Do you have pneumatic applications in your facility that need to be energy isolated to keep your employees safe? Do you require both PLC controlled and manually actuated lockout devices? Are you sure that proper lockout/tag out procedures are being followed when servicing your pneumatic machines? Are standard ball valves being used to shut off the pneumatic supply that can trap pneumatic pressure in your components? Does your isolation device verify that pressure in the system has been relieved? Do you need to isolate machines, but also need to use stainless steel due to wash down or chemical compatibility? If any of these situations apply to your facility the Parker LV or EZ valves may be the answer to these applications.
Parker’s LV series of valves offer a dedicated isolation device with a full size exhaust port. Each of the valves have pressure verification port installed as a standard and can only be locked in the off position to ensure the valve can be quickly actuated in an emergency. The valves bodies are bright yellow with a red handle to help your employees find the valves quickly in an emergency. The valves are offered in sizes of ¼” – 2” NPT or BSPP and can also be supplied in stainless steel for corrosive applications.
The EZ series of valves come with the same great standard offerings ass the LV series, but they add a soft start function with an adjustable needle valve located in the handle. This allows your system to slowly come up to pressure to help your components from slamming into place which saves wear and tear on your components and also makes for a more safe environment when starting up your pneumatic system. These valves are easily identifiable with a large blue dot located on the body of the valve.
Parkers LV & EZ lock-out valves adhere to the requirements for OSHA 1910.147 lockout/tag out procedures. They also have a built-in port for pressure verification to meet ANSI B11 & PMMI B155 for packaging applications. In addition the exhaust port is of equal or greater size than the supply port to ensure maximum flow of exhausted pressure. The stainless steel versions of the valves are designed to mete NACE MRO175/ISO15156 for corrosive environments. LV and EZ valves are rated for temperatures up to 175 degrees F and 300 PSIG.
These valves require delivery of dry and clean (5 micron or better) to ensure optimal operation. However, always be sure to use high flow mufflers and silencers to ensure system pressure is evacuated as quickly as possible. Also, ensure that the lockout valves are installed after the pneumatic pressure regulator and filter since some pneumatic components do not allow for backflow and could trap pneumatic pressure downstream of their location.
Whether you are a machine builder making sure you are delivering safe systems that adhere to OSHA, ANSI or NACE requirements, or you are looking to make your facilities pneumatic systems more safe for your employees, the Parker LV and EZ valves are a great choice for these applications. Let us know how we can help you to make your pneumatic systems safer for you and your customers.
To view a recording of our recent Webinar discussing Machine Safety, presented by Linda Caron of Parker Hannifin, visit https://bit.ly/https://bit.ly/SafeWeb1