“Lockout/tagout” refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 3 million workers service equipment and face the greatest risk of injury if lockout/tagout is not properly implemented. Compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) lockout/tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
This “Client Handout” provides small business owners a means of identifying potential problem areas with their operations. Any question answered “No” should be thoroughly investigated and corrective actions taken.
| Questions | Yes | No | N/A |
| Is there a written procedure covering lockout/tagout operations? | |||
| Are only trained personnel allowed to lockout/tagout machinery/equipment? | |||
| Is all machinery/equipment that is capable of movement, de-energized or disengaged and blocked or locked-out during cleaning, servicing, or adjusting, or setting-up operations? | |||
| If disconnecting the power at the equipment does not also disconnect the electrical control circuit, are the appropriate electrical enclosures identified and are means provided to ensure the control circuit can also be disconnected or locked out? | |||
| Is it prohibited to lockout the control circuits in lieu of the lockout of main power disconnect? | |||
| Are all machinery/equipment control valve handles able to be locked out? | |||
| Does the lockout procedure require that stored energy (e.g., mechanical, hydraulic, air pressure, etc.) be released or blocked before equipment is locked out for repair? | |||
| Are appropriate employees provided with individually keyed, personal safety locks? | |||
| Is the employee exposed to the hazard the only person that can place or remove the safety lock? | |||
| Are employees required to check the safety of the lockout by attempting a start up of the machinery/equipment, after making sure that no one is exposed? | |||
| Are employees instructed to always push the control circuit stop button prior to re-energizing the main power switch? | |||
| Can employees working on machinery/equipment be identified by their locks or accompanying tags? | |||
| Are a sufficient number of tags and safety padlocks provided for any reasonably foreseeable repair emergency? | |||
| In the event that equipment or lines cannot be shut down, locked-out and tagged, is a safe job procedure established and strictly enforced? |
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