Lock-Out / Tag-Out (LO/TO)is one of the most significant elements of a company’s safety program. A properly performed LO/TO procedure will ensure, to the best ability, the accidental release of hazardous energy is eliminated.
Hazardous energy is anything which may cause harm or injury to the employee through the unexpected energization or start-up of equipment/machine or release of energy stored by the equipment/machine.
The LO/TO procedure for each machine must specifically identify any electrical, mechanical, chemical, thermal, pneumatic, hydraulic and gravity/inertia lock out points for the
equipment/machine being controlled.
Before performing a LO/TO procedure on equipment ensure the equipment has been shut down properly. Lock-out and / or tag out all process flows into and out of the machine as well as anything that can be energized or started.
Locking out with a LO/TO designated lock and, when necessary, a hasp is required when there is a means of placing a hasp and lock on the isolation point (such as a motor starter, breaker, or switch). Tag-out occurs when there is no way of placing a lock on the isolation point therefore a tag that says Do Not Operate must be attached.
A tag should also be placed on locked-out equipment to provide details on the LO/TO condition including who performed the procedure, the date and time of the procedure, and
any other pertinent or hazard information.
Anyone who is going to perform work or be involved in the work on the isolated equipment must have a lock on the LO/TO box or hasp (once they have verified all hazardous energy sources have been locked or tagged out).
There are two types of employees involved in a LO/TO procedure; they are Affected employees and Authorized employees.
Affected Employee – Are employees whose job requires them to operate or use equipment on which maintenance is being performed.
Authorized Employee – The person responsible for performing the LO/TO procedure on the equipment. (The employee becomes both affected and authorized if their job is to assist or perform any work on the equipment).
Tips for LO/TO Safety
Only trained and qualified personnel can perform a LO/TO (unless with a trainer); these are Authorized personnel.
Never work on equipment before verifying it is locked out.
Notify all affected workers of the LO/TO.
When verifying a LO/TO, do not just verify the lock is there, try to open or close manual or pneumatic valves, try to start
the equipment if there is a start/stop switch or any other way of it normally starting. LO/TO/TO – Lock Out, Tag Out, Try Out. TEST LO/TO conditions!
If your company provides personal locks, have the employees' name engraved in the lock as ink on tags deteriorates over time.
Everyone working on the equipment must physically verify the LO/TO before putting their personal lock on the lock box.
Contractors, maintenance ore electricians who may be unfamiliar with the equipment should have an authorized employee walk the them to verify all the lock-out points Report all LO/TO points that cannot be locked (only tagged) so management can schedule a maintenance request as soon as possible to replace the isolation point with a lockable isolation point, especially if this LO/TO is performed frequently.
Never try to bypass or remove a lock (unless it is yours).
If someone forgets to take their lock off of a group lockbox, that lock cannot
be removed until contact with that employee has been confirmed. Usually happens at the end of the day, someone forgets to take their lock off (in a hurry to clock out and go home).
LO/TO is not just for maintenance, anytime equipment or machines need to be accessed such as opening a gate/door to a palletizer that has a safety stop switch on it and entering to fix or adjust a pallet. Just because the equipment stopped when you opened the gate does not mean someone else just walking by sees the machine not running and does not see you and resets the switch and it starts the equipment with you in it.
