One of the most common OSHA violations in warehouses is violation of the Lockout/Tagout standard. These are rules that many employees do not have to consider often, but when they are not followed the results can be tragic. Lockout/Tagout can apply to conveyors, sorting equipment, wrapping equipment, mechanical doors, freezers, ovens, and a host of other equipment.
Some of the most common accidents occur when an employee attempts to clear a jam in a machine using their hands or feet. If they successfully clear the jam, the machine can then pinch whatever body part they used to clear the jam.
Lockout/Tagout is defined as the control of unexpected energization or start-up of machines or equipment, or the release of stored energy that could cause injury to employees. In layman’s terms, an employee can get hurt when they try to maintain or fix a machine without ensuring that it is properly shut down and cannot be started while they are doing the work.
There are exceptions to the LO/TO rules and the most common is for power tools that can be plugged in. The user can simply unplug the machine and “control” the plug to ensure no one else can plug the tool in.
Employees in a facility are broken down into two categories:
Authorized employee
- An employee who locks out or tags out machines or equipment to perform servicing or maintenance on that machine or equipment
- Lockout or tagout is used by these employees for their own protection
Affected employee
- An employee who performs the duties of his or her job on equipment or in an area in which the energy control procedure is implemented and servicing or maintenance operations are performed
LO/TO applies to any type of energy source. The most common that people consider is electrical, but the rules also apply to mechanical, hydraulic, chemical, pneumatic, and thermal energy.
The OSHA standard says that an employer must have a Lockout/Tagout program that consists of the following elements:
Energy control procedures
(Instruction on how to shut down and lock the equipment)
- The procedures should clearly and specifically outline the steps used to control hazardous energy. Photos can be useful.
Employee training
- Train authorized and affected employees on the facility’s energy control procedures and expectations.
Inspection
- Conducted at least annually to ensure procedures and requirements are followed
- Performed by an authorized employee other than the one(s) using the procedure
- Designed to correct identified deficiencies or inadequacies
- Employer shall certify that periodic inspection has been performed
If you have any questions about implementing a lockout/tagout program, please contact Ray Sullivan. For information on other safety topics, please see our resource page.