Electrical power must be removed when electrical equipment is inspected, serviced, or repaired. To ensure the safety of personnel working with the equipment, power is removed and the equipment must be locked out and tagged out.
Equipment should be locked out and tagged out before any preventive maintenance or servicing is performed. Lockout is the process of removing the source of electrical power and installing a lock which prevents the power from being turned on. Tagout is the process of placing a danger tag on the source of electrical power which indicates that the equipment may not be operated until the danger tag is removed.
A danger tag has the same importance and purpose as a lock and is used alone only when a lock does not fit the disconnect device. The danger tag shall be attached at the disconnect device with a tag tie or equivalent and shall have space for the worker's name, craft, and other required information.
A danger tag must withstand the elements and expected atmosphere for as long as the tag remains in place. A lockout/tagout should be used when:
• Servicing electrical equipment that does not require power to be on to perform the service;
• Removing or bypassing a machine guard or other safety device. The possibility exists of being injured or caught in moving machinery; and
• Clearing jammed equipment. The danger exists of being injured if equipment power is turned on.
An approved procedure should be developed, implemented and followed when applying a lockout/tagout. Lockouts and tagouts are attached only after the equipment is turned off and tested to ensure that power is off. The lockout/tagout procedure is required for the safety of workers due to modern equipment hazards. An example of a standard procedure for equipment lockout/tagout is:
1. Prepare for machinery shutdown;
2. Machinery or equipment shutdown;
3. Machinery or equipment isolation;
4. Lockout or tagout application;
5. Release of stored energy; and
6. Verification of isolation.
A lockout/tagout should only be removed by the person that installed it, except in an emergency. In an emergency, the lockout/ tagout may be removed only by authorized personnel. The authorized personnel shall follow approved procedures.
The following lockout and tagout procedures and steps can effectively reduce the number of electrocutions in the workplace:
• Use a lockout and tagout whenever possible;
• Use a tagout when a lockout is impractical. A tagout is used alone only when a lock does not fit the disconnect device;
• Utilize a multiple lockout when individual employee lockout of equipment is impractical;
• Notify all employees affected before using a lockout/ tagout;
• Remove all primary and secondary power sources; and
• Measure for voltage using a voltmeter to ensure that power is.
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