Lockout Tagout: An essential tool for ensuring employee safety

When working with complex equipment, heavy machinery, or electrical systems, safety must always be on the forefront of one’s mind. Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) is one of the many essential practices that can be used to keep workers safe. LOTO is an important tool that can prevent incidents from occurring when the procedures are implemented appropriately. Taking a systemic approach, LOTO is used to safeguard employees by properly shutting down equipment and machinery and isolating their energy source, all while mitigating the possibility of an incidental restart of equipment during the maintenance or service of that particular piece of equipment.

LOTO is an excellent tool that can be used to prevent incidents. It thwarts unexpected startups from happening and this reduces risk of injuries from moving parts, electric shock, or hazardous materials. When employees are involved with maintenance and servicing equipment, LOTO protects them and ensures the machinery is in a safe mode prior to work beginning on the equipment. Not only does LOTO protect the worker it also protects the expensive equipment being maintained. Irreversible damage can be incurred to a piece of equipment if it is not properly shut down. Additionally, LOTO is a compliance issue. Failure to properly lockout and tagout can result in hefty fines from regulatory agencies.

The implementation process for LOTO requires intricate planning and adhering to very specific steps. These steps help to mitigate risk and include:

Pre-work planning: Prior to maintenance and service beginning, all energy sources linked to the equipment must be identified. There are a variety of energy sources that must be locked out. More than just electrical, the energy sources include hydraulic, pneumatic, and/or thermal. This is invaluable information and with it, a LOTO procedure can be created.
Pre-work planning: Prior to maintenance and service beginning, all energy sources linked to the equipment must be identified. There are a variety of energy sources that must be locked out. More than just electrical, the energy sources include hydraulic, pneumatic, and/or thermal. This is invaluable information and with it, a LOTO procedure can be created.
Alert employees: Any employees that can potentially be affected by a LOTO procedure must be notified about an impending shutdown, thus ensuring everyone is aware of machines or equipment being locked out and any risk associated with the procedure.
Shutdown the equipment: The equipment can be shutdown using its normal procedures. Only trained employees familiar with the equipment should shut down equipment
Isolation: Equipment must be isolated for its energy sources. Disconnect power, release pressure from pneumatic systems, etc.
Lockout the equipment: All energy-isolating devices must receive a lock. Authorized personnel should be the only employees with keys or combinations to locks. If you are not an authorized person, you must never remove a lock, as the lock acts as a barrier to mitigate incidental activation of the equipment.
Tagout the equipment: A tag must be attached to the locking mechanism. A tag should include information about the authorized person who put the lock in place. The information should include the name of the authorized person, reason for lockout, and an expressed warning to not remove the lock.
Ensure total shutdown: After the energy sources have been shut down and the lock and tag have been put in place, and prior to any maintenance or service beginning, a competent person must verify that any energy sources associated with the equipment are completely disconnected, without any possibility of an accidental start.
Maintenance: When it has been verified that the equipment has been safely deenergized and the locks and tags are on the equipment, maintenance can begin.
Restoration: When the servicing is complete and it has been verified that all personnel are cleared of the re-energizing area, the locks and tags can be removed by the authorized person, and energy can be restored to the equipment so that normal operation can resume. Once the work is completed, remove the locks and tags and restore the equipment to normal operation.
Testing: After energy restoration, the equipment must be tested. This will ensure that the equipment is functioning safely and effectively.

Robust and comprehensive education and training for any employees involved in LOTO is required when attempting to implement a successful LOTO program. An effective LOTO procedure should drive home how important utilizing LOTO properly is for the overall safety of a company, and how to successfully perform the procedure correctly. It should also ensure that employees recognize various energy sources so they can properly deenergize equipment. Regularly reviewing and updating LOTO procedures should occur any time there is a change in equipment, energy sources, or safety regulations. Employees should also be encouraged to speak up about incidents and/or near misses. These can be analyzed with the hopes of continuously improving a LOTO program.

https://www.osha.gov/control-hazardous-energy
https://safetyculture.com/topics/lockout-tagout/