Are You Creating Effective Lockout Tagout Procedures?

Someone stealing your lunch at the office or maybe a pesky neighbor keeps coming over unannounced? What do these have to do with lockout? Well besides that fact that it sounds like you’re off to a pretty rough start to the day if the first 2 apply, but they can be solved with proper “lockout” procedures. Safety locks and tags do that on a larger scale, with much more costly problems when not used. Leaving your workers unprotected against accidental start ups lead to serious consequences. Just because someone is not in sight working on a machine, does not mean that it is okay to re-energize a machine that has been brought to complete zero.

The question is how is someone supposed to know whether work is being performed without some sort of indicator? Making sure that the proper procedures are in place to protect workers, carrying out their maintenance responsibilities, falls in the lap of business management. When the ball is dropped OSHA takes notice and steps in. Just recently a Newark gas company was fined over 50K for repeat and serious violations regarding lock-out tag-out. If given the option, most companies would probably choose not to have 50k worth of avoidable fines eating into their profits.

Although at first glance creating lock-out tag-out procedures feels like a daunting task, most companies should at least have the shell of some, especially if the work of their facility would require a program. However, if time has gotten the best of you as it does with everyone sometimes, blow the dust off of what you have and get down to business. Lock out tag out OSHA procedures make it very easy to comply with helpful resource to walk a facility through what the need to have. They provide an example of what typical, minimal procedures should look like. In Addition, they have an interactive lock-out tag-out training program, case studies, and frequently asked questions.

When you begin to look at your procedures keep these questions in mind:

• How many workers need to be briefed on lock-out tag-out procedures?
• Where is the pain-point or downfalls in your current system? This is a great way to get workers involved and hear their feedback.
• Is your equipment able to be completely de-energized and locked out? If now how will you ensure that your tag-out procedures are just as effective as locks?
• How does the communication process flow to ensure all of the necessary parties are notified when a machine is locked out?
• Do you have proper lockout tagout devices and signage posted in plain sight to act as a first line of notification to all entering into a hazardous area?
• What are employees required to do before, during, and after a machine is locked out, as the person carrying out the maintenance, and as the workers working around the locked out machine?

Do you think there are holes in your lockout tagout program that should be addressed? Make it a point to start improving your procedures and the safety of your employees this National Safety Month. Start Using LoTo safety locks and tags today!