Lockout/Tagout Procedures
To ensure safety and prevent the hazards associated with machine guard servicing or maintenance, each machine or piece of equipment must be properly safeguarded.
Lockout Tagout
The following steps outline the standard lockout/tagout procedures to be followed:
- Notifying Affected Employees: Inform all affected employees, such as machine or equipment operators or users, that the machine or equipment must be shut down to perform maintenance or servicing tasks.
- Stopping the Machine: Completely stop the machine or equipment to halt all operations before proceeding with any maintenance or servicing activities.
- Isolating the Energy Source: Physically isolate the machine or piece of equipment from its energy source to prevent any accidental energization during the maintenance process.
- Locking Out or Tagging Out: Apply a lockout or tagout device to the energy source to secure it and ensure that the machine or equipment cannot be operated until the maintenance is complete.
- Relieving Stored or Residual Energy: Release or dissipate any stored or residual energy, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical energy, to eliminate potential hazards.
- Verifying Isolation: Confirm that the machine or equipment is fully isolated from its energy source and safe to work on before beginning any maintenance or servicing tasks.
Exceptions to the Rule: While the above steps represent the general lockout/tagout procedure, exceptions may apply in certain cases. These exceptions are permissible when the servicing or maintenance is not hazardous to employees, is minor in nature, is performed as an integral part of production, and the employer implements alternative safeguards that provide effective protection as required by OSHA standards.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
6-4. According to lockout tagout procedures, who should maintenance workers notify when machinery is about to be worked on?
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