Servicing or maintaining equipment without properly controlling hazardous energy can result in serious injuries or fatalities. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is a critical safety practice that prevents the unexpected startup of equipment or the release of stored energy while maintenance, repair, installation, inspection, cleaning, or servicing is being performed. UMES follows OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy standard to protect employees from electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, gravitational, and other hazardous energy sources during servicing and maintenance activities. EHS provides Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) training, consultation, and support to help employees identify hazardous energy sources and understand their responsibilities to safely perform or work around servicing and maintenance activities.
Hazardous Energy
Normal operation of equipment does not typically require Lockout/Tagout unless employees are exposed to hazardous energy during the task. Before work begins, all energy sources must be identified, isolated, and verified. Examples of Hazardous Energy are:
To apply these protections correctly, it helps to first understand where the hazardous energy can occur during service or maintenance work, and when Lockout/Tagout is required.
Authorized employees are trained to perform Lockout/Tagout. Affected employees operate or work around equipment that may be locked or tagged out. All other employees who work in areas where Lockout/Tagout is performed should be aware of these activities. Understanding these roles matters, as Lockout/Tagout requirements differ depending on which one applies to you.
Important rules to remember throughout the Lockout/Tagout Process
- Never operate equipment displaying a lock or danger tag
- Never bypass guards or safety devices.
- Never begin servicing until all hazardous energy has been controlled
- Only the employee who applied a personal lock or tag may remove it unless an established emergency removal procedure is followed
Employees should submit a work order to the Physical Plant for damaged or malfunctioning equipment, defective energy-isolating devices, or other maintenance or repair needs that require servicing. Observation of suspected unauthorized removal of lockout/tagout devices, unauthorized servicing of equipment, or hazardous energy control practices should immediately be reported to EHS or appropriate University personnel (i.e., Public Safety). Workplace incidents, near misses, and safety concerns involving hazardous energy or lockout/tagout activities should be reported to EHS. If an incident results in a workplace injury or illness, it must also be reported to HR in accordance with university requirements.
