FOR
ROSE-HULMAN
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(Guidelines from 29 CFR
1910.147)
Release From Lockout or Tagout
The
purpose of this program is to establish Lockout/Tagout procedures to prevent
the unintended release of stored energy, which may energize a machine or
equipment, causing injury to an employee.
It is used to ensure that employees performing any service or maintenance
activities shall be protected from energy related potential hazards.
Operations
that are under the jurisdiction of OSHA are required by law (29 CFR 1910.147)
to provide to all employees (maintenance personnel and supervisors) who ensure
that machines or equipment are isolated from a potentially hazardous energy,
and locked-out or tagged-out before the unexpected energization, start-up, or
release of stored energy occurs. This
program was developed to meet and conduct the training necessary to comply with
federal law set by the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.
Lockout
is the preferred method of isolating machines or equipment from energy
sources. To assist employers in
developing a procedure which meets the requirements of the standard, 29 CFR
1910.147, the following simple procedure is provided for use in both lockout
and tagout programs. This procedure
may be used when there is a single power source. For more complex systems, a more
comprehensive procedure will need to be developed, documented, and utilized.
RHIT’s
Office of Environmental Health & Safety and Facility Operations will be
responsible for the establishment and implementation of this program.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF LOCKOUT/TAGOUT
PROGRAM
1. Goals
a) The goal of this training
program is to make sure that before any employee performs any servicing or
maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing,
start-up, or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine
or equipment has been isolated and rendered inoperative.
b) This training program has
been designed to cover the information and skills necessary to ensure that
employees know the proper machine or equipment isolation procedures.
2. Objectives - After the
training, each employee will be able to do the following:
a) State the purpose of the
lockout/tagout program.
b) Define what is meant by
lockout/tagout.
c) Identify hazardous energy
sources.
d) Describe injuries resulting
from energized equipment.
e) Describe the different types
of lockout/tagout equipment.
f) Identify the
employees’ responsibility in the lockout/tagout procedures.
g) Demonstrate on-site the use
of lockout/tagout equipment effectively.
The
written program contains the following items:
1. Conduct a survey of the
entire facility to determine locations of all hazardous energy sources.
2. Devise methods to control unintended
operation of machines or equipment being serviced or maintained.
3. Establish procedures for
affixing appropriate lockout or tagout device, and to otherwise disable
machines or equipment to prevent unexpected energization, start-up, or release
of stored energy in order to prevent injury to employees. This may include blocking of movable
parts which may create a hazard.
4. Survey, locate, and identify
all isolating devices to be certain which switch(es), valve(s), or other energy
isolating devices apply to the equipment to be locked or tagged out. Keep in mind that more than one energy
source may be involved.
Protective
material and devices that are available to use are as follows:
·
Locks
·
Self-locking Fasteners
·
Chains
·
Wedges
·
Key Blocks
·
Adapter Pins
·
Tags
·
Flange Plates
All
lockout/tagout devices shall be identified and used only for the purpose that
they are intended.
1. Durable lockout/tagout
devices shall be capable of withstanding the environment, which they are used.
2. Tags shall be capable of
withstanding weather, damp locations, and corrosive environments.
3. All lockout/tagout devices
shall be uniform whether in color, shape, or size.
4. Lockout/tagout devices shall
only be removable by their installer.
5. Lockout devices shall be
substantial enough to prevent inadvertent or accidental removal and shall
indicate the identity of the employee using the device and a warning of what
precautions to take.
6. Lockout procedures shall be
used in preference to Tagout procedures where possible.
The
potential energy sources that are present at Rose-Hulman:
·
Electrical
·
Hydraulic
·
Pneumatic
·
Natural gas
·
Chemical
·
Thermal
·
Mechanical
·
Water/Steam
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS
1. A periodic inspection of the energy
control procedures shall be conducted annually.
2. The periodic inspection shall be performed
by the Safety Department.
3. The periodic inspection shall be
designed to correct any deviations or inadequacies observed.
4. Where Lockout is used for energy
control, the periodic inspection shall include a review, between the inspector
and each employee, of that employee’s responsibilities under the energy
control procedure inspected.
1. Elements of Training
a) Each affected employee shall
be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedures.
b) All other employees whose
work operations are, or may be in an area where energy control procedures may
be utilized, shall be instructed about the procedure, and about the prohibition
relating to attempts to restart or reenergize machines or equipment which are
locked out or tagged out.
2. Tagging Limitations
a) Inform employees that tags
do not afford the same protection as a lock.
b) Tags are not to be removed
without the authorization of the installer.
c) Tags must be legible and be
made familiar to all employees whose work is affected or may be in the affected
areas.
d) Tags and means of attachment
must be capable of withstanding the environmental conditions of the workplace.
e) Tags often evoke a false
sense of security and their importance needs to be clearly understood by
employees.
