Control of Hazardous Energy ( Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) PROCEDURE )

Control of Hazardous Energy

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) PROCEDURE

PURPOSE

Authorized workers conduct lockout/tagout (LOTO) in accordance with this procedure to prevent accidental startup of equipment or the unplanned release of energy. The primary purpose of this procedure is to protect workers from injury. A secondary purpose is to protect equipment from damage.

APPLICABILITY

This procedure applies to hazardous energy sources including, but not limited to, electrical, steam, hydraulic, mechanical, chemical, thermal, and pneumatic. Internal or stored energy sources such as charged capacitors, batteries, wound springs, fly wheels, raised loads and thermal sources are also covered under this procedure and must be properly relieved or restrained before activities begin.

AUTHORITATIVE REFERNCES

·         Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard 29 CFR 1910.147 Control of Hazardous Energy

·         OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.269 Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution

·         OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.333 Electrical, Selection and Use of Work Practices

·         National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace

DEFINITIONS

Administrative Lockout.  Locks that are applied to equipment control circuits or energy isolating devices for the purpose of preventing operation by unauthorized workers.  Padlocks used for administrative purposes should be accompanied by a control tag that states, “Caution, Operation of this Equipment by Authorized Personnel Only” or “Out of Service.”   Administrative lockout shall not be used for isolation of an energy source.

Administrative Tagout.  The placement of “Out of Service” or “Authorized Personnel Only” control tags to inform workers that operating restrictions have been placed on a piece of equipment.  Administrative tagout can be applied without administrative lockout.

Affected Worker. An individual whose job requires him or her to operate or use a machine or equipment on which servicing or maintenance is being performed under LOTO, or whose job requires him or her in an area in which such servicing or maintenance is performed.

Authorized Worker.  An individual who LOTO machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on that machine or equipment. An individual who is current in LOTO training and who receives work assignments through his or her line manager requiring LOTO.

Control Circuit.  A circuit that contains switching devices that control the activation and/or specific operations of a piece of equipment.

Energy Isolating Device.  A mechanical device that prevents the transmission or release of energy.  Examples include: circuit breaker, disconnect switch, flow control valve, slide gate, blind flange, block, or other similar device used to block or isolate energy.  The term does not usually include push button or other control circuit-type devices.

External Energy Source.  Energy source that is external to equipment such as electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gas, vacuum, high temperature, cryogenic temperature, or mechanical that could cause harm to workers or equipment.

Internal Energy Source.  Energy source such as capacitor, accumulator, air surge tank, battery, hydraulic line pressure, or wound spring that is internal to equipment and could potentially be released and cause injury after external energy sources have been disconnected and secured.

Lockout.  The placement of a locking device, such as a padlock, on an energy isolating device, thereby preventing the energy isolating device and the equipment being controlled from being operated until the lockout device is removed.  Lockout must be accompanied by tagout.

Tagout.  The placement of “Danger Do Not Operate” tags on an energy isolating device to inform workers that the energy isolating device and the equipment being controlled must not be operated.  Tagout must accompany a lockout, and may be used alone if the energy isolating device cannot physically be locked out and when alternative isolating procedures are used, such as removal of a circuit breaker or fuse.

Zero-Energy State.  A term that applies to equipment or systems status in which hazardous energy sources have been disconnected and secured and internal energy sources have been relieved or restrained in a safe manner.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Office

·         Trains workers to be qualified to perform LOTO.

·         Provides guidance in developing LOTO Equipment Specific Procedures (ESP).

·         Provides guidance in performing regular field practical’s.

·         Maintains the completed Field Practical forms.

·         Maintains the completed Non-Routine LOTO Removals forms.

·         Provides LOTO locks and tags to authorized workers.

·         Periodically reviews the procedure and updates it as required.

Supervisor (Supervisor/Line Manager/Principle Investigator)

·         Authorizes workers to perform LOTO, verifying that they are qualified and trained to perform the assigned work.

·         Performs regular field practicals for authorized workers reporting to them.

·         Reviews and approves LOTO ESPs.

·         Verifies that authorized workers have proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools, such as LO devices, electrically insulated/rated equipment, for the assigned work.

·         Performs verifications required for non-routine LOTO removal.

Authorized Worker

·         Maintains qualifications.

·         Verifies that LOTO is affectively applied prior to working on equipment that may potentially contain a hazardous energy source, including verification that the equipment is secured and in a zero-energy state.

·         Develop LOTO ESPs when required and obtain approval for supervisor/line manager/principle investigator.

·         Review/follow LOTO ESPs when required.

Affected Workers

·         Does not disturb equipment that is LOTO.

Contractor Host

·         Work with subcontractor to ensure both parties understand each other’s LOTO programs.

·         Ensure both Mines and subcontractor personnel are in agreement on the protection of both parties and the procedures to be used during projects requiring LOTO.

ASSESS WORK ACTVITIES

Perform a hazard assessment prior to performing an installation, service, maintenance or repair activities to determine whether LOTO is required.  Determine whether:

·         You are “working” on a machine or piece of equipment that has hazardous energy either internal and/or external.

·         You have to remove or bypass a guardor other safety device that exposes you to hazardous energy in order to perform the work task. Remember some equipment is guarded by distance and if you enter the guarded distance then you are bypassing that guard.

·         You have to place any part of your body into a machine’s point of operation or associated danger zone.

·         You have to clear a jammed mechanism that could expose you to hazardous energy while performing the task or when the jam is removed.

If any of these criterion apply to your “work” then LOTO is required.

Diagnostics and troubleshooting activities are not considered “work” in regard to evaluating whether LOTO is required.  Work is the installation, service, maintenance or repair activity. Where ever feasible diagnostic and troubleshooting activities should be performed in a de-energized/ LOTO state. 

To determine whether energy sources are hazardous complete the following evaluation:

·         Does the energy source exceed threshold values identified in Table 1?

·         For energy sources that do not exceed threshold values, can you get hurt if there was exposure to or release of that energy when performing the work?

If you answer yes to either of these questions then the energy source would be considered hazardous.