In the year 2023, we still get the old questioning of the intent of LOTO.  It never fails; in our LOTO training, we will get operators repeating the application of LOTO to their jobs, word for word, as I have stated it, and then comes the $60,000 question… Does my boss know about this? Another reason why management (including front-line supers) needs to be active in ALL the initial training...

    Damage to Drain Nozzles on Tote Tanks Poses Leak Hazard BSEE has become aware of multiple instances in the Gulf of Mexico region where tote tank drain nozzles have been damaged, leading to leaks and spills during lifting events. These incidents have raised significant safety concerns, and it is crucial that possible risks are promptly addressed to prevent further occurrences. Recent...

If a facility spends hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on paint the month before an audit… we may be doing “it” wrong! Early in my career, I sat in my weekly staff meeting when the plant manager announced our corporate safety and health audit. As in most organizations, these are “big deals”. A career maker or breaker in some organizations. He and I were new to the company and this facility...

As we end 2023, we will have exceeded 30+ years of OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standard.  And yet, still today, we can walk out into a random covered process, place our hand on a process component, and the facility will struggle to provide us a “cut-sheet” for the component (i.e., what), when it was installed, and who installed it.  With this comes pressure testing...

In today’s safety arena, metrics still rage on.  I believe in metrics; everything should be DEFINED and QUANTIFIED in safety, and “performance metrics” are no different.  Advanced SMSs utilize “leading indicators” rather than “lagging indicators” such as injury rates, WC $s, etc.  This is a significant advancement in safety – measuring...

The Safety Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, operating, and continuously improving the organization’s SMS. They should act as a focal point for safety in the organization. Typically, the Safety Manager is required to be competent and responsible for the following: … HomeRead More »

For years, I have advised my clients to use the ANSI/ASSE Z590.2 standard when building their Safety Management System (SMS), as it provides a clear-cut model for the Scope and Function of the safety professional’s role within an organization.  Members can read the following two articles on how this can be done. Establishing the scope, function, role(s), and responsibilities of the organization’s...

A cleaning crew member, with no electrical qualifications, switched on a high voltage (2200V 3Ph) electrical switch for a piece of equipment after it had been locked out. The worker’s hand was burnt by escaping arc gasses and flames coming through a damaged door gasket. The equipment has a 2100-volt ac synchronous motor that is used for power factor correction. Power factor correction is used to limit...

Voltage tests were being performed in a bucket of the MCC with a multi-meter that had the test lead connected to the amperage port and an underrated fuse. When connected to the 600-volt source, the multi-meter shorted, leading to an arc flash. The arc flash caused burns to the face and hands and pushed the worker back, landing on their knees. The MCC has arc flash and shock hazard warning labels that...

In a food processing facility, an employee moved a pallet from an upper storage rack using a forklift when the forks were lifted too high and contacted the roofing panel near an ammonia line. The roofing panel pushed up, bending the liquid ammonia refrigeration line. A two-bolt flange connection was strained, causing an uncontrolled leak past the sealing gaskets of the flange. The building was evacuated,...

Without a doubt, the biggest LOTO failure for businesses with a LOTO program is the application of the “minor servicing” exception.  (emphasis by me) 1910.147(a)(2)(i) This standard applies to the control of energy during servicing and/or maintenance of machines and equipment.1910.147(a)(2)(ii) Normal production operations are not covered by this standard (See subpart 0 of this...

I promise you; these are written in the blood of many who have perished – THEY ARE LOTO FACTS, and they are not wrong.  If employers could grasp these simple facts, many limbs and lives could be saved yearly. The standard is called “The Control of Hazardous Energy”.  It is NOT Lockout AND Tagout; it is either – or. LOTO applies ANYTIME a worker has to REMOVE a...