Thanks for the comment. You are absolutely right on both points. First, they do serve a 29 CFR 1910.1947 role as a LOTO device; current 1/4 ball valve lockouts on the market are designed for handles that are flat and thin, and most of them would be too large for these regardless. Second, in everyday use in a large teaching lab this is not practical to install and remove dozens of these each day, and many such labs (but not all) are equipped with a master control panel or have access to the main gas cutoff.

In other cases, particularly in high schools and community colleges, some of the rooms are dual use or are labs being used as classrooms where malicious activations or idle playing poses a risk (I have 2 or 3 reports back on that) and mater control access is not otherwise feasible. Or the desire is to have access to these gases only at particular locations within the lab. Or a lab is shut down and being used for storage (again, the accidental box on the bench activation or just preventing unauthorized use). I spoke to someone whose building has an issue with the house vacuum being idly activated as well - it works the pump unnecessarily and reduces the overall vacuum. Not sure about use say, during winter and summer breaks - depends on lab size?

I suppose there are a number of niche user cases one can come up with between academia and industry. Part of the issue is chicken and egg - since there’s never been a product that can do this, one can always argue that we’ve managed without them until now. Which is why we kicked this up a notch so we could explore the use cases.

Thanks for your comments. Additional feedback on or off list is quite welcome and useful!

Best wishes,

Rob

> On May 16, 2024, at 1:01 PM, davivid <davivid**At_Symbol_Here**WELL.COM> wrote:
>
> Hi Rob
>
> This device looks to be more suited to traditional LOTO usage. It would be a pain to have to install this on every gas valve at end of day and remove in the morning. As such, it would be unlikely to have prevented the scenario you mentioned.
>
> Dave Lane
> CSO Zyviva Labs
>
> On 5/15/24 1:03 PM, Info wrote:
>> Years ago someone told me how their high school almost blew up when a worker threw a box on a lab bench in an empty lab and left the room…so it was many hours before anyone realized that a gas valve had been knocked wide open. At least it was something with an odor - what if it had been nitrogen or hydrogen?
>> We’ve never seen a traditional lockout device that can prevent laboratory ball valves from being opened this way. But now we’ve solved that problem once and for all. And we’d really like to get some feedback from the community on this.
>> Safety Emporium and Zing Green Safety Products are proud to announce the Lab-Locks™ Laboratory Ball Valve Lockout Device, the first and only product on the market that can effectively lock out standard laboratory ball valve fixtures such as WaterSaver Faucet Company's L4100 and L4200 product line: https://www.safetyemporium.com/07400 <https://www.safetyemporium.com/07400>;
>> Key features include:
>> * Prevents accidental and malicious activation of 1/4 turn ball valve
>> fixtures by firmly locking the lever handle in the 90° off position.
>> * Works on all services such as natural gas, vacuum, water, nitrogen,
>> carbon dioxide, etc. regardless of pressure.
>> * Works on all fixtures mounted in any orientation: deck
>> (turret-mounted), wall/panel-mounted, undermount etc.
>> * The simple clamshell design installs and removes in seconds without
>> tools.
>> * The device works on multi-service fixtures with 1, 2, 3, and 4
>> outlets such as the L4200-134WSA without crowding or interference
>> (purchase as many devices as you have valves on the fixture).
>> * The design does not interfere with the hose barb or outlet connected
>> to the valve. No disassembly of your apparatus is required.
>> * The universal design locks valves out to the right or left side.
>> * Designed and manufactured in the USA by safety professionals with
>> years of lockout and laboratory expertise.
>> * Locks with a padlock (sold separately) or cable lockout device for
>> lockout operations or use a heavy-duty tag tie for tagout applications.
>> * Constructed of tough PETG plastic which will never corrode nor react
>> with or scratch the fixture finish.
>> We also offer this as a kit with a pouch, a padlock, the device, two tags, and two ties: https://www.safetyemporium.com/07401 <https://www.safetyemporium.com/07401>;
>> We’re looking for general comments, use case thoughts, requests for more comprehensive kits, anecdotes involving accidental or malicious activations, and, of course, end user feedback if any of you try these out. I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have.
>> Thanks in advance,
>> Rob Toreki
>> President
>> Safety Emporium
>> ======================================================
>> Safety Emporium - Lab & Safety Supplies featuring brand names
>> you know and trust. Visit us at https://www.SafetyEmporium.com <http://www.safetyemporium.com/>;
>> esales**At_Symbol_Here**safetyemporium.com <mailto:esales**At_Symbol_Here**safetyemporium.com> or toll-free: (866) 326-5412
>> Fax: (856) 553-6154, PO Box 1003, Blackwood, NJ 08012
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