More than 120 deaths and thousands of injuries occur each year because equipment unexpectedly starts up or is released. Keep reading for reminders about controlling hazardous energy by locking and tagging out equipment.
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According to OSHA, failure to control hazardous energy accounts for nearly 10 percent of the serious accidents in many industries. Energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other energy sources in machines and equipment can harm workers. Potential injuries include electrocution, burns, crushing, cutting, lacerating, amputating, or fracturing body parts.
OSHA requires lockout/tagout whenever workers perform tasks that involve removing or bypassing a guard or other safety device, or placing a body part into a point of operation or danger zone during an operating cycle.
Employers must provide comprehensive training for any employee performing maintenance or repairs on equipment that could start up unexpectedly. One way OSHA ensures compliance with the lockout/tagout standard is to require employers to review energy control programs and inspect procedures at least annually.
As an employer, it’s your job to train workers to know, understand, and be able to follow hazardous energy control procedures. All employees who work in an area where energy control is in use need to be instructed in the purpose and use of the procedures.
Employees authorized to lock out machines and perform service end maintenance must be trained to recognize applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of energy, and the means and methods of isolating and/or controlling it.