Lockout/Tagout – Protective Materials and Hardware
Proper use of lockout/tagout devices can save your life. Protective materials used for lockout/tagout
may include locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners or other hardware used to isolate, secure, or block machines or equipment from energy sources.
A lockout device utilizes a positive means, such as a lock, to hold an energy-isolating device in a safe position, preventing the energization of a machine or piece of equipment. Lockout devices must be substantial enough to prevent removal without the use of excessive force or unusual techniques, such as with the use of bolt cutters or other metal cutting tools.
A tagout device is a prominent warning device, such as a tag and a means of attachment, which can be securely fastened to an energy-isolating device in accordance with an established procedure, to indicate that the energy-isolating device and the equipment being controlled must not be operated until the tagout device is removed.
Tagout devices must be constructed and printed so that exposure to weather
conditions or wet and damp locations will not cause the tag to deteriorate or the message on the tag to become illegible. Tags must not deteriorate when used in corrosive environments, such as areas where acid and alkali chemicals are handled and stored. Tagout devices, including their means of attachment, must be substantial enough to prevent inadvertent or accidental removal.
Tagout devices must warn against hazardous conditions if the machine or equipment is energized. They must also include warning language such as: “Do Not Start,” “Do Not Open,” “Do Not Close,” “Do Not Energize,” or “Do Not Operate.”
Always make sure that lockout and tagout devices are capable of withstanding the environment to which they are exposed for the maximum period of time that exposure is expected. They must also be standardized within the facility by color, shape, or size. They must also indicate the identity of the employee applying the
device(s).
Remember safety doesn’t have to be difficult; simple steps such as selecting durable lockout tagout equipment, can prevent injuries and save lives.
