Lockout Tagout Procedure

To ensure equipment is safe to work on, you must turn off the power or close valves. The instructions for how to do this will differ depending on your workplace.

To turn off electrical power, you should:

• Switch off the power at the breaker
• Make sure the breaker connections are off
• Lock the breaker in the off position

To turn off hydraulic and pneumatic power, you should:

• Close the valves and lock them in place
• Open the pressure relief valves or close the airlines to release the pressure

To release potential mechanical energy:

• Carefully release any compressed springs
• Block any parts that may move if the spring could transfer energy to them

To prevent parts from falling, use a safety block or pin.

To turn off chemical energy:

• Close and lock the valves for chemical supply lines
• Block the chemical supply by capping the ends or draining the chemicals from the supply lines

To make the equipment safe to work on, you need to put locks or tags on it. These locks or tags will be given to you by your boss. They can be padlocks, blank flanges, or bolted slip blinds. They will keep the equipment from turning on while you work on it.

If you are using tags, you should also put a tag on the lock or tag that you put on the equipment. Write your name on the tag so people know who put the lock or tag on.

Remember, turning off a switch or pulling a fuse is not enough. You need to put a lock or tag on the equipment too.

Ensure no one takes off the lock or tag while doing a lockout. Each lock should have its own key, and no one should have a master key. There should be one lock for every person working on the equipment. Only the person who put the lock on can take it off.

Before you start working on the equipment, check to see if there is still any dangerous energy in the machine. Even if the power is off, the machine may still have energy inside it. Also, make sure all the parts have stopped moving.

If there is still energy in the machine, you need to eliminate it. Different types of energy need to be released in different ways.

Electrical energy: Some machines have parts that store electricity. Getting rid of that electricity would be best before you start working. Sometimes you need to ask the company who made the machine for help.

Hydraulic and pneumatic energy: Sometimes there is still pressure in the lines. It would be best if you released that pressure before you start working. Ask the company who made the machine for help.

Mechanical energy: If parts are still under pressure, you need to release that pressure before you start working.

Gravitational energy: If something can fall, make sure it can't fall before you start working.

Chemical energy: If chemicals are in the machine, remove them before you start working.

• Ensure the work is finished, and all tools and equipment used are accounted for.
• Put back any items used, such as towels, rags, and parts to their proper places.
• Put the guards back on if possible.
• Put all controls in their safest position.
• Tell all workers that the lockout/tagout devices are being removed.
• Take off the locks and tags from the equipment.
• Only the person who put on the lock/tag can remove it.