How Optimal LOTO Procedures Enhance Safety at Your Facility

1. How Optimal LOTO Procedures Enhance Safety at Your Facility Maintenance and clean-up are standard procedures in industrial operations and businesses that use heavy machinery. While safety rules for routine machine operations are well-known and emphasized, maintenance and repair precautions often receive insufficient attention. Simply shutting off the associated switch is insufficient for complete safety. A precise set of procedures known as Lockout Tagout (LOTO) must be strictly followed to safeguard the safety of maintenance personnel and the integrity of the equipment being maintained. During machine repair, maintenance, cleaning, servicing, or other related tasks, simply turning off the equipment is not sufficient. It is critical to carry out a thorough LOTO procedure to avoid potential injury to an individual conducting repairs and to protect the machinery itself. Here's how proper LOTO processes can greatly boost safety at your plant: Prevents Accidental Startup Accidental machinery activation is a major cause of industrial incidents. Proper LOTO processes ensure that all energy sources are properly isolated, preventing machine activation during maintenance or repair work.

2. For instance - While a worker was performing maintenance on a press, he chose to bypass the lockout tagout procedures, thinking that it was a short repair job and would be completed before anyone from the next shift arrived. Towards the end of his shift, another employee arrived to find the press turned off. Unaware of the ongoing maintenance, he unknowingly activated the press. As a result, the maintenance worker was pulled into the machine, leading to severe injuries requiring amputation. This incident highlights the grave consequences of not properly isolating and securing machinery during maintenance. Protects Workers from Hazardous Energy Hazardous energy, such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic energy, can cause severe injuries or even fatalities if not properly controlled. LOTO procedures safeguard workers by preventing the unintended release of this energy while maintenance activities are underway. For instance - When a conveyor belt jammed, a worker attempted to clear the obstruction. The jam was released, and the worker was caught and crushed by the moving parts. This incident underscores the importance of de-energizing and locking out machinery before performing any maintenance or clearing jams. Without proper precautions, workers are at risk of being caught in moving machinery, leading to severe injuries or fatalities. Ensures Compliance with Regulations The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set certain guidelines and standards to be followed for safe maintenance and repair. Non-compliance with these guidelines can result in significant fines and legal penalties. Not following OSHA-set standards is a legal liability. For instance - At a chemical plant, maintenance workers were tasked with replacing orifice plates in sour water lines connecting the sour water stripping unit to the tank storage farm. Due to the absence of written procedures for this specific task, an operator prepared a supplemental blanking and tagging list to identify energy isolation points. Although nine isolation points at the sour water stripping unit were properly isolated, the two valves at the tank storage farm were not adequately locked out.

3. Despite verbal confirmation from the tank farm operator, the return sour water valve remained unlocked. As a result, when workers opened a flange on the return line, they were exposed to a hazardous stream of sour water, leading to an incident. OSHA's investigation revealed inadequate training and procedural shortcomings in the employer's Lockout Tagout program, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to safety protocols and comprehensive training for all employees involved in maintenance activities. The importance of optimal Lockout Tagout procedures cannot be overstated when it comes to enhancing safety, minimizing equipment damage, boosting worker confidence, reducing insurance premiums, facilitating efficient maintenance operations, and promoting a culture of safety and responsibility. By prioritizing LOTO procedures and continuously striving for excellence in their implementation and enforcement, you can create a safer, more productive, and more resilient workplace for everyone. E-Square Alliance’s expert - led lockout tagout services can guide you in developing and implementing these crucial safety processes. From developing the right process and guidelines to training the employees and conducting audits, they have every lockout tagout solution.