Lockout/Tagout or LOTO is an integral part of any organization’s HSE procedure to ensure safety of its people from unauthorized or accidental start-up of machinery during maintenance, commissioning or shutdowns. With increased awareness of LOTO across the world and implementation being a regulatory requirement too, Lockout Tagout has become responsible for preventing near misses, incidents and fatalities in the workplace.
As experienced manufacturers and innovators in the field of LOTO, we still observe some common mistakes companies make while developing their energy isolation programs. Going further, lets briefly discuss the top 5 common Lockout Tagout mistakes and how they can be avoided.
Problem 1: Inadequate and Unrevised Energy Isolation Procedures
One of the most fatal and common problems that organizations make are incomplete and/or unrevised Lockout Tagout procedures. Failure to develop a comprehensive Energy Isolation procedure for every equipment can result in half-baked Lockout tagout programs which still pose a considerable risk to the workers. Moreover, lack of constant revision of said procedures can leave the gaps unidentified and increase risk of an accident over time.
Solution: Thorough Energy risk assessment and Annual LOTO Audits
A systemic and detailed risk assessment of all equipment can help map every hazardous energy source including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, potential, etc. Next, a machine-specific Lockout tagout procedure should be developed and posted on each machine for technicians to revise before starting maintenance. Furthermore, an Annual LOTO Audit can help identify gaps in existing procedures, stay updated on new compliances and adapt to innovations in Lockout Tagout hardware.
Problem 2: Lack of Proper Training
Organizations provide refreshers and training on various HSE-related topics, but many miss the mark on providing holistic training related to Lockout Tagout implementation. While most LOTO trainings focus on the role of authorized person, they tend to overlook the responsibilities of the affected employees, management and other stakeholders. Subsequently, the lack of knowledge can cause employees to overstep their authority, neglect warning signs and ultimately cause accidental or unauthorized startup of machinery leading to incidents/ fatalities.
Solution: Comprehensive training and refresher courses for all employees
By providing comprehensive LOTO training to all stakeholders, an organization can grow its corporate safety culture and ingrain the importance of Lockout Tagout in everyone who steps on site. Since Lockout Tagout is a team activity which may require more than 1 department to be involved (for example: Maintenance, Production, HSE, etc.), it is important for all employees to receive theoretical and practical training based on their roles. For effective practical training and refreshers on LOTO procedures, organizations can use a LOTO simulation board to provide hands-on training in a safe classroom environment. To know more about this solution, please contact us at info@lotosafetyproducts.com.
Problem 3: Failure to reach zero energy state and lack of verification
A common misconception is –‘A machine that is switched off is safe to work on’. WRONG! Failure to account for residual energy can cause equipment to malfunction during maintenance. Moreover, switching off and locking the operating controls is seldom enough to make the machinery safe to approach. An additional step of verification is often missed out which ensure the LOTO devices are on correctly and if all hazardous energies have been released.
Solution: Bleed stored energy and follow LOTO policy
Organization should ensure that while conducting LOTO, the authorized employee should refer to the risk assessment report and identify all hazardous energy sources including any residual or stored energy (e.g.: pressurised air, hydraulic pressure, stored mechanical or electrical energy, etc.). Once identified, they should safely release all stored energy through bleed valves, grounding, mechanical blocking, etc. as a part of their documented LOTO procedure. Once zero-state is achieved and LOTO devices have been applied, it should be verified by attempting to start or operate the equipment. Additionally, organizations should enforce the LOTOTO (LockOut Tag Out Try Out) to verify if the LOTO devices have been installed correctly and operating controls are immobilized.
Problem 4: Unorganized LOTO management
When companies are unorganized with their Lockout Tagout policy, it can cause non-uniformity in implementation which can lead to near-misses or by-passing of the procedure. For instance, if an organization has not laid down the LOTO policy for shift changes or 3rd party contractors, it creates a window of uncertainty where Lockout Tagout is rendered ineffective. Likewise, for companies that are unorganized in their storage of LOTO devices and padlocks, it can increase their down-time trying to locate or procure lost devices/ loto padlocks. Ultimately, the added time can result in the procedure being bypassed due to time and production pressures.
Solution: Uniform LOTO policies for all stakeholders and Dedicated storage Units
To avoid confusion or conflicting LOTO procedures, an organization must outline LOTO procedures for all scenarios, especially, shift changes and 3rd party contractors. The policy must highlight the steps for isolation and padlock management during these events as multiple teams are involved and a streamlined system will mitigate risks of accidental or unauthorized startup of equipment. Furthermore, to enable quick retrieval of LOTO devices and padlocks, it is essential for organizations to use dedicated storage units like LOTO Stations, padlock stations or loto shadow boards to efficiently store and manage all their LOTO hardware to avoid delays in maintenance schedules and give people lesser reasons to not conduct such an important life-saving procedure.
Problem 5: Using Incorrect LOTO devices and padlocks
With multiple choices available to solve similar isolation problems, many organizations end up choosing padlocks and devices which are unfit for their use case. This leads to wastage of inventory and excessive expenditure of time and money trying to get the right product. Using incorrect devices and padlocks cause ineffective and inefficient implementation of Lockout tagout which increases risk and downtime.
Solution: Contact LOTO Safety Products DMCC……… (Cheeky, aren’t I?)
Since our inception in 2011, we at LOTO Safety Products, have focused on providing solutions in Lockout tagout and differentiating ourselves as an innovator. Drawing from our experience of 250+ field visits, we can guide our clients to procure the right products for their isolation requirements with a high accuracy rate. Our team of professionals recommend standardized, high-quality products which can serve multiple functions in your LOTO program allowing you to save on inventory management, cost of devices and time spent procuring LOTO hardware. We take our motto “Simplifying LOTO” seriously and it reflects in our products and interactions with customers.
* The author of this blog is Zulfikar– Director at LOTO Safety, Dubai.
This blog is written to educate interested parties on Lockout Tagout products.