LOTO – Lockout/Tagout, is set of procedures to ensure Equipment is properly Shutdown, Isolated, De-Energized and Tagged.
LOTO – Lockout/Tagout is the physical restraint of hazardous Energy source that power the Equipment which is intended for Service and Maintenance.
Without use of LOTO safety procedure, the Equipment under Service or Maintenance can unexpectedly Energize/Startup, which can lead to injuries to the Employee working on the Equipment And every other employee affected with said Equipment.
LOTO safety is all about ensuring hazardous Energy is controlled while performing Service or Maintenance of the Equipment.
How to do LOTO – Lockout Tagout?
- Preparation for Shutdown
First step of lockout and tagout equipment for service and maintenance is to prepare.
During this step, authorized Employee must investigate and gain complete understanding of Energy which needs to be controlled. - Shutdown
After Preparation, Inform the Employee Affected by the Shutdown, even those which are not involved in intended Service and Maintenance.
Now Equipment can be Shut down or turn off. - Isolation
Now it’s time to Isolate Equipment from Source of Energy.
- LOTO Device Application
Now that Equipment is Shut down and Isolated from source of energy, LOTO – Lockout/Tagout Device can be Attached with Tag with name of person who performed LOTO, along with other important details.
- Release of Stored Energy
Though Energy Source is isolated, does not mean it’s safe to work on the Equipment, since it may have hazardous Stored OR Residual Energy. This Stored OR Residual Energy Must be Released/Relived.
- Verification of Isolation
In this last step, it’s time to make sure and verify.
Now that, Employee Prepared, Shutdown, Isolated, Applied LOTO Device, Released Stored Energy, it’s time to double check and make sure that its Now safe to work on the Equipment.