Lockout/Tagout Program

Providing protection for employees.

The purpose of this Program is to ensure that all employees at Worcester State University are protected from injury when performing maintenance, servicing, and troubleshooting on equipment or machinery where the unexpected energizing, startup, or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury. This program establishes the minimum performance requirements for energy control procedures, employee training, and periodic inspections to ensure that any employee performing servicing or maintenance on machinery or equipment will be protected from all hazardous energies before and during the performance of the work.

This program also establishes the minimum requirements for lockout and tagout of equipment per OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.147 – The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout).

This program applies to all Worcester State employees before, during, and after servicing and/or maintenance of equipment or machinery at the Worcester State facility.

Contractors performing servicing and/or maintenance on equipment or machinery at the Worcester State facility are required to have their own Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) program meeting all OSHA requirements including training and equipping their own employees to perform the work safely.

Contractors are also responsible for complying with the requirements of this Worcester State LOTO program.

Definitions

Affected Employee

An employee who normally operates or uses equipment or machinery which is being serviced while under lockout/tagout or whose job requires them to work in an area in which such servicing or maintenance is being performed. Affected employees must be informed about the work being conducted and reminded not to attempt to remove a lock or tag or restart or reenergize equipment under lockout.

Authorized Employee

A person trained to de-energize and lock out and tag machinery or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on machinery or equipment.

Energized

Connected to an energy source or containing residual or stored energy.

Energy Isolating Device

A mechanical device that physically prevents the transmission or release of energy, including but not limited to: a manually operated electrical circuit breaker; a disconnect switch; and, in addition, no pole can be operated independently; a line valve; a block; and any similar device used to block or isolate energy. Push buttons, selector switches and other control circuit type devices are not energy isolating devices. A mechanical device that physically prevents the transmission or release of energy such as a manually operated circuit breaker or a disconnect switch. Push buttons and selector switches are not energy isolating devices.

Energy Source

Any source of electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other energy.

Lockout

The placement of a keyed or combination security device (lock) on an energy isolating device, in accordance with an established procedure, to prevent unwanted activation of mechanical or electrical equipment.

Lockout Device

A device that utilizes a positive means such as a lock, either key or combination type, to hold an energy isolating device in the safe position and prevent the energizing of a machine or equipment. Included are blank flanges and bolted slip blinds for piping systems.

Servicing and/or Maintenance

Activities such as constructing, installing, setting up, adjusting, inspecting, modifying, maintaining and/or servicing machines or equipment. These activities include lubrication, cleaning, or un-jamming of machines or equipment and making adjustments or tool changes, where employees may be exposed to the unexpected energizing or start-up of the equipment or release of hazardous energy.