Once again, the instructions need to be detailed so that there is no chance of the worker getting confused by vague statements and forgetting an important step. It could be electricity, gas, steam, or any other source. This means that you should shut down the main source of hazardous energy that the machine uses. This process must be clear in your documentation. This usually involved flicking the power switch, but the employee should check the exact detail for every piece of machinery. The authorized employee should take the necessary steps as outlined in the procedures to shut down the machine. You should inform them when the service or maintenance work will occur, how long it is expected to last, and workarounds they may need to use if it is unavailable for an extended period. When you take a piece of equipment out of operation, this affects your colleagues and how they work. They should also know how to control that energy before they begin the process. When the authorized employee comes to service the equipment, they must be fully up to speed on the hazards in question, including the types of hazardous energy they will encounter. Specific requirements for testing machines to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures.Īnother key factor in your preparation for your LOTO procedures is to train all authorized employees in the relevant procedures and in assessing hazards and avoiding them.Specific steps designating the safe placement, removal, and transfer of lockout/tagout devices and identifying who has responsibility for the lockout/tagout devices and.Specific procedural steps to shut down, isolate, block, and secure machines.A statement on how to use the procedures.See this sample LOTO policy to get a better idea.Īs a minimum, OSHA expects you to provide employees with the following information: Following that, you should document the location of the equipment, how to safely shut it down and start it up again, as well as noting anything else that will keep workers safe when maintaining it. This involves highlighting which machinery requires which protocols and which job roles are responsible for proper lockout/tagout. The very first thing a business should do is create its hazardous energy policy. Preparation is key when beginning the Lockout/Tagout procedures. This, by the way, makes it a great safety meeting topic for manufacturing. The LOTO plan protects employees against hazardous energy sources while performing maintenance or servicing. This is based on the industry in which they work and the types of machinery they use. OSHA requires that employers develop and implement an energy control program that is relevant to their needs. In the words of OSHA, a LOTO program prevents “unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.” Understanding OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy Regulation What are OSHA’s requirements? The regulation only lays down rules for shutting down machinery, de-energizing the equipment, and labeling it appropriately.Ī Lockout/Tagout procedure helps prevent injuries such as: Based on OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy Regulation, LOTO programs vary between industries and companies. The purpose of a lockout/tagout program is to help control hazardous energy and prevent workplace incidents. VII) References and further reading The Purpose of Lockout/Tagout (LOTO Safety) With workers exposed to hazardous energy needing an average of 24 days away from work for recuperation, it is easy to see why this is so important.With 3 million workers across the U.S charged with regularly servicing mechanical equipment and an estimated 10% of all industry safety incidents occurring as a result of a failure to properly lock down machinery, lockout/tagout is a key best practice that protects the workforce in this country. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that, by adhering to proper lockout/tagout standards, companies prevent 120 fatalities and as many as 50,000 injuries per year. The numbers back this common-sense argument. This is why you need a setlist of lockout/tagout steps to release that stored energy and label the equipment adequately so no one uses it while you are at work. Also, the machinery may contain stored energy, whether electrical, hydraulic, or mechanical, that could launch it into operation and trap you. There is a risk that someone could unknowingly power it up again, causing injury to you. This can prove to be dangerous, even if you ensure that you switch the appliance off before you begin. It is a fact of life that when you work with machinery, you will have to conduct repairs and maintenance on a regular basis.
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