Lockout/Tagout
A Lockout/Tagout procedure or method should include the following six steps:
1. Preparation
2. Shutdown
3. Isolation
4. Lockout/Tagout
5. Stored energy check
6. Isolation verification
Let’s have a look at the each of these steps of LOTO safety more firmly in the sections below.
Step 1: Preparation – Lockout/Tagout
The first step of the locking and tagging out equipment or machine etc. for service & the maintenance is to prepare.
While During the preparation phase, the approved or authorised employee must investigate and obtain a complete understanding of all kinds of hazardous energy that might control. It’s important to identify the particular hazards and of course, intends for the controlling or monitoring that energy.
Step 2: Shut Down – Lockout/Tagout
With the planning complete, the actual or exact process of powering down and locking out machines starts.
It’s time to shut down or turn off the machine or the equipment at this time that will be sustained or maintained.
Another essential part of this step is to notify any employee affected or concerned by the shutdown, even if they won’t play a role in the service or the maintenance.
Step 3: Isolation – Lockout/Tagout
The next step of the Lockout/Tagout process or procedure is to isolate the machine and or the equipment from any source of energy.
This may determine any number of items, such as the turning off the power at a breaker or shutting a valve.
Step 4: Lockout/Tagout
With the machine or equipment separated or isolated from its energy source, the next step or the level of lockout/Tagout is to lock and tag out the machine or device. It’s reasonable to say that this entire six-step process gets its name from this step.
During this step, the approved or the authorised employee will attach the lockout and Tagout devices to every energy-isolating device.
The point is to apply lockout device on the energy-isolating device in the way so it says in the “safe” position & cannot pass to the unsafe situation besides by the person performing the lockout.
Tagout relates to applying a tag on the device as well.
This tag carries the name of the person who presented the lockout and additional information.
Step 5: Stored Energy Check – Lockout/Tagout
Even after the energy source has been separated or disconnected, in step 3 (three) of the lockout safety process, and the machine has locked & secured out.
In step 4, that doesn’t fully guarantee that there’s no hazardous energy still stored or saved within the machine or that it’s safe to perform maintenance.
At this time, it’s important to look for any hazardous energy that’s been “stored” within the machine, or any “residual” energy. During this phase, any potentially hazardous stored or residual energy must be relieved, disconnected, restrained, or made non-hazardous in some other way.
Step 6: Isolation Verification – Lockout/Tagout
This last step of the Lockout/Tagout safety is all about making sure. Yes, you’ve shut down or turned off the machines, isolated them from their root of the power, locked them out, and inspected for hazardous stored energy.
But now’s the time to multiply-check that you did it all accurate and it’s now safe to work on the machine or types of equipment.
At this point, an authorised employee verifies the machine or devices has been suitably isolated and de-energised.