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ENERGY CONTROL(LOCKOUT-TAGOUT)

  1.  Purpose
    1.  The purpose of this procedure is to establish safeguards for the protection of employees and others, to prevent the unexpected, energization or start-up of machines or equipment, or release of stored energy which could cause injury to employees or others. To ensure whenever maintenance and serving is done, that all machines or equipment are stopped, isolated from all potentially hazardous energy sources and locked and/or tagged out.
    2.  This policy and procedure applies to all types and magnitudes of energy related to equipment that is: fixed, permanently installed, temporarily installed, and portable.
  2.  Responsibility
    1.  The ESCO Group will be responsible for providing all equipment necessary to execute this procedure. Additionally, the ESCO Group will be responsible for providing an employee training and auditing.
    2.  Each supervisor in charge of a job shall have the overall responsibility for the implementation and coordination of the Energy Control-Lockout-Tagout Program. Each employee has the responsibility of performing our Energy Control Procedure as set forth in our program.
  3. Training
    1.  Each employee who will be involved in the Energy Control Lockout-Tagout Procedure shall be qualified and trained prior to performing work on any mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, gravitational, steam, chemical, thermal, stored energy, electrical system, etc. Only employees trained in ESCO Group’s procedure, and the facility where the work is being performed are authorized employees. Retraining will be required when there is a change in the ESCO Group procedures, customer procedures, job assignments, new machinery/equipment, hazards, disciplinary action utilized, or where an annual inspection indicates a training need.
    2. Each employee who will be involved in the Energy Control/Lockout-Tagout Procedure shall be trained to achieve an electrically safe work condition in accordance with and verified by the following process:
      1. Determine all possible sources of electrical supply to the specific equipment. Check applicable up-to-date drawings, diagrams, and identification tags.
      2.  After properly interrupting the load current, open the disconnecting device(s) for each source.
      3.  Wherever possible, visually verify that all blades of the disconnecting devices are fully open or that draw out type circuit breakers is withdrawn to the fully disconnected position.
      4.  Apply lockout-tagout devices in accordance with a documented and established policy.
      5.  Use an adequately rated voltage detector to test each phase conductor or circuit part to verify they are de-energized. Test each phase conductor or circuit part both phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground. Before and after each test, determine that the voltage detector is operating satisfactorily.
      6.  Where the possibility of induced voltages or stored electrical energy exists, ground the phase conductors or circuit parts before touching them. Where it could be reasonably anticipated that the conductors or circuit parts being de-energized could contact other exposed energized conductors or circuit parts, apply ground connecting devices rated for the available fault duty.
    3.  All training will be documented and records maintained by the safety department for a minimum of three years. Records will indicate name of employee, date and trainer’s name.
  4. Operating Procedures
    1.  When ESCO Group is engaged in activities which require the use of lockout-tagout in customer’s facilities, the employee in charge shall conduct a meeting with the on-site employer and other outside employers to inform each other of their respective lockout/tagout procedures. This coordination meeting will be documented using “ESCO Group’s Safety Acknowledgement Sheet” in our Safety Manual.
    2. Each employee exposed (directly or indirectly) to an energy source shall be involved with the lockout-tagout process.
    3. Each employee will receive lockout-tagout devices (locks and tags) that are unique and readily identifiable.
    4. ESCO Group employees will not be permitted to remove lockout-tagout devices placed by customer employees or other contractor employees. If a specific Energy Control Procedure requires an ESCO Group employee to remove lockout-tagout devices owned by the customer or another contractor employer, the specific procedure must include written authorization from the customer to remove the lockout device.
    5. Each piece of equipment, machinery, or other sources of energy from electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or potential stored energy etc. must be locked and tagged out to protect all employees during servicing. Employee shall follow the “Energy Control Procedure” steps of this program. Refer to ESCO Group’s Electrical Safe Work Practices Program in our Safety Manual, where employees are working on or near exposed energized electrical conductors or circuits parts that are not placed in an electrical safe work condition for reasons of increased or additional hazards, or is infeasible due to the equipment design or operational limitations.
    6. All personal locks and tags must be removed at the end of each shift or if an employee is no longer working on the job.
