What should be included in a lockout procedure?

OSHA’s lockout standard 1910.147(c)(4)(i) requires that employers have machine-specific lockout tagout procedures for equipment. To help employees effectively perform lockout tagout tasks, it’s important that lockout procedures are formally documented and that workers can easily identify the equipment covered. The procedures should detail the steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing equipment to control hazardous energy, as well as steps for the placement, removal, and transfer of lockout tagout devices.

When it comes to creating your procedures, OSHA’s regulations require you to provide the following information:

• What piece of equipment the procedure is for
• The name of the company
• The purpose of the procedures
• Compliance requirements for employees
• Enforcement measures in cases of non-compliance
• A step-by-step sequence of lockout, along with:
  • Names and job titles of affected employees and the required steps to notify them
  • Type and magnitude of energy, its hazards, and the methods to control the energy
  • Type and location of machine- or equipment-operating controls
  • Type and location of energy-isolating devices
  • Type of stored energy and methods to dissipate or restrain
  • Method of verifying the isolation of the equipment
• Steps to restore and return the equipment to service

In order to establish a safer workplace, Brady recommends creating best practice procedures that include machine-specific photos identifying energy isolation points. These should be installed at the point of use to provide employees with clear, visually-intuitive instructions.