The Importance of Lockout/Tagout

In this post we’ll briefly discuss an unfortunate accident that occurred in Alabama in 2020. Learning from tragedies such as this one is vital so that we can prevent them from happening again in the future.

What Happened?

On March 30, 2020, a contractor was killed in a metal manufacturing plant when proper lockout/tagout procedures were not utilized. There were two teams of contractors working on Dust Collectors #2 and #3. Dust Collector #3 needed to be ran to clear excess material. The contractors working on Dust Collector #3 asked another employee to re-energize and run the machine. Unfortunately, the employee mistakenly turned-on Dust Collector #2. The two contractors working on Dust Collector #2 were not prepared for that, and one of them was killed.

The Important of Lockout/Tagout

This unfortunate incident is an example of how following lockout/tagout procedures can save lives. If proper lockout/tagout procedures were utilized, there is no way the employee would have been able to re-energize the wrong dust collector. The contractors working on Dust Collector #2 would have been in possession of the key to their lockout device!

If you are a first responder, you must ensure lockout/tagout procedures are in place when you arrive on-scene. You are essentially a contractor in these situations since you do not own the facility. Even if you are told the piece of machinery in question is already locked and tagged out, you must still apply your own lock and verify that all energy sources have been isolated. The safety of your crew members and the patient depend on it.

If you or your agency needs to learn more about lockout/tagout and energy control programs, please check out our Lockout/Tagout Awareness class. Stay safe!