Hazardous Energy Control - Lockout/Tagout

Authorized Persons (who service or repair equipment) are required to:

• Complete the EH&S Lockout/Tagout classroom course for Authorized Persons. And as needed, take the online Lockout/Tagout Awareness/Refresher course.
• Establish and write equipment-specific LOTO procedures using the UW LOTO Procedure form or the UW LOTO Field Procedure form.
• Follow LOTO procedures whenever working on applicable equipment.
• Report equipment that does not have LOTO procedures and may pose a hazard.
• Apply their own locks and tags when servicing or repairing equipment.
• Remove their own locks and tags when Authorized Persons are not working on equipment, work shift ends or project ends.
• Communicate and coordinate LOTO work with Affected Persons, and others as needed.
• As required, conduct annual reviews of specific LOTO hazardous energy control procedures to ensure effectiveness and annual reviews of other Authorized Persons and their understanding of LOTO procedures.

Managers, supervisors and principal investigators (PIs) are responsible for:

• Developing and implementing a department/unit-specific Supplemental Hazardous Energy Control LOTO Program; departments may use the Department Supplemental Hazardous Energy Control LOTO Program Template.

• Developing specific hazardous energy control procedures using the UW LOTO Procedure form or the UW LOTO Field Procedure form

• Informing individuals working in the area (Affected Persons) of the LOTO program and its impact on their work area
• Requiring Affected Persons complete LOTO Awareness/Refresher Training
• Determining which Authorized Persons may work on equipment
• Ensuring Authorized Persons have LOTO training based on the hazardous energy sources in their research or workplace
• Ensuring proper labeling of the energy-isolating devices on equipment controlled by the department/unit
• Purchasing OSHA-approved devices to lock and tag out your equipment
• Reporting injuries and near misses, using the Online Accident Reporting System (OARS)

Tagout devices may be used alone if the employer can demonstrate that its tagout program provides "full employee protection," as required by OSHA Standard 1910.147(c)(3).

Additional safety measures for the tagout ("Tags Plus") are mandated, given the inherent limitations of a tag, in order to achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to that which would be achieved through a lockout system. In other words, you must implement additional safety measures that "bridge the gap" between the degree of safety achieved through lockout and the degree of safety achieved through tagout. An additional safety measure could be removing the fuse in addition to the tagout device, for example.

Yes. If more than one Authorized Person is involved in any of the LOTO steps required for the service and repair of equipment, machines, or systems, all Authorized Persons must have a personal lock and tag on the group LOTO device and must be provided the opportunity to review the equipment-specific hazardous energy control procedure and verify zero energy for all energy sources identified in the procedure. The placement of a personal lock and tag will provide the employee with direct control over their own protection rather than relying on others.

Refer to the Understanding Group LOTO Focus Sheet for more information.