like Rino tears through it? people die?


----------



## CommercialSuper (Mar 30, 2012)

dayexco said:


> man, they've got a lousy backup plan...what happens if a pump fails, pipe fails..a contractor like Rino tears through it? people die?


Yes potentially. That's why I'm installing their redundant system an tying in to the existing


----------



## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

Looks like these guys have them, but kind of pricey for the 48".
http://www.protechamerica.com/


----------



## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

DuMass said:


> Looks like these guys have them, but kind of pricey for the 48".
> http://www.protechamerica.com/


be a heavy s.o.b. to drop down a 7' deep box


----------



## SixHoeBob (Jan 26, 2013)

Morning Wood said:


> Not trying to derail thread. But why the hell would you bury a valve anyway and not have it accessible? I just don't know.


If the valves were above ground they would tend to gut cars. Kind of like having 3-4 iron tree stumps at every intersection. And the water would tend to get stiff in the winter time. Most every metal caps in a roadway or yard is a lid to some type of valve with the exception of 
manholes and meter pits. The valves are in-line, therefore they are buried at the same depth as the utilty they are controling.


----------



## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I get it. I was being too literal. I envisioned a valve with fill all around it. 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L8zVhl1SS60


----------