3. A record of employee training including
employee name and date of training should be kept.
1. Retraining should be established
under the following conditions:
a) There is a change in job
assignment.
b) A change in machines or
equipment.
c) Equipment or processes
present a new hazard.
d) A change in energy control
procedures.
e) There are deviations or
inadequacies detected in the procedures.
f) New or revised control
methods are used.
2. A record of employee retraining
including employee name and date of retraining should be kept when any of the
above is present.
1. Elements and Actions
a) Make employees aware of the
type and magnitude of hazardous energy.
b) All affected employees shall
be informed of the physical locations of energy isolating devices.
2. Lockout/Tagout of Energy
Isolating Devices
a) Only trained and authorized
employees shall affix energy isolating devices.
b) Devices are to be affixed in
such a manner that it will hold the energy isolating device in a
“safe” or “off” position.
c) Where Tagout devices are
used, the energy isolating device is to be fastened at the same point at which
a lock would have been attached.
d) If a tag cannot be affixed
directly to the energy isolating device, it should be located where it will be
immediately obvious to potential operators.
3. Stored Energy
a) After Lockout or Tagout
devices have been applied, stored energy or residual energy shall be relieved,
disconnected restrained, and rendered safe whenever possible.
b) If reaccumulation of stored
energy to a hazardous level can take place, verification or isolation shall
continue when service or maintenance is performed until work is completed.
c) Prior to servicing or
maintaining machines or equipment, employees must verify that energy isolation
and deenergization of the machine or equipment have been accomplished.
RELEASE FROM LOCKOUT OR TAGOUT
1. Before removing
Lockout/Tagout devices from machines and equipment, authorized employees must
take certain precautions:
a) Inspect the work area to
ensure non-essential items have been removed.
b) Check the work area to see
if all employees have been safely positioned or removed.
c) Before removing
Lockout/Tagout devices, notify all affected employees.
2. Before Lockout/Tagout devices
are removed and energy is restored, procedures shall be taken by authorized
employees to ensure the following:
a) If the employee who applied
the device is unavailable, the device may only then be removed under the
direction of management.
b) Management will verify that
the employee who applied the device is not at the facility.
c) Management has made all
reasonable efforts to contact the employee to inform them that their device has
been removed.
d) Management will inform the
employee that the device has been removed before they return to work.
1. Management and contractors
will inform each other of their respective Lockout/Tagout procedures.
2. Management will train all
affected employees on restrictions and prohibitions of contractor’s
energy control procedures.
1. When servicing or
maintenance of equipment or machinery is performed by more than one employee, a
procedure shall be utilized to afford each employee a level of protection
equivalent to that provided by personal lockout or tagout.
2. Group requirements shall
include but are not limited to the following:
a) Primary responsibility shall
be vested in one authorized employee for a number of employees under a group
program with one employee having an operation’s lock.
b) The authorized employee must
ascertain the exposure level of individual group members.
c) If more than one group of
employees is involved in a job-associated assignment, one authorized employee
shall be designated to coordinate the affected employees.
d) Each involved employee shall
affix a lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device when beginning
work and remove it when work is completed on the machine or equipment being
serviced or maintained.
1. When a shift or personnel
change occurs, a designated employee should ensure the continuity of lockout or
tagout protection.
2. The designated employee
shall provide for the orderly transfer of lockout or tagout devices between
off-going and on-coming employees to minimize risk to employees from stored
energy.
This
entire program shall be reviewed on an annual basis and upgraded where
necessary.
1. A lockout procedure will prevent
someone from unknowingly operating a machine that is being worked upon. The following procedure will be followed
for lockout:
a) Every applicable employee
will be provided their own lock and key.
b) Before turning the power
off, the worker should check to be sure that no one is operating the machine.
c) Bleed, drain, or clean out
air or hydraulic lines.
d) Any mechanism under tension
or pressure, such as; springs, should be released.
e) Every person involved in
working on the machine shall affix his or her lock to the lockout device.
f) All energy sources, which
would activate the machine, should be locked out.
g) The main valve or main
electrical disconnect should be tested to be sure that the power is off to the
machine.
h) The circuit should always be
checked with good electrical testing equipment.
i) When working on machinery,
such as power presses or welding presses that have a ram that could fall, the
ram should be supported with a safety block or pin.
j) As a last step, press the
activation button(s) to be sure that the machine or equipment is not energized.
2. Pulling a fuse is not
enough; it can be replaced. Do not
rely on throwing a circuit breaker or turning off a switch or valve. Someone’s mistake or slip might turn
the machine on again. A warning tag
is only a paper safeguard. The only
safe way is a lock on the device and to keep the key in your pocket.