    7. Lock Removal
      1. When an authorized employee is not available to remove their personal lock or a lockout device key is lost, the following procedure must be followed:
        1. If facility we are working in has a lock removal procedure, it must be followed first.
        2. The supervisor will try to contact the person at work or at home to remove their lock.
        3. An employee may be required to return to the jobsite on their own time (without pay) if they do leave a lock in place and leave the jobsite.
        4. If the person cannot be contacted, the supervisor will conduct a detailed review of the equipment or systems to determine that the removal is safe.
        5. Any lock removal shall be documented on the ESCO Group “Lock Removal Form” and documentation reviewed with the employee whose lock was removed, then sent to the ESCO Group Safety Department and filed.
    8. Complex Lockout
      1. A complex lockout-tagout plan shall be permitted where one or more of the following exist:
        1. Multiple energy sources
        2. Multiple crews
        3. Multiple crafts
        4. Multiple locations
        5. Multiple employers
        6. Different disconnecting means
        7. Particular sequences
        8. A job or task that continues for more than one work period
        9. Client specific requirements
        10. Application of a ground connecting device (ground set)
      2. In situations where multiple lockout devices are needed and multiple authorized employees are performing installation, servicing or maintenance on equipment/system, a group lockout box shall be used. An authorized employee shall complete our “Lock Box Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet”.
      3. Such authorized employee shall be a qualified individual who is specifically appointed with overall responsibility to ensure that all energy sources are under lockout-tagout and to account for all persons working on the job/task. Each employee under control of the complex lockout-tagout lockbox must apply their name on the bottom of our “Lock Box Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet”.
      4. Each box will hold the keys from all of the lockout devices and the employee in charge of the complex lockout-tagout, shall list out the following on the “Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet”.
        1. Location of lockout devices
        2. Lock and key number
        3. Date/time of prior application notification for all persons under the control of lockbox
      5. The authorized employee shall then place their personal lock on the lockbox. The group lockbox is then locked with each authorized employees lock providing each employee with equivalent protection to locking each device.
      6. Utility “Hold Card” systems may be used in conjunction with a traditional lockout-tagout procedure when supervision coordinates the “Hold Card” process with the utility company and verifies that the utility company follows their written procedure. The utility company issued “Hold Card” shall be placed in the group lockbox and treated as the standard energy isolating device key.
      7. The application of a ground connecting device (ground set) requires the use of a group lockbox. The ground connecting device requires a lock and grounding device tag to be applied to the lockbox and the lockout device key shall be attached to the grounding connecting device by adequate means.
      8. When each employee has completed the job/task under control of the group lockout box, each employee shall initial beside their name after notification of lock removal at the bottom of our “Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet”.
      9. When all jobs/tasks are completed and each employee has removed their personal locks from the group lockbox and initialed the bottom of the “Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet”, the employee in charge of the complex lockout-tagout procedure shall follow the “Releasing Energy Controls” procedure.
      10. The appointed authorized person overseeing the complex lockout will review the lockbox to audit that all affected employees have applied their individual locks. Additionally, the appointed authorized person shall verify that the task is completed prior to the removal of lockout-tagout devices.
      11. All “Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet” shall be retained and sent to the ESCO Group Safety Department.
        1. Shift Change – When work must continue over a shift change, the following requirements apply:
        2. Group lockout keys shall remain in the lockbox and shift ending employees shall remove their locks and oncoming shift employees shall install their locks. All authorized employees shall initial the “Group Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet” that their personal locks have been removed and/or all employees shall be accounted for before turning control over to the next shift.
        3. Shift change supervisor shall communicate the status of lockout devices by reviewing the “Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet” from our group lockbox with the oncoming supervisor and the oncoming supervisor shall assume responsibility of the lockbox once he places his name on the “Lockbox Complex Lockout-Tagout Procedure Worksheet”. All equipment or systems must be locked out before supervision makes the shift change.
        4. All personal locks and tags must be removed at the end of each shift or if an employee is no longer working on the job. Replacement personnel on the incoming shift must install their personal lock and tag as outlined in the above requirements before beginning work.
