Lock and Tag
LOTO Implementation Questions and Answers
Lock and Tag Program Manual
List
of MFD Employee, their key numbers
What is the purpose of LOTO?
The purpose of LOTO is to prevent injury to servicing and /or
maintenance employees due to the unexpected energization or
startup of machines, equipment or processes; or the release
of stored energy.
What energy
sources are covered by LOTO?
Some people mistakenly think that LOTO applies only to electrical
energy, when in fact LOTO applies to any potentially hazardous
energy. Examples include:
- Electrical
- Mechanical
- Hydraulic
- Pneumatic
- Stored energy such as that in batteries, capacitors,
springs, flywheels
- Thermal (hot surfaces, steam, extreme cold)
- Chemical
- Other
What activities
are covered by LOTO?
Constructing, installing, setting up, adjusting, inspecting,
modifying, maintaining and or servicing machines or equipment
including, lubrication, cleaning or un-jamming of machines or
equipment and making adjustments or tool changes, where employees
would be exposed to the unexpected energization or startup of
the equipment or release of hazardous energy.
If unexpected energization
or startup of the equipment could hurt you, control
it!
Lock and Tag Procedures
All machines, equipment, or circuits must be locked out following
pre-established procedures. Lock out procedures fall into two
categories.
- Equipment Specific Lock and Tag Procedure (ELP)
- this is a procedure written by the equipment owner for
a specific machine, equipment or circuit. (note: do not
confuse ELP with EWP, which stands for Electrical Work Plan.
- MFD has a
template to help equipment custodians prepare ELPs
for their equipment.
- Examples of completed ELPs can be found on the in
the
MFD Document Archive
- General Lock and Tag Procedure (GLP) - this is
a generic procedure provided in the
LOTO manual, that can be used in place of an ELP provided
all nine of the requirements in Section 4.4 of the
LOTO Manual are met.
The equipment custodian
is responsible for evaluating their equipment and
preparing written Equipment Lockout Procedure, if
required.
Authorized Employee
An authorized employee is a person who locks and tags machines
or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on
that machine or equipment. Personnel become authorized employees
by successfully completing Courses 136 and 157. Periodic retraining
is required.
To apply LOTO, the authorized employee must:
- be qualified - have the training, knowledge, and skill
to de-energize and lock out the equipment; and,
- have been approved by the department, group or shop
responsible for the particular equipment as someone approved
to lock out the equipment.
Requirements to apply LOTO:
- Be current in training. To check your training
status, click
here.
- Be authorized to apply LOTO on ATA.
- Have successfully completed a
Course 157PRA within the past 12 months
- Be knowledgeable and qualified to de-energize the equipment
and to perform the specific lock out activities required.
- Obtain permission from the equipment custodian before
locking out the equipment (and be formally approved to used
the ELP, if applicable).
Working on Equipment that you are not authorized to lock
out
If you need to work on equipment that you are not authorized
to lock out:
- Have an authorized person lock out the equipment using
a multi-lock hasp or group lock box on each isolation point.
- Apply your lock or locks on the each isolation point.
- Witness verification of de-energization.
Before you touch any
electrical components, you must verify zero voltage
using testing instruments. This verification
process is considered "energized electrical work"
and requires an approved electrical work-plan (EWP).
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