Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy...........................................................................................1 Lockout/tagout: Roles of employees.............................................................................................1 When are locks and tags required? ................................................................................................2 Special situations ..............................................................................................................................3 Best practice: Document your program and procedures .............................................................4

Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

ockout/Tagout refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or start-up of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities. Every year, people are killed on the job by activated machinery. Many of those deaths could have been prevented by following lockout/tagout procedures to turn off machinery that is being serviced or repaired. Here are some real-life examples: N An untrained worker was feeding scrap cardboard into a shredder. When the shredder jammed, he tried to fix it without turning off the machine. His arm got caught, was pulled into the shredder, and he bled to death. N A worker was inside a cement mixer, cleaning it. Another worker, who didnt know anyone was inside the machine, turned it on and the worker inside was killed. These tragic examples of accidental death could have been prevented by following and understanding OSHAs lockout/tagout standard at 29 CFR 1910.147. These examples also make it clear that everyone has to be aware of the importance of shutting off power to machinery when its being fixed, cleaned, or maintained. Even if you dont operate heavy equipment, you could accidentally get in its way if its not properly disconnected.
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Lockout/tagout: Roles of employees

Do your employees understand the role of different employees under lockout/tagout? You can explain these roles and responsibilities using the basic information that follows. OSHA requires employers to have formal lockout/tagout programs and procedures. According to OSHA regulations, the following employees must be trained in energy hazards and lockout/tagout procedures: Authorized employees are those who service and maintain machinery and equipment.

Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

Affected employees are the ones who operate machinery and equipment but do not service and maintain them. If you do both, you must be trained as an authorized employee. Finally, other employees also need to be trained. These are workers who do not service or operate equipment, but who work nearby and need to know about energy hazards and control procedures for their protection. As an affected employee, you do not actually carry out lockout/tagout procedures, but you do have important safety responsibilities related to these procedures. Depending on whether you are a machine operator or just someone working nearby, you must fulfill some or all of the following responsibilities:
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N Notify maintenance when equipment needs to be serviced or repaired; N Leave all lockout/tagout devices in place while authorized employees are servicing or repairing machinery; N Wait for authorized employees to tell you it is OK before using equipment;

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N Verify that equipment is safe to operate after servicing or repairs have been completed and locks and tags have been removed; N And finally, follow all safety rules when operating machinery or equipment or when working around machinery or equipment.

When are locks and tags required?

Do your employees know when lockout/tagout procedures must be used in their work? Any machinery or equipment that contains or stores hazardous energy is subject to lockout/tagout. Examples include: N Presses; N Power saws; N Conveyors; N Pumps; N Production equipment; and N Trash compactors. Take a moment to think about the machinery and equipment in your workplace that is subject to lockout/tagout.

Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

When should lockout /tagout devices and procedures be used? They must be used: N Whenever machinery or equipment is being serviced, maintained, or repaired; N When hazardous energy exists, such as electricity from a service outlet, a generator, or a battery; and N Whenever unexpected start-up could occur, such as if a machine operator were to start up a machine without realizing it was being serviced by another worker. Authorized employees must consider all possible sources of hazardous energy when they are servicing or repairing equipment. They can never afford to take chances with your safety or their own by failing to observe lockout/tagout requirements. The rule they must follow is: When in doubt, lock it out! All lockout and tagout devices must be: N Durable and capable of withstanding the environment theyre in; N Standardized by color, size, and shape so that they are more easily recognized; N Substantial enough so that they cannot be accidentally removed; and N Identifiable as safety devices with a legend that uses phrases such as Do Not Operate, Do Not Start, or Do Not Energize.

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Special situations
You will inevitably encounter special situations that may make your lockout/tagout program more difficult to administer. Shift changes are one such situation. If servicing lasts more than one shift, lockout/tagout protection CANNOT be interrupted. Original authorized employees will remove their lock and the incoming employees will place theirs on the isolating device. If the first employee leaves before the replacements arrival, a supervisor may place the lock on to ensure safety. Additionally, the incoming authorized employee must verify that all energy sources are locked out before beginning work. There are some other exceptions in the lockout/tagout process as well. For example, work can occur on a cord and plug of the equipment if it is unplugged, the plug remains within arms reach during servicing, and the authorized employee has exclusive control of the plug.

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Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

The other exception is if guards arent removed or bypassed and are effective in preventing worker exposure to hazards created by the unexpected energization or start-up of machines or equipment or the release of energy. Additionally, many companies have equipment-specific lockout/ tagout processes. Equipment- specific lockout/tagout forms must be completed by the supervisor and/or the authorized employee. All equipment-specific procedures must be easily accessible or posted directly on the equipment. Procedures must be updated when new equipment is installed, new energy sources are added to a facility or individual equipment, the magnitude of an energy source changes, or when designated isolation points change. Remember: When in doubt, lock it out!
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Best practice: Document your program and procedures

As an employer, you are required to establish written procedures for locking out the piece of machinery or equipment that will be worked on and to provide training for all employees who might be injured if those procedures are not properly followed.

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Necessary procedures
There are many types of energy sourcesincluding electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal. The locking out of a potential release of energy from any one of these sources requires an appropriate device such as a lock and key or a combination lock. Tags may be substituted only when a lockout device is not available; a tag may also be attached to a lock as an additional reminder that the lockout is in effect. Your required written procedure must include specific steps for: N Shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy; N The placement, removal, and transfer of lockout or tagout devices, and the responsibility for them; and N Testing the machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of any control measures used. The program also establishes required characteristics of the lockout devices; for example, they must: N Be the only type used for energy control and must not be used for any other purpose;
Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy 4

N Be capable of withstanding the environment to which they are exposed for the maximum expected period of exposure; N Be substantial enough to prevent removal without the use of excessive force or unusual technique; and N Indicate the identity of the employee applying the device.

Train employees
Employers must provide training to ensure that their employees understand the purpose and function of the energy control program and acquire the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls. Your training must include the following: N Authorized employees (those who do the locking out in order to perform servicing or maintenance on the machine or equipment) must receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control. N Affected employees (those whose jobs require them to operate or use a machine or equipment under lockout) must be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure. N All other employees (those whose work operations are or may be in an area where energy control procedures may be used) must be instructed about the procedure and about the prohibition relating to attempts to restart or reenergize machines or equipment that are locked or tagged out. Retraining must be provided for all authorized and affected employees whenever: N There is a change in their job assignments, in machines, equipment, or processes that present a new hazard, or in the energy control procedures. N A periodic inspection reveals, or you have reason to believe, that there are deviations from or inadequacies in the employees knowledge or use of the energy control procedures. The retraining must reestablish employee proficiency and introduce new or revised control methods and procedures, as necessary. You are also required to certify that employee training has been accomplished and is being kept up to date. The certification must contain each employees name and dates of training.
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Accuform Signs is a manufacturer of stock and custom safety signs, tags, labels and lockout devices. Accuforms innovative brand of STOPOUT Lockout/Tagout items help protect workers on a daily basis.
www.accuform.com/STOPOUT

Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

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