        5. No employee may remove the lock of another employee or a lock of another company’s employee.
  5. Application (Simple and Complex Lockout-Tagout)
    1.  Step 1 – Preparation
      1. Lockout and tagout procedures shall only be carried out by ‘authorized employees’. Before implementing the lockout-tagout procedure, individuals must fully understand and/or have access to:
        1. The type and magnitude of the energy to be controlled
        2. The methods of controlling the hazardous energy
        3. The means of controlling the hazardous energy
        4. Have access to suitable documentation including up-to-date drawings and diagrams
        5. Complete the ESCO Job Briefing- Including the arc flash and shock hazard assessments
        6. Arc rated personal protective equipment
        7. Shock rated personal protective equipment
    2. Step 2 – Notification
      1. Before the application of lockout or tagout devices, notify all affected personnel. Tell workers that the Energy Control Procedure is going to be used and the reasons why.
    3. Step 3 – Shutdown
      1. Shutdown equipment in an orderly manner. This may simply mean to turn off the equipment. When the equipment is part of a production or manufacturing process, all parts of the operation must be considered. An orderly shutdown will avoid increase hazards when the equipment is de-energized.
    4. Step 4 – Isolation
      1. Locate all of the energy isolating devices. Operate the energy isolating devices so that equipment is completely isolated from the energy source.
    5. Step 5 – Application of locks and tags
      1. Attach locks and/or tags that are suitable for the environment to the energy-isolating device so the device is held in the “safe” or “off” position. Separate locks or tags must be used for each authorized employee. Applied locks must contain the name of the authorized employee placing the device.
      2. Lockout devices shall be installed on all sources of hazardous energy to prohibit the operation of the disconnecting means and forcible removal of the lock is required to operate the disconnecting device.
      3. Control devices such as pushbuttons or selector switches shall not be used as the primary isolating devices. Lockout-tagout shall be installed only on circuit disconnecting means.
      4. Lockout locks shall be used exclusively for lockout purposes.
      5. Tags must contain: the name of the authorized employee placing the device, company name, application date, a statement prohibiting the unauthorized operation of the equipment example: “Do Not Operate”.
      6. The use of multi-person lockout (multi-hasps) is required for all lockout applications.
      7. The lockout lock key shall remain in the possession of the individual that applied the lock.
      8. In the event of an energy isolation device not allowing/accepting a physical lockout device, tagout is an acceptable means of energy control as long as:
        1. The use of at least one additional safety measure is employed, examples are:
          1. Removal of an isolating circuit element (fuses)
          2.  Blocking of the control switch
          3. Opening and additional disconnecting device
        2. Tagout requires the use of a tag that is durable in the environment that it will be used and have a minimum of 50 pounds of breaking force for the tag and application device (zip-tie).
        3. Tags must contain: the name of the authorized employee placing the device, company name, application date, a statement prohibiting the unauthorized operation of the equipment example: “Do Not Operate” and the expected duration of the tagout.
    6. Step 6 – Control Stored and/or Residual Energy
      1. Relieve, disconnect and restrain all stored or residual energy. Hazardous energy can be found in springs, elevated machine members, capacitors, rotating flywheels, hydraulic systems, air, gas, steam, water pressure, etc. This energy must be dissipated or restrained.
      2. The operator and service manuals can assist you in safely controlling the specific energy hazards.
      3. Some common methods to restrain or dissipate stored energy are repositioning, blocking and bleeding down systems.
      4. Know in advance the tools and equipment needed to control each hazard. Be sure they are in proper working order and able to perform the tasks you expect of them.
      5. Apply ground connecting device (ground set) rated for the available fault duty.. The ground connecting device requires a lock and grounding device tag to be applied to the lockbox and the lockout device key shall be attached to the grounding connecting device by adequate means.
    7. Step 7 – Verification
      1. Verify all personnel are in a safe location.
      2. Select the appropriate arc flash and shock protection for the hazards at hand- Use the ESCO Group Electrical Safe Work Practices Program and Job Briefing to establish an electrically safe work condition.
      3. Verify the equipment is properly isolated and all hazardous energy is safely controlled.
      4. Operate push buttons and other controls to verify isolation (‘Bump-to-Fail’ and ‘Automated Lockout Verification’- “Fail Start”).
      5. Verify circuits with properly rated and inspected electrical contact meter. Some applications will allow for non-contact meters to be used. Use “Test-Before-Touch” for every exposed conductor or circuit part of the defined work area. Retest must take place if the work area is left alone or conditions change.
