Understanding Lockout/Tagout Programs

Understanding Lockout/Tagout Programs
Understanding this type of program comes down to training employees on the correct precautions and procedures that they must take to stay safe and prevent unexpected releases of hazardous energy. Employee training for both affected employees and LOTO authorized employees should always occur before servicing and maintenance activities begin for those who are new to LOTO.

Retraining for these procedures should take place when employees have:

Different job assignments
A change in energy control procedures
A new machine or process that presents new hazards.
OSHA regulations that specify training requirements can be found in section 1910.147.

Why is LOTO Important?
OSHA reports that facilities that comply with standard lockout/tagout programs help prevent approximately 120 workplace deaths each year and around 50,000 additional injuries. However, even with those statistics accidents that cause injuries and fatalities related to hazardous energy and stored power occur far too often. This is because these employees often work in areas that are otherwise forbidden due to their high level of danger.

While the lockout tagout process may seem excessive at first, people quickly realize how important it is. When working with dangerous machines, even a small mistake or oversight can mean the difference between life and death.

For those who need to create a business case for adding lockout tagout procedures in a given situation, consider the following: OSHA has found that the average worker injured by hazardous energy releases ends up missing 24 days of work for recuperation. This setback is in addition to the potential expenses associated with medical coverage or even a possible lawsuit.