SECTION 15.55 CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS ENERGY SOURCES

Last Update: 11/03

This guideline is designed to summarize the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147, which mandates that employers safeguard their employees from the hazards involving the unintentional release of potentially hazardous energy while maintenance and/or servicing activities are being performed. This is accomplished through lockout/tagout procedures designed to disable or de-energize machinery or equipment. Protection from hazards associated from normal operation of equipment remains regulated under other parts of the OSHA standard.

The basic elements required in this program include:

- training of authorized employees, affected employees, and other employees as defined by the standard.

- development of procedures and practices to cover preparation for shutdown, isolation of equipment, application and release of lockout or tagout, testing required to assure zero energy state, special instructions to cover special equipment requirements, and changes of shift or personnel.

- program review to assure changes in equipment, procedure, or personnel are reflected in training activity and procedure revision.

Authorized employee means a person who performs lockout or tagout procedures on machines or equipment to perform servicing or maintenance. This employee must be able to ascertain the exposure status of affected and other employees.

Affected employee means a person whose job requires them to operate or use a machine or equipment on which servicing or maintenance is being performed under lockout/tagout, or would work in an area where this would occur. This employee must understand procedures and follow instructions relating to their activities.

Other personnel would include all other employees in the facility. They must understand the basic intent of the program, be able to recognize lockout/tagout devices, and abide by operational prohibitions.

Procedures are required to define the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy.