Control of Hazardous Energy

Lockout/Tagout Procedures
1. Purpose

To establish a program consisting of written energy control procedures, employee training, and
periodic inspections regarding the control of hazardous energy of equipment. The program
establishes protective procedures for employees servicing and/or maintaining machines,
equipment, or pressurized piping during which the unexpected energizing or start-up of said
machines, equipment, piping, or stored potential energy could cause injury and/or damage to
workers or equipment. The Lockout/Tagout System has three primary purposes:

 To protect personnel who are working on equipment from injury as a result of the
inadvertent starting of the equipment or the release of any form of stored energy.

 To protect equipment from damage that could occur if the equipment were accidentally
started.

 To provide Affected Employees with a list of essential equipment that is not available
for operation for any reason and has been placed in a locked and/or tagged out
position.

2. Definitions

Lockout – Placing a lock on a device that prevents the release of energy such as an electric
circuit breaker, a disconnect switch, a line valve, or a block.

Tagout – Attaching a tag on a switch or other isolating devices that warns others not to start or
energize the machine/equipment tagged out. Tag-out may only be used together with lock-out
unless locking the machine/equipment out is impossible.

Authorized Employee – An employee who will physically lock or tag out equipment for
servicing or maintenance. They may or may not operate the equipment.

Affected Employee – Those employees whose job requires them to operate equipment that is
subject to Lockout/Tagout procedures, or those employees who work in areas where
Lockout/Tagout is used.

All Other Employees – Other employees whose work operations are, or may be, in areas where
energy control procedures may be utilized. These employees do not necessarily need to know the
actual use, but should know the purpose of Lockout/Tagout.

Contractor – Any person or persons not employed by the “Municipality” who are retained by the
“Municipality” to perform services.

Municipal Contact Person –The Municipal Contact Person acts as the liaison between the
lockout/tagout out system and the contractor. This is the person that should be contacted if there
are any questions regarding a contractor that has locked or tagged out a piece of equipment. It is
the responsibility of the Municipal Contact Person to be able to contact the contractor and know
the status of the contractor’s work at all times.
Lockout/Tagout Cards – These cards are used to designate an isolation point. These cards are
shown in Appendix A. When a tagout out card is placed on a piece of equipment, such as a valve
or breaker, it means that the piece of equipment cannot be operated until the card is removed as
described in this procedure. The Lockout/Tagout Out cards are singularly identifiable with the
Lockout/Tagout out procedure and should not be used for any other function.

Stored Energy - Stored energy refers to any type of energy such as potential, kinetic, electrical,
steam, water, hydraulic, mechanical, effects of gravity, etc. Personnel must be protected from
any and all types of stored energy before beginning work on equipment.

3. Attachments

Appendix A – Copy of Lockout/Tagoutout Hard Card

Appendix B – Procedure Training Requirements

4. References

OSHA Standard 1947 (c)(1) – “The employer shall establish a program consisting of energy
control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any
employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the
unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the
machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative.”

OSHA Standard 1910.147(c)(5)(iii) – “Lockout devices and tagout devices shall be singularly
identified; shall be the only devices(s) used for controlling energy; shall not be used for other
purposes;”

OSHA Standard 1910.147(c)(5)(ii)(B) – “Lockout and tagout devices shall be standardized

within the facility in at least one of the following criteria: Color; shape; or size; and additionally,
in the case of tagout devices, print and format shall be standardized.”

OSHA Standard 1910.147(c)(7)(i) – “The employer shall provide training to ensure that the
purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the
knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls
are acquired by employees.”

5. Prerequisites

The isolation required is dependent upon the type of work being done to a piece of equipment.
The Superintendent/Supervisor or his/her designee shall determine and designate which
employees are authorized to perform repair/maintenance of machines and/or equipment and shall
provide training to designated Authorized Employees. The Superintendent/Supervisor or his/her
designee shall provide training to Affected Employees who normally operate or work around
equipment of machinery that may be locked or tagged out.

The Superintendent/Supervisor or his/her designee shall keep and maintain a lsit of equipment
and machines requiring lockout and/or tagout prior to service or maintenance and locations of all
energy sources and the procedures required for lockout/tagout.

Retraining shall be provided for all authorized and affected employees whenever there is a change
in their job assignments or equipment or energy control procedures.
The Superintendent/Supervisor or appointee shall ensure that sufficient lock-out and tag-out
devices are available for designated repairman’s use.

6. Description

In most cases this procedure is used to protect employees who are working on equipment that
could be energized. The employee who wishes to work on a piece of equipment submits a
request through the Supervisor. The requestor is responsible for clearly describing the work to be
performed. The Supervisor then authorizes the work to be completed.

Lock-out is the preferred method of isolating machines or equipment from energy sources.

The Supervisor or his/her designee shall have periodic inspections conducted at times when lock-
out/tag-out procedures are required and prior to actual scheduled repairs/maintenance being
performed for the purpose of reviewing the procedures being followed and assuring that
authorized and affected employees know and understand the lock-out/tag-out procedures.

The Supervisor or his/her designee shall certify that these periodic inspections have been done,
identifying the machine/equipment, the date, employees consulted, and the person conducting the
inspection.

