Why Debris Caps Are Critical In the Event of a Water Line Break or Gas Leak
4/2015
A city emergency involving a water main or gas line is an urgent matter that needs to be address right away. A water main or gas line problem can put people and structures in serious danger so time is of the essence when such an emergency arises. To properly and safely access water and gas mains, a trained technician must work quickly, be familiar with what they are looking for, know how to access what they need in a safe manner and have the knowledge to correct the problem. When an emergency happens there is often a lot of stress, chaos and commotion which can make the job of a utility worker even more difficult. And, when working quickly it is easy to accidentally neglect a step, making the situation dangerous for everyone. With the use of debris caps with a lockout mechanism and color coding, it is much easier to access and service water mains and gas lines during an emergency.
When a debris cap is installed its primary use may be to protect pipes and valves from dirt and debris. When dirt and debris collects in pipes and valves it can lead to damage, corrosion and added difficulty when being serviced. But, this is far from the only benefit that dberis caps provide. Debris caps are important for every day maintenance but they also help save important time and increase safety in the event of emergency. Debris caps can be installed with a lockout mechanism that increases safety so significantly that it actually helps companies remain OSHA compliant by protecting their workers. When an emergency occurs utility workers could be in increased danger if they are not able to quickly lock out valves and lines because other workers could also access the same lines simultaneously in error, putting everyone at risk of significant problems. When a debris cap with a lockout option is installed valves and pipes can be quickly and effectively locked out which is an option that has not existed before. This addition, along with color coding, makes finding and accessing necessary pipes and valves easy and safe. Debris caps can be color coded and be located with a 3M locator coil so that when a utility worker needs to find a specific valve or pipe quickly, they can. This also improves worker response time and, when every second counts in an emergency, it is a major benefit to speed worker response time.