UCAR Safety Manual
 Lockout/Tagout
TITLE: Lockout/Tagout
REFERENCE: 1-1
ISSUED: 5/90
EFFECTIVE:5/90
SUPERSEDES: None
1.0 Scope
Establishes and defines minimum training requirements/procedures for lockout/tagout of energy isolating devices. Procedures apply to all UCAR/NCAR activities including those of contract and sub- contract personnel.
2.0 Purpose
Isolate machines/equipment from hazardous energy sources before service or maintenance activities where the unexpected energization, start-up or release of stored energy could cause injury to personnel, environment or equipment.
3.0 Policies
3.1 Supervisor
Day to day implementation.
- Assure implementation of procedures
- Identify employees needing training
- Conduct training
- Document training
- Audit compliance (annual inspection) and document
- Assure proper equipment is available
- Assist in writing policies/procedures
- Determine need for policy, procedure revision
3.2 Health and Environmental Officer
Provide administrative framework for implementation.
- Write policies and procedures
- Assure procedures are compliant with OSHA standards
- Revise procedures
- Maintain required documents
- Provide administrative audit of procedures
3.3 Employees
Receive training and instructions.
- Attend/participate required training
- Recognize and understand potential hazardous energy sources
- Adhere to procedures
- Report out of tolerance conditions to supervisor
3.4 Project Engineers/Manager
Assure that all sub-contract personnel adhere to OSHA regulations and procedures.
- Obtain, prior to any work commencement, copies of training documentation, written procedures.
- Provide sub-contractors with copies of UCAR/NCAR procedures.
- Audit compliance of sub-contractors.
4.0 Definitions
4.1 Authorized Employee
Person who locks or implements a tagout procedure.
4.2 Energy Isolating Device
Mechanical device physically preventing transmission or release of energy. Includes electrical circuit breaker, disconnect switch, slide gate, slip blind, line valve, and block.
4.3 Lockout Device
Device utilizing a positive means such as a lock, to
hold an energy isolating device in a safe position and prevents energizing of equipment.
4.4 Tagout device
Prominent warning device attached to energy isolating device and indicates that energy isolating device and equipment may not be operated until tagout device is removed.
5.0 Equipment
5.1 Lockout devices
Supplied by company (except for subcontractors who shall supply their own) and are standardized and utilized only for controlling energy.
5.2 Tagout device
Supplied by company (except for sub-contractors who
shall supply their own), print and format standardized. Tagout devices shall be of a non- reusable type, attachable by hand, self-locking and nonreleasable with a minimum unlocking strength of 50 pounds.
5.3 Identifiable
Lockout/tagout devices shall identify the employee using device.
6.0 Training/Communication
6.1 Employees
Employees requiring lockout/tagout procedures shall be
identified by the maintenance supervisor and shall receive training prior to engaging in said procedure. Training shall ensure that the purpose and function of lockout/tagout procedures are understood and that the knowledge and skills required for safe application, usage and removal of controls are attained. Specific areas of training include:
- Recognition of hazardous energy sources, type and magnitude, and methods and means for isolation and control.
- Instructions to employees who normally work in area about the procedure and prohibitions relating to attempts to restart or
re-energize equipment which are locked/tagged out.
- Tagout system limitations:
- Tags are warning devices and do not provide
physical restraints provided by locks.
- Tags shall not be removed except by person attaching tag.
- Tags shall hot be bypassed, ignored, defeated.
- Tags are effective only when legible.
- Tags must be durable and securely attached.
- Tags may evoke false security if not completely understood
6.2 Annual Audit
Supervisor conducts annual audit to assure procedures
are followed. The audit shall (be):
- Performed at least annually for every authorized employee
- Performed by the maintenance supervisor
- Identify and correct deviations to procedures
- Include actual procedure on equipment
- Documented including date, employee, person performing audit, equipment used for audit.
Employee retraining: provided when changes occur in job assignments,
machines, equipment, processes, procedures. Retraining, required when
annual inspection reveals deviations/inadequacies in employee's knowledge or application of procedures.
6.3 Documentation
Supervisor certifies and documents completed training. Certification contains each employee's name and dates of certification. Copies shall be sent the Health and Safety officer for record retention.
7.0 General Program Policies
7.2 Outside Personnel (Sub-contractors)
Must demonstrate compliance with OSHA regulations for lockout/tagout procedures including written plan/training certificates.
PROCEDURES
8.0 Lockout/Tagout
8.1 Approved personnel
Only certified authorized employees can engage in lockout/tagout procedures.
8.2 Notification, employees
Notify all potentially affected employees of
lockout/tagout situation - before applying controls.
8.3 Preparation
Make survey to locate and identify all isolating devices
and ascertain which switch(s), valve(s) or other isolating devices apply to
the equipment to be locked or tagged out.
8.4 Equipment Shut-down
Shut down by the normal stopping procedure.
8.5 Isolation
Operate the switch, valve, or other energy isolating device
so that the equipment is isolated from its energy source(s).
8.6 Stored Energy
Stored energy (such as that in springs, elevated machine
members, rotating flywheels, hydraulic systems, and air, gas, steam, or water pressure, etc.) must be dissipated or restrained by methods such as reposition, blocking, bleeding down, etc.
8.7 Apply locks/tags
Attach locks or tags with assigned individual locks or
tags. If using tags on equipment capable of being locked out, tags must be applied in same location as locks if they had been used.
- Locks, affix to hold energy isolating device in safe or off position. Each authorized person shall have their own lock, it shall be have their name and they alone shall have the key to that lock.
- Tagout devices, affix in a manner that clearly indicates that operation or movement of energy isolating device from the safe or off position is prohibited. The tag shall be legible, have the name of the authorized person, date and piece of equipment to which it is attached, prohibition of operation and will indicate which steps of the procedure have been fulfilled.
- Where tags cannot be affixed directly to energy isolating device, the tag shall be located as close as safely possible to the device, in a position that will be immediately obvious to anyone attempting to operate the device.
8.8 Verification of Isolation
Prior to starting work on equipment check to
assure that energy sources have been disconnected. Operate the push button or other normal operating controls to make certain the equipment will not operate.
8.9 Begin scheduled work Begin scheduled work
8.10 Restoring equipment to normal operation
- Check area to ensure that employees have been safely positioned or removed.
- Remove tools, equipment, reinstall guards, inspect equipment to make sure components are operationally intact.
- Notify affected employees that lock and tagout devices are being removed.
- Remove lockout or tagout device from each energy isolating device. Only employee who applied device may remove device unless specifically approved by supervisor and Health and Environmental officer provided that the following criteria are met.
- Verify that authorized employee who originally applied device is not at the facility.
- Make reasonable attempts to notify original authorized employee that lockout/tagout has been removed.
- Ensure that original authorized employee is knowledgeable of situation before returning to work.
- Restore energy to equipment and turn equipment on to verify proper operation.
8.11 Group lockout/tagout
If more than one individual is required to lockout
or tagout equipment, each shall place a personal device on the energy isolating device. When energy isolating devices cannot accept multiple locks or tags, a multiple lockout or tagout device (hasp) may be used. If lockout is used, a single lock may be used to lockout the equipment with the key being placed in a lockout box or cabinet which allows the use of multiple locks to secure it. Each employee will then use his/her own lock to secure the box or cabinet. As each person no longer needs to maintain protection, that person will remove their lock form the box or cabinet.
9.0 General Rules
All equipment shall be locked out or tagged out to protect
against accidental or inadvertent operation when such operation could cause injury to personnel. Do not attempt to operate any switch, valve or other energy isolating device where it is locked or tagged out.
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