Lockout/Tagout Basics

Employer Responsibilities

Employers need to implement the following procedures to prevent injuries and deaths of employees who are required to work with hazardous energy in their jobs:

• Comply with OSHA regulations. (More than one OSHA standard may apply.)
• Develop and implement a written hazardous energy control program.
• Identify and label all hazardous energy sources.
• De-energize, isolate, block and/or dissipate all forms of hazardous energy before work begins.
• Train all employees in the basic concepts of hazardous energy control. Identify authorized and affected employees for specific training.
• Establish lockout/tagout programs that
  • Provide written procedures, with checklists when equipment is complex
  • Require employees to secure energy control devices with their own individually assigned locks and keys — only one key for each lock the employee controls
  • Require that each lock used to secure an energy control device be clearly labeled with durable tags to identify the employee assigned to the lock;
  • Make sure that the employee who installs a lock is the one who removes it after all work has been completed
  • If work is not completed when the shift changes, employees arriving on shift should apply their locks before departing employees remove their locks
• Verify by test and/or observation that all energy sources are de-energized before work begins
• Inspect repair work and replace guards before reactivating the equipment
• Make sure that all employees are clear of danger points before re-energizing the system
• Harmonize the hazardous energy control program with any confined-space entry program
• Encourage manufacturers to design machines and systems that make it easy to control hazardous energy sources

Employers must provide specific instruction for employees and are responsible for verifying that employees follow safe work practices. Get your employees to actively participate in training. They need to understand and follow procedures. Confirm training with a written test and document competency through exercises.

The operator of the workplace must also ensure that contractors on your premises follow lockout/ tagout procedures -- yours or theirs.

Employee Responsibilities

All employees need to take the following steps to protect themselves while installing or servicing equipment and/or systems:

• Follow OSHA regulations and company procedures
• Identify and label all sources of hazardous energy
• Before beginning work:
  1. De-energize all sources of hazardous energy:
     • Disconnect or shut down engines or motors.
     • De-energize electrical circuits (power and control).
     • Block fluid (gas or liquid) flow in hydraulic or pneumatic systems.
     • Block machine parts against motion.
  2. Block or dissipate stored energy:
     • Discharge capacitors.
     • Release or block springs that are under compression or tension
     • Vent fluids from pressure vessels, tanks or accumulators—but never vent toxic, flammable or explosive substances directly into the atmosphere

3. Lockout and tagout all forms of hazardous energy including electrical breaker panels and control valves
4. Make sure that only one key exists for each of your assigned locks and that only you hold that key
5. Verify by test and/or observation that all energy sources are de-energized
6. Inspect repair work and replace guards before removing your lock and activating the equipment
7. Make sure that only you remove your assigned lock
8. Make sure that you and everyone else is clear of danger points before re-energizing the system

Types Of Hazardous Energy

Employees may be exposed to hazardous energy in several forms and combinations during installation, maintenance or repair work. A comprehensive program protects employees from:

• Kinetic (mechanical) energy in the moving parts of mechanical systems
• Potential energy stored in pressure vessels, gas tanks, hydraulic or pneumatic systems and springs (energy that can be released as hazardous kinetic energy)
• Electrical energy from generated electrical power, static sources or electrical storage devices (such as batteries or capacitors)
• Thermal energy (high or low temperature) resulting from mechanical work, radiation, chemical reaction or electrical resistance

XL Environmental • Risk Control Division • 520 Eagleview Boulevard, PO Box 636, Exton, PA 19341 • Phone: 800-327-1414 • Fax: 610-458-7285 • xlenvironmental.com

XL Environmental is a division of XL Specialty Insurance Company.