Seguridad de LOTO: Los 6 pasos del bloqueo / etiquetado

LOTO Safety: The 6 Steps of Lockout/Tagout

 November 8, 2017  Jeffrey Dalto  Health & Safety

LOTO stands for lockout/tagout. When done properly before equipment service or maintenance, lockout/tagout procedures control hazardous energy and protect workers from harm.

In this article, we’ll look at the basics of lockout/tagout and LOTO safety. This will include some basic definitions, relevant OSHA regulations and informational resources, and steps to follow when performing lockout.

The Purpose of Lockout/Tagout and LOTO Safety

When machines or equipment are prepared for service or maintenance, they often contain some form of “hazardous energy” that can cause harm to people in the area.

When we talk about hazardous energy, we mean any type of energy that can be released and might harm a person. This could include energy of the following types:

Chemical

Electrical

Hydraulic

Mechanical

Pneumatic

Thermal

Other sources of energy

Without the use of proper LOTO safety procedures, the serviced equipment can unexpectedly start up or otherwise release these forms of energy. This can lead to injuries and even death to the people working on the machine and even to others working in the area or living in the community.

Energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers.

Consider just a few examples:

• A worker is servicing a press, another worker comes by and starts the press, and the service worker is caught up in the press, causing an amputation
• Workers are repairing a connection in piping, and somewhere up that same line another worker opens a valve, sending fluids down the pipe that ultimately spill on and burn the maintenance workers
• A conveyor jams, a worker tries to clear the jam, the conveyor jam is suddenly and unexpectedly freed, and the worker is damaged as a result
• A worker is servicing a machine, and at the same time internal wiring in the machine shorts, causing the maintenance worker to be shocked

All of these are examples of hazardous energy causing harm. And that’s what LOTO safety is all about–making these types of hazardous energy controlled so they’re never released and never cause harm.

Six Steps of LOTO Safety & Lockout/Tagout Procedures

A lockout/tagout procedure should include the following six steps:

Preparation

Shutdown

Isolation

Lockout/tagout

Stored energy check

Isolation verification

Seguridad de LOTO: Los 6 pasos del bloqueo / etiquetado

 8 de noviembre de 2017 Jeffrey Dalto Salud y seguridad

LOTO significa bloqueo / etiquetado. Cuando se realiza correctamente antes del servicio o mantenimiento del equipo, los procedimientos de bloqueo / etiquetado controlan la energía peligrosa y protegen a los trabajadores de daños.

...