      6. Inspect springs, pressure gauges, and the location of moving parts and other sources of stored energy.
      7. Return operating controls to the neutral or off position.
      8. Follow the instructions found in the operator and service manuals.
      9. Verify Electrical Circuit Interlocks cannot operate to re-energize the circuit being worked on.
    8. Step 8 – Peer Review
      1. The application process will be reviewed by a second authorized employee. This review will consist of verifying the application process was executed successfully.
      2. The second authorized employee will be familiar with the energy control procedure involved and capable of performing any electrical testing needed for verification.
      3. Peer review may include such items as: walking the system down, reviewing single line diagrams, visual observations of applied locks and tags, visual observations of protective grounds, and/or electrical testing.
  6. Releasing Energy Controls
    1. Step 1 – Inspection
      1. Inspect the work area. Be sure all non-essential items such as tools, parts, and cleaning supplies have been removed.
      2. Check to be sure that all machine and equipment components are ready for operation.
      3. Be certain all affected employees have been safely positioned or removed.
    2. Step 2 – Notification
      1. Notify all employees that the lockout-tagout devices are being removed.
      2. Step 3 – Remove locks and tags
        1. The lockout or tagout devices should only be removed by the authorized employee who applied it.
      3. Step 4 – Select Appropriate Arc Flash Protection
        1. Employee performing switching shall be designated and trained to select appropriate arc flash protection prior to operating the energy isolating device.
        2. Complete the ESCO Job Briefing- Including the arc flash and shock hazard assessments
  7. Temporary Release for Testing or Positioning
    1.  When the need arises to temporarily remove the locks and/or tags from the controlled system for testing or repositioning the qualified employee in charge shall remove all employees to a safe area for the duration of the testing or repositioning. All 8 steps from the “Application” process of this procedure shall be completed by all affected employees prior to the system being considered safe for interaction.
  8. Cargill Site Specific Long Term Lockout Procedure
    1.  Definition: Long term maintenance lockouts: any lock that must remain on equipment longer than an individual is working on equipment (or for more than one shift) in order to keep equipment in an electrically safe condition.
    2. Lockouts performed for durations greater than the time an individual employee performs work on equipment will become “Long Term Equipment Maintenance” lockouts. Any lock left in place longer than one working shift will also become a “Long Term Equipment Maintenance” lockout. The lock shall be changed to the designated site specific color for “Long Term Equipment Maintenance”. This lock shall be a color other than ESCO blue locks or client colored locks. Only one color of lock shall be utilized for “Long Term Equipment Maintenance” for each site. The lockout key is to be placed in the group key control box in the ESCO office area and is no longer the individual’s lockout, but considered a maintenance lock. The use of multi-person lockout (multi-hasps) is required for all lockouts, including long term lockouts.
    3. Individuals must change the lock to the designated maintenance lock color and change the tag to long term maintenance equipment tag with the following description: lock applier name, date applied, key box tag number, lock key number, reason for lockout and expected completion date.
    4. Individuals must take maintenance lockout key, new “Long Term Equipment Maintenance” lockout key, to the ESCO Group office area to place in control box, assign a key tag ID number and record on the designated legend for maintenance locks.
    5. Employee servicing previously locked out equipment, “Long Term Equipment Maintenance”, must attain key from key control box. They shall apply their own personal ESCO blue lock and tag prior to beginning work on locked out equipment, leaving designated color maintenance lock in place as well.
    6. Employee removing “Long Term Equipment Maintenance” lock must be trained in current site procedures and must follow the “Releasing Energy Controls” procedures found in the ESCO Group Energy Control (Lockout-Tagout) policy.
    7. Employee removing “Long Term Equipment Maintenance” lockouts shall update the legend for key control box located in the ESCO office area and return key identification tag to the proper location in the control box for future use.
  9. Program Review and Auditing
    1. The Safety Department shall review and document each year our Energy Control/Lockout-Tagout Program to verify the program is being complied with and employees can demonstrate that the training they receive is adequate.
    2. The “Employee Field Lockout-Tagout Verification Form” will be used to document field audits.

Lockout-Tagout Forms