668 HAZWOPER for General Site Workers IX

Lockout/Tagout Procedure

The following are the steps to lockout/tagout equipment:

• Notify all affected employees that service or maintenance is required on a piece of equipment. An affected employee is one who normally works on the machine that is being locked or tagged for service. This action also applies to employees who are working in the area of the locked/tagged piece of equipment.
• Authorized employees should refer to the company procedure to identify the type and magnitude of the energy that the machine uses, understand the hazards of the energy and know the methods to control the energy.
• If the equipment is operating, the authorized employee will shut it down by the normal stopping procedure (depress stop button, open switch, close valve, etc.).

• De-activate the energy-isolating device(s) so the equipment is isolated from the energy source(s).

• Dissipate or restrain stored or residual energy (such as springs; elevated or suspended equipment parts; hydraulic systems; air, gas, steam or water pressure; electricity in capacitors; etc.) by methods such as grounding, repositioning, blocking or bleeding down.
• Remove all other employees from the area before the equipment is disconnected from the energy source(s).
• Verify the isolation of the equipment by attempting to restart the equipment under its normal operations. Remember to return operating control(s) to the neutral or "off" position after attempting to restart the equipment.
• At this point, the equipment should be in locked-out condition.

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