Procedure
What is Lockout? Lockout is a
method of preventing the unexpected energizing or start-up of equipment and
preventing employee safety from being compromised by locking the machine.
Why use Lockout? To prevent
unexpected energizing, start-up, or release of stored energy from machinery
during equipment clean-downs, maintenance, or servicing.
Energy: Energy is what causes movement. Whether the
power is switched on or off, there is always energy present in any powered
equipment. Different type energy comes from many sources.
Types of energy:
• Electrical
(e.g., capacitors, lines)
• Chemical
(e.g., cleaning agents, ammonia)
• Thermal
(any liquid above 50° C)
• Hydraulic
• Pneumatic
• Gravity
• Pressure
• Gas
• Steam,
air, or water etc.
When to Lockout?
- Lockout must be used whenever you are working on or around equipment or machine where you could be injured by the unexpected start-up or energizing of the equipment. The release of stored energy. You must use lockout when:
- You need to remove or bypass a guard or safety device.
- You will be placing any part of your body where you could be caught by Moving machinery, e.g., whilst cleaning equipment and maintenance.
- Entering a confined space.
- Repairing electrical circuits.
- More than one person working on / adjusting one machine.
- For Major shutdown / breakdown maintenance, repairs and cleaning.
- Whenever identified as being hazardous to operator or equipment.
Basic Steps
of a Lockout/Tag out Process
- Identify energy sources and shut off energy to the affected equipment.
- (Use normal stopping or running procedures for the machine.)
- Notify others (notify all relevant employees that shut-down for servicing, maintenance, or cleaning is required.
- Shutdown the equipment, using normal stopping procedures for the machine.
- Isolate the equipment from the all energy source.
- Lockout/tag out the equipment by affixing locks and tags to each energy source controlling device (LOTO Devices).
- Release any stored energy from capacitor banks, springs, compressed air, steam, hydraulics, etc.
- Verify isolation of energy has occurred by trying equipment.
- Check the equipment / area is clear.
- Ensure equipment is isolated from its energy source by pushing the start button or normal operating device.
- The equipment is now locked out and is ready for cleaning / Maintenance
Note: -For more than one person: Each individual
working on the locked out equipment must apply individual locks to the HASP.
When restarting the machinery,
here are some steps to follow:
Ensure that non-essential items are removed from
equipment
Check area to ensure that all affected employees are
safely positioned or removed from the
area.
Notify all affected employees and site supervisor
before re-energizing the equipment.
Remove lockout/tag-out devices.
Re-energize equipment to ensure safe operation.
In case of shift or person change;
- When equipment is locked out prior to a shift change, the outgoing shift personnel must determine whether the equipment is hazardous in its current state.
- If the hazard has been eliminated, remove lock and inform incoming shift personnel of the state of the equipment.
- If the equipment is still deemed hazardous at shift changeover, personnel from the next shift must sign out a new key and lock and attach it to the hasp before the personnel from the current shift remove their lock.
- Each individual working on the machine must sign in and out their own locks.
- Changing Lock and keys at shift change is not acceptable. Or an out of Service tag may be placed on the equipment
Documentation of lockout devices:
Fill the Lockout Tag-out register ,Each Lock must be
attached completed Tag Out Tag to equipment with a cable tie. Record the
following information in the Tag:
Date the Tag was attached to the equipment.
Name of person attaching the Tag.
Name of the equipment.