7. Procedures – Shut Down and Start Up

These procedures are written with the intent of protecting the safety of our employees. Deviating
from these procedures could result in serious injury or even death of the employee.

Shut Down
Authorized repairs/maintenance employees shall follow the following procedures prior to
shutting down and locking out machinery/equipment for repairs or maintenance.

1. Review the written procedure for the particular machine/equipment if

documented AND make a survey to locate and identify all isolating devices to be
sure which switch(s), valves, or other energy isolating devices apply to the
equipment to be locked or tagged out.

2. Notify all affected employees that a lock-out or tag-out procedure is going to be

utilized and the reason. Know the type and magnitude of energy that the
machine or equipment utilizes and their related hazards.

3. If the machine/equipment is operating, shut it down following normal stopping

procedure. Operate the switch, valve or other energy isolating device(s) so that
the equipment is isolated from its energy source(s). Dissipate and “STORED”
energy (such as in springs, elevated machine members, rotating flywheels,
hydraulic systems and air, gas, steam, or water pressure) by restraining methods,
such as repositioning, blocking, bleeding down, etc.

4. Lock-out and/or tag-out the energy isolating devices with assigned individual
lock(s) or tag(s).

5. Ensure that no personnel are exposed and then check to ensure energy sources
are disconnected by operating the push button or normal controls to make sure
equipment will not operate.
 6. Return operating control(s) to “neutral” or “off” position after the test.

7. The equipment is now locked out or tagged out and repairs/maintenance may
begin.
Start Up
To restore machines/equipment to normal operating conditions the authorized repair/maintenance
person shall follow the following procedures:

1. Check the area around the machine equipment to ensure that no one is exposed.

2. Ensure all tools and braces/blocks have been removed and guards have been
reinstated

3. Remove all lock-out and/or tag-out devices.

4. Operate the energy isolating devices to restore energy to the machine or

equipment.

5. Test run machine or equipment.

8. Multiple Individuals Requiring Lockout/Tagout

If more than one individual is involved in the required lock-out/tag-out each shall place his/her
own personal lock-out device on the energy isolating device(s). When an energy isolating device
cannot accept multiple locks or tags, a multiple lock-out or tag-out device (hasp) may be used.
As each person no longer needs to maintain his or her lock-out protection, that person will
remove his/her lock from the isolating device.

a) No person may remove any lock-out or tag-out device other than the person that
installed it.

b) No person may attempt to operate any switch, valve, or other isolating device
where it is locked or tagged out

9. Shift/Personnel Changes

If the work locked or tagged out work being performed will overlap shifts or require personnel
changes, the person on the next shift shall apply their lock before the employee who is leaving
removes their lock.

10. Lockout/Tagout Override Procedure

Overrides of the clearance or Personnel Protective Cards should be minimized. All overrides
tend to undermine the Lockout/Tagout system and should be reviewed on a case by case basis
to determine if the circumstance that resulted in the request to override is warranted. If
necessary disciplinary action may be necessary to prevent either the circumstances that lead to
the override, or the override process itself. All overrides must be thoroughly documented.

If an override is needed, the person approving the override must be a supervisor of the employee,
or a person above the supervisor in the normal chain of command. Even in these cases, the
override will require the documentation described below.

Before an override is initiated, it is the responsibility of the person requesting the override to
make sure that the individual to be overridden is not on site.
Before the override is completed, attempts will be made to contact the individual by phone or
other means. If the individual is contacted and cannot return to site to remove the hold or card,
the override form shall be used to document the reasons associated with the inability of the
person to remove their cards.

Although anyone can request that an override be started, the written process of the override
requires a management supervisor level person to actually start the process as the “requestor” for
an override. This person should also inspect the equipment to assure that the override can be
conducted safely.

The requestor for the override must then make sure the person to be overridden is not on-site. In
addition, the requestor must explain why the override is needed. The requestor then must attempt
to contact the person. Once all of this is completed, the requestor must contact the supervisor of
the person to be overridden to obtain approval for the override.

The only personnel that have the authority to approve the override are the supervisors of the
person to be overridden. In some cases, the “requestor” and “approver” could be the same
person.

The approver has the responsibility to assure that all proper steps as outlined in this procedure
have been followed. The approver assumes all responsibility for the safety of personnel and
equipment that could result from the implementation of this override.

If a person is contacted by phone and they give their verbal permission to remove their hold or
card, it is acceptable to consider the verbal permission sufficient. It is not necessary to physically
require the person to come to the site to remove their card or hold. However, the override form
should be used to properly document the conversation and the situation. In all cases, a
supervisor’s approval is necessary to authorize an override. A verbal conversation to obtain the
supervisor’s approval is considered sufficient as well.

10. Training

All Operators and maintenance personnel shall be trained on the above procedure.
Appendix A

LOCKOUT/ TAGOUT OUT HARD CARDS

Appendix B

Procedure Training Requirements

Title of Procedure: Lockout/Tagout Procedure #: xx

No Training Required Training Required

Description of Training Required: (Purpose, Scopes, Who, What, How, etc.)

PURPOSE: The train employees on how to lockout/tagout equipment.

SCOPE: General training for all employees

WHO: All Water Treatment Plant personnel

WHAT: Lockout/Tagout Procedures

HOW: Classroom training

WHEN: Annuals training