Minimal Lockout Procedure

Compliance With This Program

All employees are required to comply with the restrictions and limitations imposed upon them during the use of lockout. The AUTHORIZED employees are required to perform the lockout in accordance with this procedure. All employees, upon observing a machine or piece of equipment which is locked out in preparation of servicing or maintenance shall NOT attempt to start, energize or use that machine or equipment.

1. Compliance enforcement will consist of the following:
   • periodic inspections conducted by the Manager of Technical Trades and/or the Environmental and Occupational Safety Manager.

Sequence of Lockout - Refer to Attachment A

1. Notify all affected employees that servicing or maintenance is required on a machine or equipment and that the machine or equipment must be shut down and locked out to perform the servicing or maintenance.
   • Affected employees include electricians, carpenters, plumbers, heating, venting, and air conditioning technicians, locksmiths, painters, groundskeepers, custodians, machinists, power house technicians and supervisors.
     
     
     
     NOTE: An "affected employee" is an employee whose job requires him/her to operate or use a machine or equipment on which servicing or maintenance is being performed under lockout or tagout, or whose job requires him/her to work in an area in which such servicing or maintenance is being performed.
   • The method of notification will be written and/or verbal communication.
2. The authorized employee shall refer to the company procedure to identify the type and magnitude of the energy that the machine or equipment utilizes, shall understand the hazards of the energy, and shall know the methods to control the energy.
3. If the machine or equipment is operating, shut it down by the normal stopping procedure (depress stop button, open switch, close valve, etc.).
4. De-activate the energy isolating device(s) so that the machine or equipment is isolated from the energy source(s).
5. Lockout the energy isolating device(s) with assigned individual lock(s).
   • Devices shall be affixed by authorized employees.
   • Lockout devices shall be affixed in a manner that will hold the energy isolating devices in a "safe" or "off" position.
6. Stored or residual energy (such as that in capacitors, springs, elevated machine members, rotating flywheels, hydraulic systems, and air, gas, steam, or water pressure, etc.) must be dissipated or restrained by methods such as grounding, repositioning, blocking, bleeding down, etc.
7. Ensure that the equipment is disconnected from the energy source(s) by first checking that no personnel are exposed, then verify the isolation of the equipment by operating the push button or other normal operating control(s) or by testing to make certain the equipment will not operate.
   
   
   
   CAUTION: Return operating control(s) to neutral or "off" position after verifying the isolation of the equipment.
8. The machine or equipment is now locked out and servicing or maintenance can be performed.

Group Lockout

This procedure outlined in Section III Sequence of Lockout shall be followed under the direction of an authorized employee assigned with the primary responsibility of the Group Lockout.

Each authorized employee in the group shall affix a personal lockout device to the group lockout device when he/she begins work, and shall remove those devices when he/she stops working on the machine or equipment being serviced.

During a shift change the authorized employee with primary responsibility will coordinate the orderly transfer of lockout devices so that continuity of protection between off-going and oncoming employees is maintained.

When more than one crew or group is involved, an authorized employee shall be designated to coordinate the work forces and ensure continuous protection.

Testing or Position of Machines, Equipment, Etc.

In situations in which lockout devices must be temporarily removed to test or position the machine, equipment or components thereof, the following sequence of actions shall be followed:

1. Clear the machine or equipment of tools or materials.
2. Remove employees from the machine or equipment area.
3. Remove the lockout device(s).
4. Energize and proceed with testing or positioning.
5. De-energize all systems and reapply energy control measures in accordance with this procedure.

Restoring Equipment to Service - Refer to Attachment B

When the servicing or maintenance is completed and the machine or equipment is ready to return to normal operating condition, the following steps shall be taken:

1. Check the machine or equipment and the immediate area around the machine or equipment to ensure that nonessential items have been removed and that the machine or equipment components are operationally intact.
2. Check the work area to ensure that all employees have been safely positioned or removed from the area.
3. Verify that the controls are in neutral.
4. Remove the lockout device(s) and reenergize the machine or equipment.
   
   
   
   NOTE: The removal of some forms of blocking may require reenergization for the machine before safe removal.
5. Notify affected employees that the servicing or maintenance is completed and the machine or equipment is ready for use.