Electrical Safety I: The Importance of Proper Lockout-Tagout Procedures

Thu, 2011-10-27

Controlling hazardous energy when a machine or electrical system is being serviced or repaired is critical to protect your employees from death or serious injury. In short, proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures save lives.

The sections of this article will help us explain why proper lockout / tagout procedures are vital for every business throughout the United States.

It will help identify what sources need to be locked out, offer examples and a starting point for proper LOTO procedures, provide OSHA standards for specific industries, and even show you some of our most popular lockout tags.

Learn all about arc flashes, their causes, and how to prevent them In Electrical Safety II- Arc Flash Safety.

Use these links to jump to the information you are interested in:

What Energy Sources Need to Be Locked Out?

Basic Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Steps

Useful Examples of Procedures & Requirements

Applicable OSHA Standards/Requirements for LOTO Procedures

Stonehouse Lockout Tagout Tags and Lockout Signs
or view our entire line of accident prevention tags.

What Energy Sources Need to Be Locked Out?*

OSHA Standard 1910.147(b) defines the following sources of energy that require proper lockout/tagout procedures:

Electrical: When an electric charge is used to create energy. This can include conductors, motors, generators, lighting systems, or electrical panels.
Mechanical: Includes Kinetic Energy (Moving equipment or materials) and Potential Energy (materials that are suspended, elevated, or coiled).
Hydraulic: The compressive force or movement of a liquid in a confined area.
Pneumatic: The compressive force or movement of air or gas in a confined area.
Chemical: Flammable, combustible, or corrosive substances that can explode if stored near a fuel source.
Thermal: When substances like hot air, hot water, steam, fire, gases and liquefied gases are used to create heat that powers a device.
Radiation: Includes non-ionizing radiation (light and lasers), and ionizing radiation (X-rays).
Other: Any other energy sources not defined above.

Essentially, any energy source that could potentially cause injury or death should have a proper lockout/tagout procedure in place.

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Basic Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Steps*

Use these basic steps to ensure that you have all the proper procedures included in your logout/tagout program:

1. Identify the machinery or equipment that needs to be locked out.

2. Shut off the machinery or equipment. Ensure all moving parts have come to a complete stop. Be sure that shutting off the equipment does not cause a hazard to other workers.

3. Identify and de-activate the main energy-isolating device for each energy source, for example, the master power switch.

4. Apply a personal lock to the energy-isolating device for each energy source. Ensure all parts and attachments are secured against inadvertent movement.

5. Test the lockout to make sure it is effective and to verify that each energy source has been effectively locked out. Before testing, ensure all workers are in the clear, and that no hazard will be created if the lockout is not effective.

Source: Prevent serious injuries with proper lockout procedures

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Links for Procedures and Examples*

If you have never created a lockout/tagout safety program, these links offer some guidelines, checklists and sample programs to get you started. Use these links as a starting point, but be sure to contact the appropriate agencies for guidance and additional information before implementing any safety program to ensure proper compliance and procedures.

NIOSH's Electrical Safety – Lock-out/ Tag-out checklist- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides this detailed student document on electrical safety. It covers a broad range of electrical safety categories, including a section that offers a Lockout/Tagout Checklist similar to the steps we offer in Basic Lockout/Tagout Steps.

1910.147 App A - Typical Minimal Lockout Procedures - OSHA offers a sample simple lockout procedure to assist employers in developing their procedures so they meet OSHA requirements.

SafetyInfo.Com is a comprehensive online safety library that offers safety videos, online training, and downloadable documents to assist safety managers and supervisors. Their Lockout Tagout Safety Program on Control of Hazardous Energy is a very detailed sample lockout/tagout program that can be used as a model.

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OSHA's Perspective

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has defined several different instances where a lockout/tagout procedure or a specific type of lockout tag is required or necessary. OSHA's mission is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women.

The links in this section will take you directly to OSHA's website for details on lockout/tagout information for general industry and other specific industries as described on their Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) homepage.

NOTE: The information presented in this document is intended for general discussion only and should not be used for compliance purposes. For more detailed information on OSHA standards and their application to specific situations, please visit the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's website, or contact OSHA directly.

OSHA Directive CPL 02-00-147

Dated February 11, 2008, This .PDF document of Directive CPL 02-00-147 establishes OSHA's enforcement policy for its standards addressing the control of hazardous energy.

General Industry

1910 Subpart J: General environmental controls

1910.147 The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)

1910 Subpart R: Special industries

1910.261: Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills

1910.269: Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution

1910 Subpart S Electrical

1910.306: Specific purpose equipment and installations

1910.333: Selection and use of work practices

Marine Terminals

1917.48: Cargo handling gear and equipment

1917.48(i)(2)

The starting device shall be locked out and tagged out in the stop position before an attempt is made to remove the cause of a jam or overload of the conveying medium, unless it is necessary to have the power on to remove the jam.

Longshoring

1918.64: Cargo handling gear and equipment other than ship's gear

1918.64(k)(1)

Conveyors shall be stopped and their power sources locked out and tagged out during maintenance, repair, and servicing. If power is necessary for testing or for making minor adjustments, power shall only be supplied to the servicing operation.

1918.64(k)(2)

The starting device shall be locked out and tagged out in the stop position before an attempt is made to remove the cause of a jam or overload of the conveying medium.

Construction Industry

1926.417: Electrical

1926.417(a)

Controls. Controls that are to be deactivated during the course of work on energized or deenergized equipment or circuits shall be tagged.

1926.417(b)

Equipment and circuits. Equipment or circuits that are deenergized shall be rendered inoperative and shall have tags attached at all points where such equipment or circuits can be energized.

1926.417(c)

Tags. Tags shall be placed to identify plainly the equipment or circuits being worked on.

1926.702: Concrete and masonry construction

1926.702(j)(1)

No employee shall be permitted to perform maintenance or repair activity on equipment (such as compressors mixers, screens or pumps used for concrete and masonry construction activities) where the inadvertent operation of the equipment could occur and cause injury, unless all potentially hazardous energy sources have been locked out and tagged.

1926.702(j)(2)

Tags shall read Do Not Start or similar language to indicate that the equipment is not to be operated.

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Lockout/Tagout Tags and Signs from Stonehouse

Stonehouse Signs offers a full line of ANSI & OSHA compliant lockout/tagout (LOTO) tags for any application. We have included some of the most popular lockout signs and tags that are available in our online catalog below! Click on the images to view the details of each product. If you have any questions or want a lightning-fast quote, contact our expert staff by using the chat feature to the right, or just give us a call at (800) 525-0456.
Lockout/Tagout Tags All Stonehouse Tags are available on our standard materials & our new polyester tag material.
Tag 14	Tag 84	Tag 11

Tag 121	Tag TU-93	Tag 122

Lockout Signs All Stonehouse Lockout Signs are available in these standard materials.