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Write a safe work procedure for Lockout/tagout procedures

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Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Safe Work Procedure =========================================

Document Number: \[SWP-NUMBER]

Revision Date: \[DATE]

Next Review Date: \[NEXT REVIEW DATE]

Department: \[DEPARTMENT NAME]

1\. Scope


This safe work procedure outlines the requirements for lockout/tagout (LOTO) to ensure machinery and equipment are properly isolated and de-energized, preventing hazardous energy release and complying with safety regulations.

2\. Definitions


Authorized Employee A person who has been properly trained to perform lockout/tagout procedures on machinery or equipment that is to be serviced. [7]

Affected Employee A person who operates the machinery or equipment, but does not perform the lockout procedures, or a person who works in the area where machine or equipment maintenance is being done. [7]

Hazardous Energy Any energy source that, if not isolated or controlled, could create a hazard. Common energy sources are electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment that can be hazardous to workers. [1]

Lockout Device A device that positively holds energy isolating devices or measures in a safe position to prevent the re-energizing of equipment. It can be a key or combination lock, or blank flanges in piping. It includes a tag or other notice that identifies the person authorized to remove the lock. [8] [8] [8]

Tagout Device Prominent warning devices securely fastened to energy-isolation devices to warn employees not to re-energize equipment being serviced. Tagout devices are easier to remove and provide employees with less protection than lockout devices. [6] [6]

3\. Responsibilities


3\.1 Supervisors

  • Ensure all workers are trained and competent in LOTO procedures.
  • Provide necessary LOTO equipment and devices.
  • Enforce adherence to this safe work procedure.

3\.2 Workers

  • Follow all LOTO procedures as outlined in this document.
  • Report any unsafe conditions or equipment to supervisors.
  • Participate in LOTO training and refresher courses.

4\. Potential Hazards and Risks


HazardRiskControl Measures
Unexpected startup or energization of equipmentSerious injury or death to workers performing maintenance or service.Implement a comprehensive Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) program that complies with regulatory standards. Ensure proper energy isolation, locking, and tagging procedures are followed.
Release of stored energy (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal) [4]Burns, electrocution, crushing injuries, or exposure to hazardous substances.Identify and relieve all stored energy before starting work. This may involve grounding electrical circuits, bleeding hydraulic or pneumatic systems, and releasing spring tension.
Inadequate training and communication [1] [6]Incorrect LOTO procedures, leading to equipment startup or energy release.Provide thorough training to all authorized and affected employees. Ensure clear communication and understanding of LOTO procedures, including the purpose and function of the energy control program.
Use of incorrect or damaged LOTO equipmentFailure of LOTO devices, resulting in unexpected equipment startup.Regularly inspect and maintain LOTO devices. Ensure that only approved and properly functioning devices are used. Replace any damaged or defective equipment immediately.
Unauthorized removal of LOTO devicesEquipment startup while servicing is in progress, leading to injury.Implement strict procedures for the removal of LOTO devices. Only the authorized employee who applied the device should remove it. If this is not possible, follow a documented procedure involving verification and notification.
Failure to verify energy isolation [4]Exposure to hazardous energy due to ineffective isolation.Always verify that the energy source has been effectively isolated before starting work. This may involve testing circuits, checking pressure gauges, and visually inspecting equipment.
Group Lockout/Tagout complexities [3]Lack of coordination and accountability in multi-person LOTO scenarios.Designate a primary authorized employee to coordinate LOTO activities in group settings. Implement a system for tracking and verifying individual employee involvement and device placement/removal.
Outside Contractors [9]Lack of adherence to site-specific LOTO procedures by outside personnelRequire outside contractors to submit their energy control procedures in writing to the Program Coordinator. Ensure all affected employees are trained in and familiar with the contractor's submitted procedure.

5\. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)


Proper PPE is essential for protecting workers during Lockout/Tagout procedures.

  • Safety Glasses: To protect eyes from potential hazards during the lockout/tagout process.
  • Gloves: Insulated gloves to protect from electrical hazards and general-purpose gloves to protect from cuts and abrasions.
  • Safety Shoes: To protect feet from falling objects or electrical hazards.
  • Hearing Protection: If working in noisy environments during the lockout/tagout process.

Inspect all PPE before each use. Replace any damaged or worn items immediately.

6\. Equipment and Tools


Regular inspection and maintenance of tools and equipment are critical to ensuring safe and effective Lockout/Tagout procedures.

