5 Ways to Ensure Lockout and Tagout Procedures Are Followed

Injuries and losses are completely preventable

Workers at refineries, plants, construction sites, and countless other workplaces are exposed to hazardous energy in one way or another. This may include electricity, heat, steam, pressure, or any other type of energy that could be released by a piece of heavy machinery or equipment while it is being serviced, inspected, cleaned, or maintained. Controlling this hazardous energy is a primary concern at industrial and other worksites, and this is accomplished through lockout/tagout procedures.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific standards relating to lockout/tagout procedures and controlling hazardous energy at the workplace. Standard 1910.147 addresses lockout/tagout requirements for the control of hazardous energy at general worksites. OSHA has separate standards that apply to marine terminals, longshoring, construction, and electricity.

The easiest way to explain lockout/tagout is that it involves shutting off, locking, and tagging a piece of equipment or machinery so it cannot release energy while it is being serviced. Lockout involves locking a disconnect switch, circuit breaker, or other device in place so a machine cannot be started back up without a key or combination. Tagout involves putting a clear warning tag or label on the device that shows it is locked out and should not be used until the tag is removed.

Proper lockout/tagout procedures eliminate the possibility that a worker will be crushed, electrocuted, burned, or otherwise catastrophically injured by a piece of machinery or equipment that is being repaired or inspected. When workers must put themselves or a part of their bodies in zones or areas where a piece of equipment could release hazardous energy, OSHA’s lockout/tagout standard applies.

Common Lockout and Tagout Violations

Since 2014, OSHA has issued more than 10,000 citations for violations of lockout/tagout procedures. In 2021, lockout/tagout violations came in 7th out of the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards. These violations have serious consequences; an estimated 50,000 injuries and 120 deaths occur in American workplaces each year as a result of failures to control hazardous energy.

From October 2020 through September 2021, OSHA issued 1,884 citations and assessed more than $12 million in penalties for violations of Standard 1910.147 pertaining to lockout/tagout procedures. 1,393 of these were in the manufacturing industry. Wholesale trade came in second with 142 citations, followed by waste management and remediation at 66. Construction, retail trade, oil and gas extraction, and transportation and warehousing were several of the other industries included on the list.

Violations of lockout/tagout procedures often involve employers’ failures to create and enforce workable energy control programs, which would establish set rules for locking and tagging out equipment during servicing. Other violations involve failing to properly train employees (both those responsible for operating or maintaining machinery and those who are working in the area) and failing to periodically evaluate and adjust energy control programs.

Lockout/tagout procedures are in place to protect workers and the companies they work for. When they are violated, they not only cause horrific injuries or claim workers’ lives, but they impact employers as well. They cause millions of dollars in lost production and medical costs.

These injuries and losses are completely preventable; let’s see how.

What Employers Can Do

Compliance with lockout/tagout standards starts with employers. This aligns with every employer’s obligation to provide a reasonably safe workplace for their employees. Even in warehouses, on oilfields, or at power plants and refineries, employees deserve to work in environments that are free from unnecessary hazards. Proper training, equipment maintenance, and safety procedures are key parts of this.

Employers can ensure proper lockout/tagout procedures are followed by:

·???????Developing appropriate energy control programs, which include lockout/tagout procedures.

·???????Periodically evaluating energy control programs to ensure they’re being followed.

·???????Training employees on proper lockout/tagout procedures, based on their roles.

·???????Providing ongoing lockout/tagout training to ensure every worker knows what to do.

·???????Providing the appropriate lockout/tagout devices for all applicable equipment or machinery.

·???????Training and drilling employees on what to do in the event of a hazardous energy release.

·???????Enforcing all lockout/tagout procedures without exception.

All equipment and machinery must be regularly maintained, serviced, and cleaned. If that equipment could cause harm during servicing, it must be properly locked and tagged out. Employers must do their part to protect workers and productivity by complying with OSHA’s lockout/tagout standards.

What Employees Can Do

Although it is your employer’s responsibility to develop and enforce lockout/tagout procedures, you can also take steps to protect yourself and your co-workers from being harmed by hazardous energy releases.

As an employee, you can do your part by:

·???????Following your employer’s energy control program.

·???????Participating in training and drilling on lockout/tagout procedures.

·???????Reporting any violations or relapses in lockout/tagout safety standards.

If you notice that a piece of equipment is not being properly locked or tagged out, report it. Your employer is prohibited from firing, demoting, or otherwise retaliating against you for reporting a safety violation at work. You have the right to speak up.

Lockout and Tagout Safety Comes First

Lockout/tagout procedures are about more than meeting minimum requirements to avoid a citation and fine. They are about protecting workers. Employers need to make lockout/tagout safety a priority and demand that their employees do the same. This is the only way to prevent some of the most traumatic accidents across all industries.

Since 2004, Arnold & Itkin has helped workers and families who have suffered the worst injuries and losses as a result of negligence. Our trial lawyers have seen what lax safety standards can do, and the results are catastrophic. In standing up for the injured, we have been able to win more than $10 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We will continue to fight to set right the wrongs caused by practices that put profits before workers’ lives. No matter what.