Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 004B Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.147(d): Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence: (1) Preparation for shutdown. Before an authorized or affected employee turns off a machine or equipment, the authorized employee shall have knowledge of the type and magnitude of the energy, the hazards of the energy to be controlled, and the method or means to control the energy. (2) Machine or equipment shutdown. The machine or equipment shall be turned off or shut down using the procedures established for the machine or equipment. An orderly shutdown must be utilized to avoid any additional or increased hazard(s) to employees as a result of the equipment stoppage. (3) Machine or equipment isolation. All energy isolating devices that are needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment shall be physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source(s). (4) Lockout or tagout device application. (4)(i) Lockout or tagout devices shall be affixed to each energy isolating device by authorized employees. (4)(ii) Lockout devices, where used, shall be affixed in a manner to that will hold the energy isolating devices in a "safe" or "off" position. (5) Stored energy. (5)(i) Following the application of lockout or tagout devices to energy isolating devices, all potentially hazardous stored or residual energy shall be relieved, disconnected, restrained, and otherwise rendered safe. (6) Verification of isolation. Prior to starting work on machines or equipment that have been locked out or tagged out, the authorized employee shall verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment have been accomplished. (a) On March 23, 2023, at Depallitizer #1, the employer neglected to ensure the proper application of lockout procedures according to (d)(1) through (d)(6) at the horizontal and vertical conveyors, and the suction head. As a result, Sanitation Workers were not effectively locking out the electrical disconnect point, exposing them to potential, crush injuries, strikes, amputations, and entrapment from, mechanical, and gravitational energy sources. This hazard was last observed to be present on March 30, 2023.