  • Lockout Locks: Durable, standardized locks used to secure energy-isolating devices in the safe position. Each lock should have a unique key and be labeled with the authorized employee's name.
  • Lockout Tags: Clearly visible tags attached to energy-isolating devices to warn employees not to re-energize equipment. Tags should include the authorized employee's name, date, and reason for the lockout. [6]
  • Energy Isolation Devices: Devices used to physically isolate energy sources, such as circuit breakers, valves, and disconnect switches. These devices must be capable of being locked out.
  • Voltage Tester: A device used to verify that electrical equipment is de-energized before starting work.

Inspect all LOTO devices before each use. Ensure that they are in good working condition and that tags are legible. Remove any damaged or defective devices from service.

7\. Pre-Job Requirements


7\.1 Training and Competency

Training and Competency: All authorized employees must receive comprehensive training on LOTO procedures, including the identification of hazardous energy sources, the use of LOTO devices, and the verification of energy isolation. Refresher training should be provided periodically. [1] [6]

7\.2 Pre-Job Briefing

Pre-Job Briefing: Conduct a pre-job briefing with all involved employees to discuss the LOTO procedure, potential hazards, and control measures. Ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.

7\.3 Work Area Preparation

Work Area Preparation: Ensure that the work area is clear of obstructions and hazards. Provide adequate lighting and ventilation.

8\. Safe Work Procedure Steps


  1. Preparation: Identify all energy sources and potential hazards. Inform all affected employees about the planned lockout/tagout. [2]
  2. Shutdown: Turn off or shut down the equipment using normal operating procedures. [2]
  3. Isolation: Disconnect or isolate the equipment from all energy sources. This may involve shutting off circuit breakers, closing valves, or disconnecting equipment from power sources. [2]
  4. Lockout/Tagout Application: Apply lockout devices to all energy-isolating devices. Attach tags to the lockout devices, indicating the authorized employee's name, date, and reason for the lockout. [2]
  5. Stored Energy Check: Relieve, disconnect, restrain, or otherwise render safe all potential hazardous stored or residual energy. This may involve grounding electrical circuits, bleeding hydraulic or pneumatic systems, and releasing spring tension. [2]
  6. Isolation Verification: Verify that the equipment is completely de-energized and isolated. This may involve testing circuits with a voltage tester, checking pressure gauges, and visually inspecting equipment. [2]
  7. Periodic Verification: If the servicing or maintenance is extended, regularly verify that stored energy has not reaccumulated to hazardous levels. [5]
  8. Removal of Lockout/Tagout Devices: Before removing lockout/tagout devices, inspect the equipment to ensure that all tools and materials have been removed and that all components are in place. Notify all affected employees that the equipment is about to be re-energized.
  9. Re-energizing Equipment: Remove lockout/tagout devices and re-energize the equipment. Follow normal startup procedures.
  10. Notification: Notify all affected employees that the equipment has been re-energized and is ready for use.

9\. Precautions and Safety Measures


  • Always follow the specific LOTO procedures for the equipment being serviced.
  • Never attempt to operate equipment that is locked out or tagged out.
  • Report any damaged or malfunctioning LOTO equipment immediately.
  • Ensure that all employees are properly trained in LOTO procedures. [1]
  • Verify the isolation of energy sources before starting any work.

10\. Emergency Procedures


10\.1 General Emergency Response

In the event of an emergency during LOTO, immediately stop work and assess the situation. Evacuate the area if necessary. Contact emergency services if required.

10\.2 Specific Emergency Scenarios

  • Equipment starts up unexpectedly: Immediately shut down the equipment if possible. Evacuate the area and report the incident to a supervisor.
  • Employee injured during LOTO: Provide first aid and call for medical assistance. Secure the area and investigate the incident.

11\. Incident Reporting and Investigation


All incidents, near misses, and hazards related to LOTO must be reported to a supervisor immediately. The report should include a detailed description of the event, the equipment involved, and any injuries sustained.

All reported incidents will be investigated to determine the root cause and prevent recurrence. The investigation will involve interviewing employees, reviewing procedures, and inspecting equipment.

Approved by: \[NAME AND POSITION]

Date: \[APPROVAL DATE]

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9 source record(s)

Sources used for this answer

[1] Control of Hazardous Energy Sources (Lockout/Tagout)

Page 5

Open source document

Source excerpt

# Sample Hazardous Energy Control Program (cont.) ## VII. PROGRAM INSPECTION AND REVIEW (cont.) (name of person or title) will certify that the prescribed inspections have been performed. Any deficiencies will be corrected immediately, either by modification of the procedure, retraining of employees, or a combination of both. Annual Lockout/Tagout Administrative Review Form (PDF, 44kb) ## VIII. OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS Outside personnel or contractors involved in lockout of equipment or machinery that affects our employees must submit their energy control procedures, in writing, to the Program Coordinator. All affected employees must be trained in and familiar with the contractor's submitted procedure. In order to protect our employees, the contractor's work area will be isolated, and access by our employees will be restricted. If this is impractical or cannot be accomplished, the Program Coordinator must assure the contractor's compliance with proper work procedures, energy isolation procedures and contractor employee compliance. Contractors failing to adhere to the provisions of the OSHA Hazardous Energy Control standard will be asked to terminate their work until their program is brought into compliance.

