Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: LOCKOUT

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did into furnish employmet and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: In the batching room, tank #4 was entered through a manhole for maintenace work without air testing or confined entry procedure exposing employees to asphyxiation hazards. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct these hazards is to establish and enforce an adequate lockout/ tagout of energy sources in accordance with ANSI Z244.1-1982, "American National Standard for Personnel Protection - Lockout/Tagout of Energy Sources-minimum Safety Requirements". Essential elements of this lockout/tagout procedure would include: 1) Require lock-out before any maintenace, inspection, clearing, adjusting or servicing that requires employees to enter or be in close contact with moving machinery or equipment. 2) Require that each exposed employee lock-out the energy isolating device with his/her personal lock. 3) Maintain available operation and maintenance manuals on all machinery or equipment to be serviced. Assure that these manuals and other appropriate information are provided to employees before work is begun. 4) Establish and use a documented work order system for machinery maintenance and repairs which includes Supervisors' approval to reactivate machinery or equipment after servicing. 5) Disconnect or isolate machinery or equipment by positioning the switch, valves or other energy isolating device so that energy source (e.g. electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, etc.) are de-activated. Stored energy such as that in capacitors, springs, elevation machine members, rotating flywheels, hydraulic systems, and gas, air, steam or water pressure, etc., must be dissipated or restrained by methods such as grounding, respositioning, blocking bleeding down, etc. 6) Test machinery or equipment to ensure that the energy sources have been effectively disconnected or isolated. As a precautionary measure, return the operating controls to the "Off" position after the test has been completed. NOTE: The test shall only be performed after measuring that no employees are exposed in the machine or equipment area. 7) Remove locks only after ensuring the safety of all exposed employees. 8) Train employees responsible for machinery or equipment lock-out in all elements of the program. This training shall be repeated as frequently as necessary to maintain management and work proficiency, and compliance with the procedure. 9) Evaluate the program periodically to ensure continued use and adequacy. 10) Enforce all provisions of the program.