FACTS
- It is a common precaution to shut down the machine and disconnect it from the power source before putting it to work. However, some employees accidentally or deliberately skip this step. There are a few other cases where units are energized using multiple sources, which makes it mandatory to identify all sources of energy and shut down all of them. A switch is just one intermediate powering device. Flipping it off is not equivalent to disconnecting the main power.
- Shutting down a piece of equipment or cutting off the power supply does not necessarily mean the unit is safe to handle. Energy stored in batteries, excess pressure built up within a system, machines still hot from their previous run, pipes still containing hot or toxic liquids and gases all need to be drained of residual substances – exposure to which can prove quite fatal.
- Making sure that the power sources are disconnected, movable machine parts firmly locked in place, residues emptied and equipment locked out is a must before commencing repairs.
- Each employee entrusted with maintenance or repair jobs must be trained on safety and lockout procedures for systems and equipment under their control. Lack of training not only puts the technician’s life at risk, but also compromises on the safety of others on the shop floor.
- Specific lockout devices for each part and identification tags for each employee on the job are a must.
- It is usually normal for each technician to hold his or her own set of tagged lockout devices with a single key (to facilitate the task) for accountability, responsibility and traceability purposes. Duplicate or master keys may be used by others without fully verifying if the equipment or area has been cleared for operations. Sharing locks are a potential problem with equally dangerous consequences.
STATS
- It is estimated that over 100 workers are seriously injured every day due to failure to properly lockout-tagout equipment.
- Each year, approximately 3,000 workers suffer lost-time injuries from being caught in dangerous parts of equipment or machinery during maintenance or cleaning, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. Further, each year there are approximately 60 fatalities from similar exposures.
- Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) was one of OSHA’s top ten cited violations for 2017. Given that it’s estimated LOTO prevents 120 deaths and over 50,000 worker injuries each year, this is a critical part of every EHS program and should be leveraged to its fullest potential. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 days for recuperation.
- In FY2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration received reports of 868 amputations caused by workplace incidents nationwide. Each and every one of these life-altering accidents was preventable.
- Employees servicing or maintaining machines or equipment may be exposed to serious physical harm or death if hazardous energy is not properly controlled. Craft workers, machine operators, and laborers are among the 3 million workers who service equipment and face the greatest risk.
- OSHA has estimated that not controlling hazardous stored energy causes nearly ten percent of serious accidents across industries, and in addition, workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays.