Category: Equipment and Machinery Safety

Lockout/Tagout for Hazardous Energy

“Lockout/Tagout” refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or start-up of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities. Every year, people are killed on the job by activated machinery. Many of those deaths could have been prevented by following lockout/tagout procedures to […]

Make Sure You’re in Compliance with Lockout Requirements

Yesterday, we focused on key aspects of OSHA’s lockout/tagout standard. Today, we conclude this quick review of written procedure and training requirements. As an employer, you are required to establish written procedures for locking out the piece of machinery or equipment that will be worked on and to provide training for all employees who might […]

Lock Out Accidents with an Effective Lockout/Tagout Program

Every year, people are killed on the job by activated machinery. Many of those deaths could have been prevented by following lockout/tagout procedures to turn off machinery that is being serviced or repaired. OSHA’s rules and procedures for lockout/tagout are found at 29 CFR 1910.147. The standard identifies three employee roles: Authorized employees are those […]

Control the Power of Your Lockout/Tagout Training

Authorized employees who service or maintain machinery and equipment need special training on lockout/tagout procedures. Today’s Advisor includes a training exercise that you can use to help train your workers. The information in today’s issue comes from BLR’s PowerPoint® presentation, "Lockout/Tagout—Authorized Employee Training." The objective of the following exercise is to evaluate authorized employees’ understanding […]

Workplace Conditions That Can Lead to Forklift Accidents

Surface or ground conditions are an important part of safe powered industrial truck operation. In today’s Advisor we focus on hazardous conditions in your workplace that can lead to forklift accidents. Physical conditions in the workplace that can lead to forklift accidents include slippery conditions, obstructions and uneven surfaces, flooring and load limits, overhead clearances, […]

OSHA Lockout/Tagout Rules: Q & A

OSHA has specific and strict rules about lockout/tagout. Today, we present some questions BLR has received about this issue and the answers BLR safety experts have given. Q. Can a duplicate key for the purpose of lock removal under LOTO be held in a secure area with a procedure in place for access to the […]

Inspect Your Way to Safer Forklift Operations

According to OSHA, 1 in 15 forklift-related accidents are caused by improper maintenance. A thorough preoperational inspection will identify maintenance problems before they cause an accident. Making sure a forklift is safe to operate is an important part of forklift safety training. Operators must be trained to inspect their lift trucks effectively to ensure safe […]

forklift unattended

Focus on 4 Forklift Hazards

There are numerous hazards associated with forklift operations. Do your operators know about these four common forklift hazards and how to avoid them? If not, they are at risk for forklift accidents, which can result in injuries, damage, or even death. 4 Forklift Hazards Attachments Pedestrians Work environment Loads Attachments Forklift attachments such as carton […]

Three Good Reasons to Emphasize Lockout/Tagout Rules

Three fatality reports from NIOSH illustrate the importance of emphasizing lockout/tagout rules. Reason 1  A 25-year-old worker at a concrete pipe manufacturing facility died from injuries received while cleaning a ribbon-type concrete mixer. The victim’s daily tasks included cleaning out the concrete mixer at the end of the shift. The clean-out procedure was to shut […]

6 Most Common Lockout/Tagout Mistakes

Any powered equipment is potentially dangerous—even if it’s supposed to be shut down. Many needless accidents occur when somebody turns on a machine that’s supposed to be locked out. Lockout/tagout accidents are not only needless, but serious. They result not in small cuts or scratches, but often cause amputations, serious fractures, or death. Any energy […]