How lockout tagout works

OSHA Guidelines
Guidelines as prescribed by OSHA covers all sources of energy, including—but not limited to—mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal. Manufacturing plants would typically require maintenance activities for one or a combination of these sources.

LOTO, as the name implies, specifies two general approaches to ensure that employees are protected from dangerous equipment during maintenance activities – 1) lockout, and 2) tagout. Lockout physically limits the access to certain equipment while tagout provides visible warning signs to inform employees of potential hazards.

How lockout tagout works
OSHA, through Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.147, provides standards on the proper maintenance and servicing of equipment that can potentially release hazardous energy. Companies should identify equipment that is required by law to abide by these maintenance standards. Not only to avoid hefty fines, but, more importantly, to ensure the safety of the workers.

A robust documentation process is required to ensure all equipment complies with federal regulations on LOTO processes during maintenance activities. The capability to add LOTO procedures to the CMMS can significantly improve visibility on the progress of more hazardous tasks.