The Role of Auditing in LOTO Programs

The Role of Auditing in LOTO Programs
Employers should engage in frequent inspections and reviews of lockout/tagout procedures. OSHA requires reviewing at least once a year, but reviews other times during the year can add an extra layer of safety to the company.

An authorized employee not currently using the energy control procedures can do the inspection. During an inspection, the inspector must observe several of the authorized employees doing the servicing and maintenance activities while lockout/tagout is underway.

The inspector should also do a review with each authorized employee, going over that employee’s responsibilities for hazardous energy safety. This can be done in a group setting or accomplished one-on-one.

Machine-specific lockout/tagout procedures should also be evaluated annually to ensure they are correct and effective in isolating all hazardous energy sources of the machine. Procedures should be updated as necessary.

When inspecting tagout machinery, the inspector must also do reviews with affected employees.

These inspections should give the employer confidence that employees:

Follow the hazardous energy safety steps
Understand their roles in the safety plan
Use procedures that meet OSHA standards and provide sufficient protection against injury
The inspector must provide certification that shows:

Machine or equipment inspected
Date of inspection
Names of employees involved in the inspection
Name of inspector
Another way to check your worksite for potential safety issues is by using OSHA’s online Machine Guarding eTool. This eTool helps employers identify potential problems with machines that could cause amputation and injury. It specifically covers saws, presses, and plastics machinery.