Lockout/Tagout and Requirements
By Mike Rich- Safety Services Company
Published: July 25, 2011
Summary
"Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)" refers to specific practices and procedures that safeguard employees from the unexpected energization, starting, of machinery, or the release of hazardous energy during maintenance.
The approximately 3 million workers who service equipment face the greatest risk of injury if lockout/tagout is not properly implemented.
Compliance with the lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147) prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation.
In a study conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), 20% of the fatalities (83 of 414) that occurred among their members between 1973 and 1995 were attributed to inadequate hazardous energy control procedures specifically, lockout/tagout procedures.
Because lockout/tagout is the No. 1 most cited regulation in the manufacturing industry and the No. 5 most cited regulation for all industries, it only makes sense that a large portion of workplace accidents could be avoided with a solid lockout/tagout program and safety-oriented company culture.
By cutting down on accidents through an effective program a company can not only improve its profitability, but remove the risk for a costly OSHA fine or lawsuit.
Here at Safety Services we offer an affordable solution to protect your company.
For more information call 877-804-8786.
The approximately 3 million workers who service equipment face the greatest risk of injury if lockout/tagout is not properly implemented.
Compliance with the lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147) prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation.
In a study conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), 20% of the fatalities (83 of 414) that occurred among their members between 1973 and 1995 were attributed to inadequate hazardous energy control procedures specifically, lockout/tagout procedures.
Because lockout/tagout is the No. 1 most cited regulation in the manufacturing industry and the No. 5 most cited regulation for all industries, it only makes sense that a large portion of workplace accidents could be avoided with a solid lockout/tagout program and safety-oriented company culture.
By cutting down on accidents through an effective program a company can not only improve its profitability, but remove the risk for a costly OSHA fine or lawsuit.
Here at Safety Services we offer an affordable solution to protect your company.
For more information call 877-804-8786.
Related
- OSHA's 10/30 Hour Program and Training Requirements (July 26, 2011)
- Digging Through Excavation Hazards and Requirements (July 25, 2011)
- Drug use and its impacts on the workplace (July 25, 2011)
What is Lockout Tagout?
The OSHA standard for Lockout Tagout is (CFR) Part 1910.147. It addresses the practices and procedures necessary to disable machinery or equipment to preventing the release of hazardous energy.
In addition, CFR 1910.333 details the requirements to protect employees working on electric circuits and equipment.
These lockout/tagout standards define your responsibilities to protect employees from hazardous energy sources on machines and equipment during service and maintenance.
The first part of the standard requires you to develop an energy control program suited to the needs of your workplace and the types of machines and equipment being maintained.
Next, employees need to be trained to ensure that they know, understand, and follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy control procedures.
The training must cover three areas:
1. Aspects of the employer's energy control program;
2. Elements of the energy control procedure relevant to the employee's duties or assignment;
3. The various requirements of the OSHA standards related to lockout/tagoutv
The standard also establishes the following requirements:
1. Ensure that new or overhauled equipment is capable of being locked out.
2. Develop, implement, and enforce an effective tagout program if machines or equipment are not capable of being locked out. Develop, document, implement, and enforce energy control procedures. [See the note to 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i) for an exception to the documentation requirements.]
3. Use only lockout/tagout devices authorized for the particular equipment or machinery and ensure that they are durable, standardized, and substantial.
4. Ensure that lockout/tagout devices identify the individual users.
5. Establish a policy that permits only the employee who applied a lockout/tagout device to remove it. [See 29 CFR 1910.147(e)(3) for exception.]
6. Inspect energy control procedures at least annually.
7. Provide effective training as mandated for all employees covered by the standard.
8. Comply with the additional energy control provisions in OSHA standards when machines or equipment must be tested or repositioned, when outside contractors work at the site, in group lockout situations, and during shift or personnel changes.
The OSHA standard for Lockout Tagout is (CFR) Part 1910.147. It addresses the practices and procedures necessary to disable machinery or equipment to preventing the release of hazardous energy.
In addition, CFR 1910.333 details the requirements to protect employees working on electric circuits and equipment.
These lockout/tagout standards define your responsibilities to protect employees from hazardous energy sources on machines and equipment during service and maintenance.
The first part of the standard requires you to develop an energy control program suited to the needs of your workplace and the types of machines and equipment being maintained.
Next, employees need to be trained to ensure that they know, understand, and follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy control procedures.
The training must cover three areas:
1. Aspects of the employer's energy control program;
2. Elements of the energy control procedure relevant to the employee's duties or assignment;
3. The various requirements of the OSHA standards related to lockout/tagoutv
The standard also establishes the following requirements:
1. Ensure that new or overhauled equipment is capable of being locked out.
2. Develop, implement, and enforce an effective tagout program if machines or equipment are not capable of being locked out. Develop, document, implement, and enforce energy control procedures. [See the note to 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i) for an exception to the documentation requirements.]
3. Use only lockout/tagout devices authorized for the particular equipment or machinery and ensure that they are durable, standardized, and substantial.
4. Ensure that lockout/tagout devices identify the individual users.
5. Establish a policy that permits only the employee who applied a lockout/tagout device to remove it. [See 29 CFR 1910.147(e)(3) for exception.]
