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THE LOCKSMITH JOURNAL
How to Safely Perform
Lock Out Tag Out
» » WHEN CONDUCTING
maintenance, cleaning, or repairs
on any machinery or equipment
in the workplace it’s important
to ensure that accidental re-
energisation does not occur,
which can result in injury or even
fatalities. In order to ensure that
you are safety compliant, and have
a secure working environment for
your employees and contractors, it
is vital that you have procedures in
place.
A commonly used method for
safely isolating equipment is lock
out tag out. This process locks the
energy source on the machinery in
the first instance, this lock is then
tagged with a clearly identifying
label. The machinery is then tested
to ensure that it has been safely
shut down and stored energy safely
isolated.
LOCK OUT TAG OUT
Lock out tag out safely controls
hazardous energy and has clearly
defined steps, which when
performed correctly will ensure
machinery and equipment are safe
to perform maintenance, repair or
cleaning work on.
HERE ARE THE STAGES OF
LOCK OUT TAG OUT:
PREPARE
Before you begin any shut down
procedures it is important to
identify all primary and secondary
energy sources, as well as any
potential hazards. Any personnel
in the area should be made
aware that a lock out procedure
will be taking place and to not
attempt to restart the equipment.
Assessing potential hazards prior
to beginning work, and ensuring
a plan is in place for controlling
these, will reduce the likelihood of
accidents occurring.
SHUT DOWN
Begin your shut down by
following the correct procedures
for your equipment. It is important
to adhere to your correct shut
down process in order to ensure
everything is correctly switched off
and your workers remain safe.
Drops in pressure can cause
hydraulic or pneumatic systems
to move even after the equipment
has been shut down due to residual
stored energy, so this stage should
be carefully completed to prevent
accidents occurring.
VERIFY ISOLATION
Once your area is clear of other
personnel and your lock out devices
have been applied correctly, you
should verify your isolation. Do
this by attempting to restart the
equipment, this should not restart
if every stage has been completed
correctly. Once your ‘try out’ phase
is complete ensure that all controls
are switched off once more.
EQUIPMENT ISOLATION
In your preparation stage you
should have identified and labelled
all of your energy sources and
isolation points on your equipment.
During this phase you should ensure
that all primary and secondary
sources and power supplies have
been isolated correctly with the
appropriate isolation device.
LOCK OUT
Your isolation devices
should now be locked with an
appropriate fitting lock and tagged
in compliance with your safety
procedures. Lock out devices such
as padlocks and tags should be
stored safely in a lock out station
and not be used for any other
procedures in the workplace.
Once your lock is safely and
securely applied, tag this lock with
details of the person who applied it,
and the time and date as required.
The tag should be securely in place
as this will act as an identifier
for the person who applied the
lock, and ensures that no one else
attempts to remove it.
ENERGY ISOLATION
All moving parts on your
equipment should have ceased
moving with the shut down and
equipment isolation phases but it
is important to carefully inspect for
any other potential hazards, such
as spring driven parts, or any parts
which could fall. Use appropriate
blocking equipment to safely stop
these hazards from occurring.
CONDUCT REQUIRED WORK
At this point it is now safe to
conduct any required work on your
equipment. This should be in line
with any other safety procedures in
your workplace. It is worthwhile at
this point once again to ensure that
any other workers in the area are
aware a lock out procedure taking
place.
‘The lock
out tag out
method
helps to
ensure the
safety of
workers
and
prevent
accidents
from
occurring’
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | MAR/APR 2019
Sponsored by ERA - Total Security
REACTIVATE
After your required work is
completed, lock out devices, tags
and any blocks can be removed,
and the equipment safely restarted
in accordance with your company
procedures.
The lock out tag out method
helps to ensure the safety of
workers and prevent accidents
from occurring. Anyone who works
on machinery and equipment
should be trained to a high
standard to understand lock out
tag out, and this should also be
required of any contractors hired
to perform repairs, maintenance,
or cleaning on your equipment.
www.reecesafety.co.uk