Lockout/Tagout

Lockout/tagout is a stranger to most laboratory employees. Energy runs equipment and moves its parts. Energy can be electrical, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic. Sometimes energy is stored or pressurized. Any type of energy can be a serious safety hazard if it comes on or is released unexpectedly while equipment is being serviced. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognized this and developed the Control of Hazardous Energy Standard found in 29 CFR 1910.147.

Lockout is the process of blocking the flow of energy from a power source to a piece of equipment and keeping it blocked out. It is accomplished by installing a lockout device at the power source so that equipment powered by that source cannot be operated. A lockout device is a lock, block or chain that keeps a valve or lever in the off position. Before you turn off equipment to repair it, you need to lock out the danger by making sure that the energy is shut off or released.

Locks can have a key or a combination and must be used for the lockout purpose only. Locks must be durable enough for the heat, cold, humidity or corrosiveness in the area where they are used. Locks are standardized by color, shape or size throughout the facility. They must be strong enough so they can't be removed without heavy force or tools like bolt cutters. The lock must be identified by the name of the employee who installs and removes the lock.

Sometimes equipment can't be locked out and that is where tagout comes in. Tagout is accomplished by placing a tag on the power source. The tag acts as a warning not to restore energy. The tag must clearly state: Do not operate, and the tag must be applied by hand. Both locks and tags must be strong enough to prevent unauthorized removal and to withstand various environmental conditions.

Tags must meet the same standards that locks do. They have to be durable, strong and standardized and show the identity of the authorized employee doing the work. They also have to be easy to read and understand, and the print and format have to be the same throughout the facility. The tag must be attached with a nylon cable tie that can be attached by hand, can't be reused, is self-locking and can't be released with less than 50 pounds of force.

Laboratory employees need to be familiar with the lockout/tagout procedure and know the importance of not trying to restart locked or tagged equipment. If your employees perform lockout/tagout procedures, they need to be trained on specific lockout procedures. Only authorized employees are permitted to perform lockout procedures and to remove locks or tags. Contact the maintenance department of your facility for available training courses. Remember:

	Always lock or tag machine energy sources before maintenance or repair.
	Use lockout whenever possible.
	Follow all lockout/tagout installation and removal steps.
	Be sure other workers in the area are aware of lockout/tagout activities.
	Never ignore someone else's lock.

Safety is your responsibility.
Terry Jo Gile, MT(ASCP) MA Ed, has been a safety consultant for the health-care industry for over 13 years. She is a member of the management team at Barnes-Jewish Hospital Department of Laboratories, in St. Louis, Missouri, and serves as the Safety Officer as well as a laboratory safety consultant to the BJC Health System. In addition, she also works with health-care organizations and association leaders to develop unique, motivational safety training that decreases workers' compensation costs.

She is the author of seven books covering various safety topics as well as nine safety training programs on CD-ROM. She is Chair of the Safety Examination Committee of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) and is a past board member of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA). She is a health-care safety adviser for fob.com.