Lockout/tagout is a critical safety component in safeguarding workers around the equipment they operate, service and maintain. According to the Oklahoma Department of Labor’s PEOSH division, once again last year, OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout Standard (1910.147) made the list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards. The most-cited sections within this standard focus on procedure development and use, inspections, employee training, and notification of the application and removal of lockout or tagout devices.

An important first step for municipalities is to develop a written energy control lockout/tagout program and document your energy control efforts. Creating a written document helps establish and explain the elements of the program to all employees.

One of the most common program gaps is the lack of detailed, machine-specific procedures. Procedures are used to explain the steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing equipment to control hazardous energy, as well as applying and removing lockout/tagout devices. Some best practices include machine-specific photos that identify energy isolation points, tailoring messages to your workforce with the necessary languages, and procedure installation at the point of use. By maintaining and formally documenting procedures that tie in with other program elements, such as devices, you have a line of sight into areas requiring additional attention.

With a program and procedures in place, the next step is to instruct employees, communicate processes and conduct periodic inspections. Instruction should include OSHA requirements, as well as customized program elements, such as machine-specific procedures. When PEOSH evaluates municipal performance on lockout/tagout compliance, it looks at training for employees based on three categories: authorized, affected and other employees.

When it comes to locking out equipment, many products are on the market. Selecting the most appropriate solution for your application is key to lockout effectiveness. These products should be easy to positively lock out and simple to use. It also is important to use devices that best fit each lockout point and follow these seven steps for compliance and safety:

Notify affected employees of your intent to lock out the equipment.
Review the machine-specific written lockout procedures.
Perform the normal machine stop.
Shut off all energy isolation controls.
Lock out the energy isolation controls.
Dissipate any stored or residual energies.
Verify the zero-energy state to begin servicing safely.

Once you have an effective lockout program in place, consistently reviewing it beyond the required annual inspection and performing audits are essential to identifying gaps or inconsistencies. This allows your municipality to focus on maintaining a successful program, instead of reacting only when something goes wrong. A sustainable lockout/tagout program not only helps to improve workplace safety, it also reduces costs and increases productivity.

When machines or equipment are being prepared for service or maintenance, they often contain some form of “hazardous energy” that can harm workers in the area. There are several forms of hazardous energy that need to be identified and dealt with before beginning service or maintenance work on any piece of equipment. This could include energy of the following types: Chemical, Electrical, Hydraulic, Mechanical, Pneumatic, or Thermal

Without the use of proper Lockout/Tagout safety procedures, the equipment being worked on can unexpectedly start up or release these forms of energy. This can lead to injuries and even death of the person working on the equipment or near it.

Just consider a few examples of the dangers of hazardous energy release:

An authorized worker is working on an electric panel that hasn’t been properly locked out and another worker comes along and turns on the power resulting in the authorized worker being electrocuted.
A worker is attempting to pull some barbed wire out of a mower blade that got caught up while mowing. He raises the mower so he can crawl under and get to the wire. He fails to block the mowing unit and while he is working under it, it falls on him and crushes him.

These two examples of hazardous energy are what Lockout/Tagout is all about. Making sure these types of hazardous situations are controlled keeps workers safe.

Every municipality should have an Energy Control Program in place. This program should include established procedures for using locks and tags before beginning service and maintenance of machines and equipment. Train employees to understand the hazardous energy and lockout/tagout procedures that must be followed to service or begin maintenance on the equipment they work with. Policies, procedures, and equipment must be reviewed or inspected at least annually.

A lockout/tagout procedure should include the following 6 steps:

Preparation -The authorized employee (person performing the service/maintenance) must investigate and have complete understanding of all types of hazardous energy that must be controlled on a machine or piece of equipment. It is important that they identify the specific hazards and know how to control the energy.
Shut Down – Power down the machine or equipment. Inform employees that will be affected by the shutdown of the equipment.
Isolation – Make sure all sources of energy have been isolated. Turn off power, close valves, block moving parts, or disengage and block lines, etc.
Lockout/Tagout – The authorized employee will attach locks and tags to all energy isolating devices in such a way that they are in an off or closed position and cannot be moved or switched on to an unsafe position. Adding a tag to the lock out device with the authorized person’s name and contact information will give affected employees further information if they have questions about why the equipment is locked.
Stored Energy Check – Even after the energy source has been disconnected and the machine has been locked out, it doesn’t entirely guarantee there are no hazardous energies still stored within the machine or that it is safe to perform maintenance. It is important to double check and look for any energy that has been “stored” or any “residual” energies. During this phase of the procedure these must be relieved, disconnected, restrained, or made non-hazardous is some other way.
Isolation Verification – This last step is about “making sure”. You’ve shut down the machine, isolated it from its power source, locked all unexpected start up components out, checked for “stored” or “residual” energies, have assured yourself you have correctly followed all procedures and are confident the machine/equipment is now safe to work on.

After the service or maintenance work is complete then you must restore and re-energize the equipment. Ensure all tools, parts, and debris have been removed from the area. Double check to make sure all equipment components are back in place. Replace any safety features, machine guards, and close all access panels. Remove all locks and tags and inform all affected employees the work is complete, and you are about to re-energize the machinery. Have all employee stand back in a safe area and start up equipment to ensure it is running properly.

Everybody is busy with their day to day work, but we must make sure we have written policies and procedures regarding the service and maintenance of our equipment. Taking the time to identify the steps needed to safely work on equipment, training our employees to understand and protect against hazardous energies, and reviewing efforts to keep machinery and equipment safely maintained will better protect workers from senseless injury or even death.