Top 10 Recommendations on Lockout Tagout Procedures

Our safety expert Alex Baker talks us through the top 10 recommendations to follow when using Lockout Tagout within a hazardous environment.

1.      Understand the energy sources that can cause injury to workers and identify the specific procedures that must be used to isolate and control them.

2.      Train all employees who may be exposed to hazardous energy to recognize the hazards, understand the procedures for controlling the energy, and understand the techniques to use to safely lock out and tag out equipment.

3.      Establish a clear and specific policy that requires the lockout or tagout of equipment before any servicing or maintenance is performed.

4.      Develop procedures for the placement, removal, and transfer of lockout or tagout devices and ensure that they are followed.

5.      Provide employees with the appropriate lockout or tagout devices, such as locks, tags, and blocks, to use for the equipment they are working on.

6.      Ensure that all lockout or tagout devices are standardized and clearly labelled, and that they are used only for their intended purpose.

7.      Conduct periodic inspections to ensure that all lockout or tagout procedures are being followed correctly and that all equipment is properly locked out or tagged out.

8.      Provide employees with regular refresher training on lockout or tagout procedures to ensure that they continue to understand the hazards and how to properly control them.

9.      Establish a clear procedure for handling and reporting any incidents that occur during lockout or tagout and use the information to improve the program.

10.  Review and update the lockout or tagout program on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to reflect current conditions and equipment, and that it remains effective in protecting workers from hazardous energy.

It's important to note that this is a general list and specific procedures, and rules may vary based on country and industry, always consult your company's procedure or OSHA regulations for further information.

To read more about how Lockout Tagout is an essential tool for safety, click here

A bit about Alex Baker. Alex is the National Business Development Manager at Spectrum Industrial working within the Oil & Gas, Energy, Wind Farming, Manufacturing, Petrochemical and Quarrying sectors as a specialist in Lockout Tagout, Working at Heights, Critical Safety and Safety Sign Communications.