[2] Lockout/Tagout: Controlling Hazardous Energy

Page 1

Open source document

Source excerpt

# Lockout/Tagout: Controlling Hazardous Energy ## What is hazardous energy? Hazardous energy is any energy source that, if not isolated or controlled, could create a hazard. Common energy sources are electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment that can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers. LOCK-OUT OPERATE DO NOT TAG-OUT DANGER SAVES LIVES ## How can you protect workers from hazardous energy? Failure to control hazardous energy accounts for nearly 10 percent of the serious accidents in many industries. Proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and procedures safeguard workers from hazardous energy releases. OSHA's Lockout/Tagout Fact Sheet* found at osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHAFS3529.pdf describes the practices and procedures necessary to disable machinery or to prevent hazardous energy release. The OSHA Standard The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147) found at osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.147 for general industry outlines measures for controlling different types of hazardous energy. The LOTO standard establishes the employer's responsibility to protect workers from hazardous energy. Employers are also required to train each worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy control procedures: • Proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and procedures safeguard workers from the release of hazardous energy. The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147) found at osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.147 for general industry, outlines specific action and procedures for addressing and controlling hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance of machines a

[3] Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout/Tagout Booklet

Page 14

Open source document

Source excerpt

# Requirements of the Standard (cont.) ## What must an energy-control procedure include? (cont.) In Appendix A to 1910.147, OSHA provides a Typical Minimal Lockout Procedure for employers to consult when preparing their own specific energy-control procedures. The outline is a nonmandatory guideline to help employers and employees comply with the standard. Nothing in the appendix adds to or detracts from any of the requirements in the standard. ## What must workers do before they begin service or maintenance activities? Before beginning service or maintenance, the following steps must be accomplished in sequence and according to the specific provisions of the employer's energy-control procedure: (1) Prepare for shutdown; (2) Shut down the machine; (3) Disconnect or isolate the machine from the energy source(s); (4) Apply the lockout or tagout device(s) to the energy-isolating device(s); (5) Release, restrain, or otherwise render safe all potential hazardous stored or residual energy. If a possibility exists for reaccumulation of hazardous energy, regularly verify during the service and maintenance that such energy has not reaccumulated to hazardous levels; and (6) Verify the isolation and deenergization of the machine. What must workers do before they remove their lockout or tagout device and reenergize the machine? Employees who work on deenergized machinery may be seriously injured or killed if someone removes lockout/tagout devices and reenergizes machinery without their knowledge. Thus, it is extremely important that all employees respect lockout and tagout devices and that only the person(s) who applied these devices remove them. 8 Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

[4] Lockout/Tagout (LOTO): Control of Hazardous Energy

Page 12

Open source document

Source excerpt

# Authorized and affected employees - An "authorized employee" is a person who has been properly trained to lockout/tagout procedures on machinery or equipment that is to be serviced. - An "affected employee" is a person who operates the machinery or equipment, but does not perform the lockout procedures, or a person who works in the area where machine or equipment maintenance is being done. L & I photos 12

[5] Lockout/Tagout (LOTO): Control of Hazardous Energy

Page 11

Open source document

Source excerpt

# What is a lockout device? - It is a device that positively holds energy isolating devices or measures in a safe position to prevent the re-energizing of equipment. - It can be a key or combination lock, or blank flanges in piping. - It includes a tag or other notice that identifies the person authorized to remove the lock. DANGER DO NOT OPERATE EQUIPMENT LOCKED OUT SIGNED DATE 11

[6] Oregon OSHA Program Directive | Control of Hazardous Energy – Enforcement Policy and Inspection Procedures (Lockout/Tagout)

Page 98

Open source document

Source excerpt

# CHAPTER 4 -- GROUP LOCKOUT/TAGOUT (cont.) NOTE: Paragraph 1910.147 (f)(3)(ii)(D) requires each employee in a group to affix his personal LOTO device as part of the group LOTO. Verbal accountability methods do not afford protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal LOTO device. The Occupational Safety and Health Commission (OSHRC) affirmed a citation on this matter by stating that this requirement clearly and explicitly mandates the use of a personal lockout or tagout device in a tagging situation because the core concept of LOTO is personal protection. See Exelon Generating Corp., LaSalle County Station, OSHRC (Docket No. 00-1198, 2005). 1. The guidance contained in this chapter illustrates various types of compliant group energy control procedures. For example, a single lock on each energy isolating device, together with the use of a lockbox for retention of the locks' keys, would permit authorized employees personal control of the hazardous energy source(s), if each authorized employee personally locked the lock-box. See the Type B group lockout illustration for further details on this technique. [1910.147(f)(3)(i).] 2. Locks shall be affixed in a manner that will hold the energy isolating device in a safe (off) position. [1910.147(d)(4)(ii).] 3. Tagout devices, where used, shall be affixed at the same location as would a lock if such fittings are provided, or shall be affixed in a manner that will clearly indicate that movement of the isolating device is prohibited. [1910.147(d)(4)(iii).] F. Stored Energy. Following the application of locks or tags, all potentially hazardous stored energy or residual energy shall be relieved, disconnected, restrained, and otherwise rendered safe. [1910.147(d)(5)(i).] - If there is a possibility of re-accumulation of stored energy, verification of energy isolation must be continued until the servicing or maintenance work is completed or the hazard no longer exists. [1910.147(d)(5)(ii).]

[7] Oregon OSHA Program Directive | Control of Hazardous Energy – Enforcement Policy and Inspection Procedures (Lockout/Tagout)

Page 96

Open source document

Source excerpt

# CHAPTER 4 -- GROUP LOCKOUT/TAGOUT (cont.) B. Primary Authorized Employee Coordination. A primary authorized employee would coordinate authorized employee changes and affected workforces (multiple work crews) with equipment operators before and after completion of servicing and maintenance operations that require LOTO. He also has the responsibility to ensure continuity of protection with respect to multi-shift energy isolation (e.g., through the use of group continuity devices, such as "Job Lock" or "Operations Lock" procedures). [1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(C).] C. Principal Authorized Employee Designation. Principal authorized employee(s) would be designated for each workforce or crew. When more than one crew, craft, department, etc., is involved, one principal authorized employee would account for a single group of servicing/maintenance personnel. Each principal employee is responsible (to the primary authorized employee) for maintaining accountability and for the individual exposure status of each employee in that specific group in conformance with the company procedure. [1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(A) and (B).] D. Verification System. A verification system is implemented to ensure the continued isolation and de-energization of hazardous energy sources during the course of maintenance and servicing operations. Once the equipment is shut down and the hazardous energy has been controlled, maintenance/servicing personnel, sometimes in conjunction with operations personnel, must test the machinery or equipment to verify that the isolation of the equipment's energy source(s) is effective. The employees may walk through the affected work area to verify isolation. If there is a potential for the release or re-accumulation of hazardous energy, verification of isolation must be continued. - OR-OSHA has accepted an alternative to the individual employee verification requirement where complex LOTO operations involve many employees and numerous energy isolating devices. In such situat

[8] Lockout/Tagout (LOTO): Control of Hazardous Energy

Page 13

Open source document

Source excerpt

# Six steps of lockout/tagout procedures 1. Preparation - get ready, inform all affected employees. - 2.Shutdown - turn off or shut down operating equipment - 3.Isolation - install isolating devices or implement procedures to block hazardous energy - 4.Lockout/Tagout - apply LOTO devices or procedures - 5.Stored energy check - verify that stored energy is released or restrained - 6.Isolation verification - test to make sure LOTO is working 13

[9] FACT SHEET: The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

Page 2

Open source document

Source excerpt

## Lockout and tagout devices (cont.) THE CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS ENERGY (LOCKOUT/TAGOUT) Tagout devices are prominent warning devices securely fastened to energy-isolation devices to warn employees not to re-energize equipment being serviced. Tagout devices are easier to remove, and provide employees with less protection than lockout devices. Lockout devices and tagout devices must only be used for controlling energy - not for other purposes. They must be durable, standardized, substantial, and singularly identifiable. ## Training The employer must provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees. Also, they must learn the skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls. Training requirements depend on whether employees service equipment or just work near it while it is being serviced. Authorized employees service equipment; affected employees work in areas where the equipment is serviced. Authorized employees 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. Affected employees must be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure. All other employees whose work operations are or may be in an area where energy-control procedures may be used, must be instructed about the procedure and the prohibition relating to attempts to restart or re-energize machines or equipment locked out or tagged out. DAN DANGER DANGER DANGER NOT DO DO NO 이 OP RAT OERA ՈՐՈՈ This DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER 000 COO OUT LUCKED LOCKED LOCKED DO NOT REMOVE DO NOT REMOVE DO NOT REMOVE DO NOT REMOVE DO NOT REMOVE ## Energy-control procedures Employers must document procedures for the control of hazardous energy sources for use by authorized employees who lockout or tagout equipment to perform ser

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