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ComplianceGlossary Term

Hazardous Energy Isolation

The process of controlling dangerous energy sources—electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical—before maintenance or repair work begins. Subcontractors must follow the site owner's lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures or risk losing site access. Non-compliance can void your contract and trigger serious liability.

Related Terms

Confined Space Attendant

Compliance

A trained worker stationed outside a permit-required confined space to monitor entrants and conditions. They maintain communication with the entry team and initiate rescue procedures if hazards arise. Subcontractors must supply a qualified attendant or face work stoppages and liability on site.

Process Safety

Compliance

The discipline focused on preventing uncontrolled releases of hazardous materials or energy that could cause fires, explosions, or toxic events. Subcontractors working near pressurised systems or chemicals must understand site-specific process hazards before starting work. Non-compliance can result in immediate removal from site and liability exposure.

IDLH (Immediately Dangerous To Life and Health)

Compliance

An IDLH condition is any environment that poses an immediate threat to a worker's life or ability to self-rescue. Subcontractors must halt work and evacuate personnel when IDLH levels are detected. Entering an IDLH atmosphere requires supplied-air respirators and a trained standby rescue team.

Orphaned Well

Compliance

A well whose owner has abandoned it without completing proper decommissioning or reclamation. Regulators may hire subcontractors to remediate these sites under government-funded closure programmes. Verify liability terms carefully before mobilising, as responsibility chains can be unclear.

Pressure-Retaining Components

Compliance

Parts that contain or seal pressurised fluids, such as valves, flanges, pipes, and pressure vessels. Subcontractors working on these parts must meet strict code compliance, including ASME or CSA certification requirements. Uninspected or improperly repaired components can trigger site shutdowns and liability exposure.

NSR (New Source Review)

Compliance

A U.S. pre-construction air permitting process triggered when new or modified industrial facilities exceed emissions thresholds. Subcontractors working on facility expansions or new builds may face project delays until NSR approval is granted. Understanding NSR timelines helps field crews anticipate mobilisation schedules on affected sites.

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