The Hazardous Energy Control Standard (Lockout/Tagout or LOTO) requires employers to establish and implement an energy control program whenever an employee services or maintains machinery, equipment, or systems that may have an unexpected energizing, start up, or release of energy, which could potentially cause injury.
TYPES OF HAZARDS
The most common type of hazardous energy is electrical energy, whether from generated power, storage devices (batteries and capacitors), or static. However, the LOTO program must also protect against injury from thermal energy (high or low temperature), kinetic energy (mechanical energy from moving parts), and potential energy (stored in pressurized vessels, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, gravity, and springs).
HAZARDO US ENERGY CONTROL
The energy control program requires that an authorized person must disconnect the machinery or equipment from its energy sources and block it as necessary to prevent any unexpected movement before service or maintenance work is performed. Additionally, the program requires that authorized employees either lock or tag its energy-isolating device(s) to prevent the release of hazardous energy and take steps to verify effective isolation of the energy. It is crucial that personnel developing the LOTO program identify every energy source and energy-isolating device for each piece of machinery or equipment included in the program. The steps to be followed to provide absolute control of each source and isolating device must be incorporated into the specific procedures developed for each piece of machinery or equipment.
LOCKOUT OR TAGOUT ?
Lockout devices are items such as locks that are used to keep energy isolating devices in safe positions. Their function is to secure energy isolating devices in positions that prevent machines or equipment from becoming energized during servicing and similar activities. They include items like electrical switches, circuit breakers, disconnect switches, line valves, slide gates, slip binds, and mechanical blocks and barriers.
Tagout is used alone when it is not possible to apply a lockout device. It involves attaching a danger tag on or as close as possible to an energy-isolating device. The tag must indicate that the machine or equipment being serviced cannot be operated until it is removed by the person who applied it.
