This week OSHA issued a willful violation for Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) deficiencies involving a spray dryer absorber (SDA) at a power generation plant. What is shocking is the fact that a 46-year-old worker lost four (4) fingers on his right hand in the December 2015 accident. During the course of its investigation into the December 2015 accident, OSHA…...
For goodness sake – LOCK IT OUT people! (Willful w/ $70K) Read More »
This was a significant decision by the OSHRC as it answered the debate… do isolation plans associated with complex energy isolations need to include the means to verify Zero Energy State (ZES) for each isolated source? There answer… YES, and it MUST be DOCUMENTED in the isolation plan/worksheet. The refinery’s arguments that the means to…...
WARNING! This variance applies ONLY to Nucor Steel Connecticut Incorporated at its Wallingford, CT facility and the SPECIFIC TASK listed. It can NOT be adopted by anyone else or any other workplace (NOT even another Nucor facility) in any fashion whatsoever. This information is being shared for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY as OSHA allows the use…...
OSHA grants permanent LOTO variance Read More »
This incident is a PERFECT example of what can happen when STORED ENERGY is overlooked. For energy sources like hydraulics and pneumatic (e.g., gases), merely closing a valve and locking it closed or locking out a pump is NOT full energy control. Procedures MUST include the means to dissipate the stored energy to the Zero…...
Workers hurt when pressurized fluid escapes (LOTO Incident @ Mine) Read More »
OSHA’s Standard on the Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147) contains the following paperwork requirements:… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...
Documentation needed for your LOTO Compliance Read More »
Once again, OR-OSHA has put out a high quality publication! This one is on Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and is a MUST have for every facility. Yes I know, it only counts in Oregon, but this publication explains LOTO like none other and can be used by any workplace struggling with LOTO regardless of what state you…...
OR-OSHA publishes “Oregon OSHA’s guide to controlling hazardous energy” Read More »
We have all heard stories about “pressure” killing workers. One of my favorite trick questions to ask a group attending my LOTO training is, “Just how much pressure does it take to kill a human?” The incident below occurred at a power generation station and involved 40 psi, but PLEASE remember that much less energy…...
ZERO energy state (ZES) means ZERO energy state (NBIC Accident) Read More »
Some interesting, yet very DATED data, regarding LOTO accidents. This was from OSHA’s preamble when they tried to justify the need for the Control of Hazardous Energy Standard. TABLE III – ACTIVITY OF TIME OF ACCIDENT and TABLE IV – CIRCUMSTANCES OF INJURIES are VERY TELLING and still reflect the LOTO accidents we see today. …...
LOTO Accident Data from OSHA’s Preamble Read More »
If you spend enough time working on Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), you are bound to come across some crazy situations. Luckily I have some world-class clients who allow me to share my “interesting finds” and encourage me to share with all of you. This most recent find was at an OSHA VPP STAR site. We have been…...
More LOTO Adventures (photo) Read More »
Scenario: A contractor is hired to make repairs to a piece of equipment. This work will require the machine’s energy sources to be isolated per 1910.147. The facility has a machine-specific procedure for said equipment. The contractor follows the machine-specific procedure and uses their company’s LOTO locks per their written LOTO program/practices to lockout this…...
LOTO and Contractors Read More »
As human nature goes, we know if we give an inch, some will take a mile. This belief could not be more real than in Lockout/Tagout and the “Minor Servicing” exception. The “rule” is to LOCK IT OUT, and the “minor servicing” exception is just that, an exception to the rule. OSHA has set the…...
Lockout is the RULE, “minor servicing” is the exception Read More »
Here we sit, ending the year 2013, 20+ years after OSHA promulgated its Control of Hazardous Energy (e.g., Lockout/Tagout) standard. Yet, we still see so much confusion regarding this safety-critical standard. We get so much resistance on some of the most basic requirements of LOTO that I thought it would be helpful to dispel two…...
It is Lockout OR tagout… NOT BOTH Read More »
