Industrial Electrician Denver Professionals Encourage Companies to Follow OSHA’s Standard on Lockout Tags
Lockout tags are products utilize to provide safety to employees from the unexpected startup of machinery and/or equipment or energization or the release of potentially hazardous energy while machinery and/or equipment is being serviced or maintained; therefore, the industrial electrician Denver professionals are encouraging companies to follow OSHA’s standards on lockout tags in order to ensure complete safety in the workplace.
Lockout tags are designed to hold equipment and machinery in the “off” position or a similar safe position so that energy is not released from those devices. If equipment pieces within the industrial setting unexpectedly starts up, becomes energized, or emits stored energy, individuals may become seriously injured. In some instances, the injuries sustained from such an event may result in death. OSHA has a standard identified as the “Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout/Tagout”, which is listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Part 1910.147. Industrial electrician Denver professionals state that all industrial businesses become familiar with this code and follow it, to point.
“Electricity can turn you off. Take care when working with it….” – Unknown
Does the OSHA Standard Apply to My Company?
If there are equipment pieces and/or machines in your business that employees are responsible for serving or maintaining that could result in injury due to startups, energy initiation, or stored injury, yes, the OSHA standard applies to your company. This standard covers any type of device that utilizes or possesses any type of energy, such as mechanical energy, pneumatic energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, hydraulic energy, as well as thermal energy.
The Requirements as Set Forth By OSHA
OSHA requires industrial employers to create and enforce a program that places a special emphasis on energy control. It states that those employees within the industrial environment must take measures to isolate machinery and equipment from the energy sources so that they are rendered completely inoperative before any person within the company attempts to service or provide maintenance on those devices. Additionally, lockout tags or an appropriately equivalent – such as tagout devices – should be placed on those devices. Industrial electrician Denver professionals encourage complete compliance to protect all service and maintenance personnel within a company.
The Steps to Ensure Complete Safety
There are many steps that should be taken prior to an employee performing service or engaging in maintenance on machinery in the industrial setting. The following outlines these steps:
- Preparation should be made that aids in getting ready for the shutdown of the machine and/or equipment.
- The device should then be completely shut down.
- Next, the machine or equipment should be completely disconnecting and thoroughly isolated from any and all energy sources.
- The lockout tag or the tagout device being utilized in the process should be applied, secured, and double-checked for security.
- If the machine or equipment includes stored energy, it should be released and all steps should be verified to ensure there is no energy remaining and the machine or equipment is completely isolated.
If you require service or maintenance to your machines or other pieces of equipment, we here at Hardcore Electric can assist you. In addition to helping you create an energy control plan and educating you on lockout tag devices, our industrial electrician Denver professionals can also assist in the actual performance of the steps needed to ensure your machines and other types of equipment are running optimally. Simply contact us today at: http://www.hardcore-electric.com/contact-us/
Resources:
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/lockout.html
https://www.seton.com/tags/osha-safety-tags/lockout-tags.html
https://www.jjkeller.com/learn/osha-lockout-tagout-faqs
