Lockout / Tagout – The Basics

If there is one common theme that runs through almost every safety tip that gets published online or in the pages of an OSHA manual, that theme would be “awareness.”  Staying aware of one’s surroundings, the activities of others in a work area, and of the safety policies designed to protect workers at a facility or job site are all key components of avoiding a work-related injury.

However, human nature being what it is, it’s also important for risk managers to prepare for instances where employees do not remember these basic precautions.  This is especially true in any industry that makes extensive use of automated machinery.  Not only are the hazards of equipment that can be turned on remotely immediately obvious, but the electrical current that is required to power these machines is also usually of a voltage that could cause serious injury should workers come into contact with an unexpectedly charged circuit.  The greatest risk of this occurring comes when maintenance or repairs are being performed, as not only does this interrupt the standard routine that most workers are used to, but it also places service personnel in the most vulnerable possible position.

It was for exactly this reason that lockout/tagout was created.  Lockout/tagout is a system of physical blocks that make it impossible to energize a switched circuit.  In this way, injuries related to either an electrical shock or the unexpected operation of a piece of machinery are avoided.  In addition to electrical gear, lockout/tagout can also be used to control hydraulic and pneumatic systems, as well as a number of other energy sources

The type of safety devices employed by a lockout/tagout system are varied.  For electrical systems, they might consist of circuit breaker lockouts which fit over the breakers in question and make them impossible to flip without unlocking, or lockouts that fit directly over wall switches to prevent accidental equipment activation.  Gas and fluid flow can be controlled via valve wheel lockouts.  For facility-wide implementation, it is possible to purchase specialized kits that are meant to provide a number of different lockout/tagout blocks designed to cover an entire system, end to end.

Of course, as with any safety system lockout/tagout only works as long as employees are educated as to how to properly implement it.  Barring an unexpected line incident, workers should never be surprised to arrive at their station and discover that its functionality has been locked out.  Instead, a training program explaining the utility of lockout/tagout, combined with a site-wide program explaining the facility’s policies is a critical aspect of this safety tool.  Written procedures that cover how equipment should be locked and unlocked, as well as who has the authorization to initiate either state are a must.  Training on these policies should not be restricted just to those who will be responsible for performing the lockouts themselves – it should be extended so that all employees who come into contact with a particular pierce of machinery are aware of the details surrounding the process.