Steps For Implementing Professional Lockout Tagout Programs

Posted by Kristen White
8
Aug 22, 2016
117 Views
Safety at the workplace has paramount importance for any industry. Comprehensive and professional lockout tagout programs have become a necessity for ensuring safety of employees working on repair, cleaning, or maintenance of machines. It can make them aware of any potential danger posed by hazardous sources of energy existing in the building. However, it should not be followed only as compliance to OSHA guidelines but also to keep employee safety on top of the priorities. Hence, professional software-based programs are crucial for the harmless functioning of your unit. Here are the steps that you must take in order to employ this program effectively:


Understanding OSHA Regulations:
To comply with them, it is necessary to understand the guidelines and lockout tagout standards of OSHA in a concise manner. You must know the basic principles like allowing only authorized workers to lockout or tagout machines for servicing or maintenance, locks and tags bearing the name of worker applying them, restricting the usage of lockout tagout devices only to control of hazardous energy sources, identification of all such energy sources, etc.
 
Preparing the List of Equipment and Machineries:
There are many machines and equipment in your facility that may be omitted while implementing a lockout tagout program. This glitch may prove fatal to your business. Hence, it is advisable to conduct a survey of your building to assess and enlist all such devices that require this program. Every machine must have a specific lockout procedure encompassing steps to shut it down and to ensure secured release of hazardous energy. A professional company can provide onsite inspection and energy devise assessments to ascertain the same.
 
Marking and Documentation of Energy Sources:
Your plant may have many unnoticeable yet potential energy sources like pressure, hydraulic, thermal, stored, mechanical, or process-controlled. It is essential to identify every such source and label them. Add tags for warning against the use of locked-out machines. Written procedures can largely save from future complications. You can use graphics to identify the sources and illustrate the lockout points applied on them.
 
Training of Employees Directly or Indirectly Involved:
You must have a standardized lockout tagout program for every hazardous energy source in your plant. At the same time, your workforce must be involved in this program through extensive training and certification. This training should be provided to the employees performing lockout procedures, employees affected by it, and those aware of it. They must be trained on matters like critical elements of energy control procedures, compliance with OSHA standards, and other relevant aspects of this program.
 
Execution of Program:
Once you have ensured all compliances, this program will be initiated in your building by the service provider. After its implementation, they must provide you written procedures related to shutdown and start of each machine. There must be proper and accurate documentation of devices along with their respective lockout points and authorized workers.

After successfully implementing professional lockout tagout programs, it is equally important to conduct periodic reviews to ensure their proper functioning. This way, you can detect the flaws and rectify them immediately.
 
If you’re seeking  Lockout Tagout Powerpoint Presentation , the author of this article recommends SafetyNet Inc. - iLockItOut.
 
 
Comments
avatar
Please sign in to add comment.