Safety Tip of the Week - Lock Out/Tagout Tips

Lockout/tagout (LO/TO) Is required by OSHA to control all forms of energy that may cause a risk to workers if released, while working on equipment or machinery. LO/TO focuses on controlling energy associated with isolation points. “Isolation points” refer to the points of operation on the machines, devices, or equipment being controlled.

This can include drives, motors, bearings, shafts, pressure vessels, pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, and other related rotary or moving parts of the equipment. The isolation points, when locked out properly, will prevent any energy (or substance) from being released into a work area in which employees may be exposed to the hazard.

There are several hazards related to uncontrolled energy (or substance) release, including, but not limited to, the following:

Any liquid or product – engulfment, entrapment, drowning, suffocation, death.

Grain or similar commodity – engulfment, entrapment, drowning, suffocation, death.

Steam exposure – severe burns, instant death, permanent disablement, loss of sight, loss of hearing, shock.

Electrical – shock injury, severe burns, loss of hearing, loss of sight, instant death, permanent disablement.

Mechanical – pinch, cut, entrap, entangle, crushing of hands/feet/limbs, shock, death.

Chemical – severe burns, eye/skin burns or irritation, respiratory injury, heart/pulmonary injury, shock, death.

Thermal – severe burns, eye/skin burn, respiratory injury, shock, death.

Pneumatic – pinch, cut, entrap, entangle, crushing of hands/feet/limbs, penetration injuries, punctures/wounds, eye/hearing injury, shock, death.

Hydraulic – “hydraulic injection injury,” cuts, pinch, entrap, lacerations, eye injury, shock, death.

Gravity and inertia – head/impact trauma, harness suspension trauma, severe injury, instant death, shock.

Any other source that has the ability to be hazardous to workers – similar hazards as listed above.

Serious and fatal incidents can be avoided by following a thorough company LO/TO program. Just closing a valve or shutting off a breaker is not enough.

What if another employee is walking by and notices a normally open valve closed and decides to open it? What if a worker observes a breaker that is normally in the on position that is off and flips the switch back on? Failure to institute consistent and thorough LO/TO procedures can result in the injuries listed above.

If there is only one isolation point, such as an electrical quick disconnect, an employee may apply their personal LO/TO lock once switching off or closing, ensuring the disconnect will not move to the on or start position and confirm the equipment will not start or open. More than one isolation point requires a LO/TO “box” into which all keys from the locks used to isolate the equipment are placed.

Each worker assigned to work on the locked-out equipment must attach another personal lock to the closed LO/TO box after verifying all locks are applied and all keys are in the box. Verification requires that each worker assigned to the job must physically verify that each locked-out isolation point is properly de-energized and will not move or start.

Personal locks may only be removed by the owner of the lock and should only have one key which the owner controls at all times. If the worker is not present to remove their personal lock, a supervisor may remove the lock after all attempts to contact the worker have been made and the manager has verified that the worker is no longer on-site.

Isolation points for all machines and equipment, located both on the machine itself and within a motor control center (MCC), should be of a lockable design allowing the application of a LO/TO padlock, hasp, or other control device and an identification tag.

The LO/TO identification tags must clearly identify that the isolation point is in LO/TO condition. The tag should read “Do Not Operate, Locked Out” and contain relevant information such as who, what, when, and why regarding the LO/TO condition and work being performed. In cases when there is not a means to physically lock out an isolation point, safely ensure that the valve, switch, or other control system is in the closed or off/de-energized position and attach a fully filled-out LO/TO tag.

Tips for LO/TO safety

Ensure the machine or equipment is fully shut down and released of any stored energy.
Only trained and qualified workers should be locking-out equipment or machinery.
If a contractor or other worker is unfamiliar with the equipment, have a qualified person walk with them to help verify all locks.
Each company should develop their own LO/TO program that includes a policy, procedure and training focusing on their workplace equipment, conditions, and potential hazards.
Each qualified employee should have their own personal lock that has their name engraved on the lock (or otherwise permanently identified); reusable LO/TO tags or one-time/disposable use tags should be provided to LO/TO authorized personnel. Tags should be able to be written on with a marker/pen. (Note: Engraving will not deteriorate as tape, tags, paint, and other markings will fade over time.)
Never remove someone else’s lock – removal of an “abandoned” lock can only be done by management after making all attempts to contact the owner of the lock to remove it.
Notify all affected workers that the piece of equipment or machine will be shut down and going into LO/TO condition and before the machine is re-energized or restarted (ensuring all personnel are clear).
Create machine specific LO/TO step-by-step procedures for all equipment; ensure proper reference of all isolation points (type, location, etc.) for each piece of equipment in your facility.
Verify all lockout points have been locked-out in the correct position (open/closed, on/off). Then, try to open valves or start the equipment either by button/switch or calling a control room and asking them to try and open a valve.
If the machine or equipment contains liquids, ensure all drains are open to verify no flow.
If steam is involved, ensure to double block and bleed.
Completely fill out a company LO/TO form. This should include date, time, what each lock is applied to at the isolation point, and should have a description of what each lock is isolating
Make it a culture to use LO/TO.

LOTO and entries into grain storage structures

For entry into grain storage silos, bins, tanks or other vessels, especially those with subfloor reclaim conveyors, it is important to ensure the following regarding LO/TO conditions: Ensure that all process flow equipment is in complete LO/TO condition before entering the structure. This includes overhead fill equipment, spouts and gates, internal equipment such as grain sweeps, and subfloor reclaim augers and conveyors. Aeration fans may be excluded for ventilation as long as they do not pose a hazard exposure to the entrants.
IMPORTANT: Note that reclaim sump openings in bin/silo floors for subfloor reclaim systems are a severe hazard to entrants, even if the reclaim auger or conveyor is in LO/TO condition (trip/fall/foot/ankle injury).
It is critically important that grating be installed upon initial entry into a grain storage structure (if previously removed before filling the structure) while it is in
full LO/TO condition to prevent injury.
These grates are a requirement if energizing the subfloor reclaim takeaway for final clean-out as the exposed auger shaft or conveyor chain/paddle is a point of operation and requires a machine guard (as which the sump opening grating serves). Exposure to operating subfloor reclaim equipment can result in severe injury including amputation.