Lock Out Tag Out



Many serious accidents have happened when someone thought a machine or the power to it was safely off. "Lock-out tag-out" is a way to protect yourself and others by ensuring that machines remain completely, temporarily off. Without a lock-out tag-out system there is the possibility that a machine will unexpectedly start up, either because of stored energy which was not correctly released or through the actions of someone starting the process without realizing that it isn't safe to do so.

The lock-out tag-out standard requires that hazardous energy sources be "isolated and rendered inoperative" before maintenance or servicing work can begin. These energy sources include electrical (either active current or stored as in a capacitor), pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, thermal, chemical, and the force of gravity. It is important to remember all of the energy sources must be "isolated and rendered inoperative." Overlooking an energy source has proved fatal on several occasions.

                                               Sequence of lockout

1.Notify all affected employees.   The authorized employee shall refer to the company procedure to identify  the type and  magnitude  of  the  energy that the machine  or equipment utilizes,  and    shall  understand  the hazards of the energy and know  how to control the energy.

2.If the machine or equipment is operating, shut it down by the normal stopping procedure (depress the stop button, open switch,  close valve, etc.).

 

3.De-activate the energy isolating device(s)  so that  the machine or equipment is isolated from the energy sources.

4. Lock out and Tag out the  energy  isolating   device(s)  with assigned individual locks and Tags.

5. Stored or residual energy  (such as that in capacitors, springs, elevated  machine members,  rotating  flywheels,  hydraulic  systems,  and  air,  gas,  steam,  or water pressure,  etc.)  must  be  dissipated  or  restrained  by methods such  as  grounding, repositioning, blocking, bleeding down, etc.

 

6.Ensure  that  the  equipment  is  disconnected  form the energy source(s) by first  checking  that  no  personnel  are exposed, then verify the isolation of the equipment  by  operating  the  push button or other normal operating control(s) or by testing to make certain the equipment will not operate.

 

 

 

 

 

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