Use lockout / tagout tags to clearly identify hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions, equipment or operations until the hazard is eliminated, resolved or completed. These tags are required as part of OSHA safety procedures to control energy during equipment service or maintenance, when an unexpected startup could cause injuries. These bold lockout / tagout tags stand out in any environment to make your safety message clear.
One key to efficient and effective workplace safety is the lock-out, tag-out process. Find out how to lock out and tag out machinery to keep your team safe.
What Is a Lock-Out / Tag-Out, and Why Is It Important?
The lock-out, tag-out procedure is a system for disabling machines to prevent hazardous energy releases. The procedure is necessary for secure maintenance and servicing of equipment.
Compliance with this OSHA-mandated program prevents an estimated 50,000 injuries and 120 fatalities yearly. Lock-out, tag-out procedures also involve eliminating any other dangers that result from physically interacting with the equipment, including bringing extreme temperatures to a safe level or securing freely moving parts.
What Is the Basic Procedure for Lock-Out, Tag-Out?
Exact procedures will vary from one operation to the next, but these are the seven essential steps of how to lock-out, tag-out your equipment safely:
1. Notify the Team Management should let affected employees know the equipment needs maintenance or servicing and that, as a result, the company is going to shut down the machine and execute lock-out, tag-out procedures. Posting lockout-tagout safety posters in the work area reminds employees of the importance of following this protocol.
2. Reference Procedure and Potential Hazards An authorized employee must check company documentation to understand the type of energy the machine uses, its magnitude, and the hazards. The person will review the proper methods for controlling the energy during the lock-out, tag-out procedure.
3. Shut Down the Equipment Authorized personnel should now disable the equipment using the normal stopping procedure. These employees should go through the standard shutdown steps to avoid unnecessary damage from abrupt stops.
4. Isolate Equipment From Power Sources After disabling the machine, your team should isolate the equipment from all power sources by using energy-isolating switches or devices. These are not the typical ON/OFF buttons that are on the machine itself. Instead, these usually connect directly to the energy source. Examples include turning line valves, blocks, and circuit breakers.
5. Apply Lock-Out, Tag-Out Devices to Energy Sources Use individual locks to lock out the source of energy and keep them in an off or neutral position. Lock-out devices often have a key or combination to prevent unauthorized use.
Then, fasten a tag to the energy-isolating device or switch to warn others not to restore energy during the lock-out, tag-out procedure. The tag needs the name of whoever applied it and the reason for doing so.
6. Dissipate or Restrain Stored Energy Residual energy could remain in the device and be released unexpectedly, engaging equipment and harming someone. Use an assigned method to drain this energy through bleeding liquids, venting gasses, relieving pressure, or releasing tension in compressed springs. In situations when you cannot release this energy, employ approved methods to restrain it.
7. Verify Isolation Check that no one is in the way of harm from the machine. Then, test that you’ve isolated the energy by trying to turn on the equipment or otherwise operate it with the normal controls. Once you are sure the machine will not engage, return all operating controls to an off or neutral position.
At this stage, you’ve completed the essential steps of a lock-out, tag-out procedure.
