Page 18 - Confined Space Catalogue

Isolation - 9 Steps of Safe Isolation

9 Steps of Safe Isolation

TURN OFF/
PLAN NOTIFY
SHUTDOWN

CONTROL APPLY
ZERO ENERGY LOCK & TAG ISOLATE

TEST PERFORM INSPECT

CONTROLS TASK/ &
ACTIVITY RESTORE

y year thousands of workers get killed or injured across the
Ever
Globe while performing repairs or maintenance on industrial
equipment or machinery. Many of these accidents are caused
by the uncontrolled release of energy – Electrical, Chemical,
Thermal, Kinetic – all forms can be deadly. Regulations exist
requiring that all energy sources are isolated and “locked
out” while machines are being serviced or repaired.

“Lockout” describes a procedure in which power switches, valves,
levers, etc are blocked from operation to isolate the energy source.
Isolation - 9 Steps of Safe Isolation
During this process, special plastic caps, boxes or cables (lockout
devices) are used to cover the switch or valve and are secured with
a padlock where the last worker determines when it can be
re-energised. “Tagout” refers to the practice of attaching a WARNING
or DANGER sign or even an individual note to an energy switch
such as those described above. In many cases, both actions are
combined into Lockout/Tagout so that the worker is no longer able to
reactivate the machine and at the same time, is informed about the
process to take further actions (e.g. calling the responsible
colleague or commencing the next service step). Many companies
issue each worker authorised to apply Lockout/Tagout with
their own personalised padlock and/or tag imprinted with his/
her name. Legislation requires all employers to use Lockout/
Tagout equipment to remove the risk of serious injuries or
fatalities. It’s the responsibility of the individuals to strictly follow
whichever system has been chosen for their workplace.

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