6. Inspect energy control procedures at least annually.
7. Provide effective training as mandated for all employees covered by the standard.
8. Comply with the additional energy control provisions in OSHA standards when machines or equipment must be tested or repositioned, when outside contractors work at the site, in group lockout situations, and during shift or personnel changes.
Listing Exemptions to Lockout Requirements
Tagout devices may be used in lieu of lockout devices only if the tagout program provides employee protection equivalent to that provided through a lockout program.
The standard does not apply if exposure to hazardous energy is controlled completely by unplugging the equipment from an electric outlet and where the employee doing the service or maintenance has exclusive control of the plug.
This applies only if electricity is the only form of hazardous energy to which employees may be exposed. This exception encompasses many portable hand tools and some cord and plug connected machinery and equipment.
The standard does not cover electrical hazards from work on, near, or with conductors or equipment in electric utilization (premise wiring) installations, which are outlined by 29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart S.
You can find the specific lockout and tagout provisions for electrical shock and burn hazards in 29 CFR Part 1910.333.
Controlling hazardous energy in installations for the exclusive purpose of power generation, transmission, and distribution, including related equipment for communication or metering, is covered by 29 CFR 1910.269.
The standard also does not cover the agriculture, construction, and maritime industries or oil and gas well drilling and servicing. Other standards concerning the control of hazardous energy, however, apply in many of these industries and situations.
The standard does not apply if exposure to hazardous energy is controlled completely by unplugging the equipment from an electric outlet and where the employee doing the service or maintenance has exclusive control of the plug.
This applies only if electricity is the only form of hazardous energy to which employees may be exposed. This exception encompasses many portable hand tools and some cord and plug connected machinery and equipment.
The standard does not cover electrical hazards from work on, near, or with conductors or equipment in electric utilization (premise wiring) installations, which are outlined by 29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart S.
You can find the specific lockout and tagout provisions for electrical shock and burn hazards in 29 CFR Part 1910.333.
Controlling hazardous energy in installations for the exclusive purpose of power generation, transmission, and distribution, including related equipment for communication or metering, is covered by 29 CFR 1910.269.
The standard also does not cover the agriculture, construction, and maritime industries or oil and gas well drilling and servicing. Other standards concerning the control of hazardous energy, however, apply in many of these industries and situations.
Hazards of Uncontrolled Energy
Three men were performing maintenance inside an asphalt mixer. One of them was still inside the mixer when the power was turned back on, starting the equipment. He was killed instantly.
A cotton gin operator turned off the switch to a jammed cleaner/separator and climbed inside to check on the problem. Another employee walking by the device turned it on as they passed. The man's left leg was pulled through the feed rollers.
Craft workers, machine operators, and laborers are among the 3 million workers who service equipment and face the greatest risk. It is estimated by OSHA that compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
Most of the injuries stem from machinery powered by electrical, mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic sources.
Those working with machinery powered by these energy sources, face electrocution, loss of digits or limbs, or severe crushing injuries.
Those injured lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation. In a study conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), 20% of the fatalities (83 of 414) that occurred among their members between 1973 and 1995 were attributed to not properly utilizing lockout tagout.
While the potential for injury is staggering, the financial impact they place on employers is overwhelming.
An annual study conducted by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in 2010, revealed that the direct cost to employers from injuries in 2008 was $53.42 billion. [1]
Furthermore the study concluded that accidents at the workplace were estimated to cost employers an additional $80 to $200 billion annually.
A second report by the U.S. Department of Labor cemented the finding of the insurance groups report. This report stated the average workplace injury cost an employer $43,000. The same study estimated the cost from wage replacement due to injury to be roughly $50 billion a year.
"An accident at the workplace can often be the difference between operating in the black and falling into the red," said Safety Services CEO Devon Dickenson.
A cotton gin operator turned off the switch to a jammed cleaner/separator and climbed inside to check on the problem. Another employee walking by the device turned it on as they passed. The man's left leg was pulled through the feed rollers.
Craft workers, machine operators, and laborers are among the 3 million workers who service equipment and face the greatest risk. It is estimated by OSHA that compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
Most of the injuries stem from machinery powered by electrical, mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic sources.
Those working with machinery powered by these energy sources, face electrocution, loss of digits or limbs, or severe crushing injuries.
Those injured lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation. In a study conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), 20% of the fatalities (83 of 414) that occurred among their members between 1973 and 1995 were attributed to not properly utilizing lockout tagout.
While the potential for injury is staggering, the financial impact they place on employers is overwhelming.
An annual study conducted by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in 2010, revealed that the direct cost to employers from injuries in 2008 was $53.42 billion. [1]
Furthermore the study concluded that accidents at the workplace were estimated to cost employers an additional $80 to $200 billion annually.
A second report by the U.S. Department of Labor cemented the finding of the insurance groups report. This report stated the average workplace injury cost an employer $43,000. The same study estimated the cost from wage replacement due to injury to be roughly $50 billion a year.
"An accident at the workplace can often be the difference between operating in the black and falling into the red," said Safety Services CEO Devon Dickenson.
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