| |
Links to other
Web sites with
information on
LOTO |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Multiple Energy Sources/Multiple Items of Equipment
Hazardous Energy from Interconnected or Nearby Machines or Equipment
When authorized employees implement an energy control
procedure for a particular machine or equipment without regard for other
machines or equipment in the area, they could still be subject to hazardous
energy from interconnected or nearby machines or equipment.
Interconnected Machines or Equipment
If an authorized employee is exposed to the unexpected
energization, start up, or release of stored energy from interconnected machines
or equipment, the energy control procedures for all interconnected machines or
pieces of equipment must be implemented.
 For
example: An authorized employee is changing a snapped belt on a motor. The
authorized employee has deenergized and locked out the motor according to the
energy control procedure for that piece of equipment. The motor is located
directly over the interconnected conveyor, which is stopped but has not been
deenergized or locked out. The conveyor has a different energy isolation point
than the motor and may have an auxiliary power source or the capacity to release
stored energy and startup unexpectedly. The authorized employee must stand on
the conveyor in order to replace the belt. If the conveyor were unexpectedly
started, the authorized employee could be severely injured. Since the conveyor
is interconnected and exposes the authorized employee to the potential for
injury from unexpected startup, the energy control procedures for the motor must
ensure that servicing and maintenance employees are not exposed to hazards posed
by the conveyor. The energy control procedures for the motor must require that
energy control procedures for the conveyor be implemented, as well.
Nearby Machines or Equipment
If an authorized employee, in performing service and
maintenance work on a machine or piece of equipment, is exposed to hazardous
energy from nearby machines or equipment, the employer is required to provide
the employee with protection from these hazardous energy sources.
For example: Using the belt replacement scenario
above, the authorized employee could be subject to the hazardous energy
associated with a nearby production process where a robot arm is operating. When
the robot arm operates, it could strike the authorized employee replacing the
belt. In this event, the employer must provide protection from the hazardous
energy associated with the nearby robot arm by either:
- Complying with the machine safeguarding standards
and effectively guarding the nearby robot arm to not only protect the
operators of the equipment but to protect servicing and maintenance employees
replacing the belt.
- Locking out or tagging out the nearby robot arm if:
- The guarding is not adequate, or
- The design or installation of the equipment would
not permit such machine safeguarding, or
- Compliance with the Lockout/Tagout standard,
29 CFR 1910.147, provides the only feasible method.
In either instance, the employer must ensure that
servicing and maintenance employees are not subject to hazardous energy from
nearby machinery and equipment while carrying out servicing and maintenance
activities on machines or equipment.
|
Back to Top
