Lockout

Lockout is a method of prevention which consists in cutting off all sources of energy providing power to a piece of equipment or a machine, and to put a personal lock at the source in order to prevent accidental startup during maintenance or repairs. 

Risks

Serious injury, and even death, may occur when the required procedures are not applied.

The Santinel approach

• Analysis
  • Inventory and Isolation of Energy Sources
  • Risk Assessment and Control
    • Work environment
    • Use of Equipment
    • Observation of Work
    • Corrective Actions
• Support and Solution
  • Assessment of current procedures
  • Identification of Procedures to be Improved
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Development of Training and Information Programs
  • Development or Review of Lockout Procedures
  • Production and Implementation of a Management Manual
  • Coaching
  • Energy Source Management Software
• Training
  • Development of Training and Information Programs
  • Specific, Practical Training for Employees, Supervisors, and Lifeguards.

Standards and regulations to consult on lockout

In Quebec

Regulation Respecting Occupationnal Health and Safety (LRQ, c.S-2.1, Section XXI) helps us understand the measures that must be taken before performing maintenance or repair work, etc. in a dangerous zones of a machine. 

185. Lockout: Subject to section 186, before performing any repair, maintenance or freeing work in the dangerous zone of a machine, the following security measures must be taken:

• Locking control device in the off position;
• Wait until machine comes to complete stop;
• Lockout, by each person exposed to danger, of all the machine’s energy sources in order to avoid accidental start-up of the machine during performance of the work.

D. 885-2001, a. 185.

186. Setting, freeing, maintenance, training and repair:

When an employee must access the dangerous zone of a machine for setting, freeing, maintaining, training or repair purposes, including detecting an operational malfunction, and when, in order to do so, the employee must remove or neutralize

the guard, machine restart must be controlled manually or proceed according to a safe procedure specifically provided for such an access.  This manual control or safe procedure must have the following characteristics:  

• It renders inoperative, as the case may be, any other control or procedure;
• It prevents the operation of the dangerous zones of the machine unless with a continuous-action or two-handed control device;
• It prevents the operation of the dangerous parts unless in special safety conditions, i.e. at low speed, low effort, step by step or by sudden surges.

D. 885-2001, a. 186.

Source: Regulation Respecting Occupationnal Health and Safety [S-2.1, r.19.01]

In Canada

These laws apply to all establishments under federal jurisdiction that must comply with Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (Part XIII, section 13.14 - 13.17):

Use, Operation, Repair and Maintenance of Machine Guards

13.14 Machine guards shall be operated, maintained and repaired by a qualified person.

13.15 Subject to section 13.16, where a machine guard is installed on a machine, no person shall use or operate the machine unless the machine guard is in its proper position. DORS/94-263, art. 51.

13.16 (1) Subject to subsection (2), where it is necessary to remove a machine guard from a machine in order to perform repair or maintenance work on the machine, no person shall perform the repair or maintenance work unless the machine has been locked out in accordance with a written lock out procedure provided by the employer.

(2) Where it is not reasonably practicable to lock out a machine referred to in subsection (1) in order to perform repair or maintenance work on the machine, the work may be performed if:

• the person performing the work follows written instructions provided by the employer that will ensure that any hazard to that person is not significantly greater than it would be if the machine had been locked out; and
• The person performing the work:
  (i) obtains a written authorization from the employer each time the work is performed, and (ii) performs the work under the direct supervision of a qualified person.

13.17 A copy of the instructions referred to in section 13.16 shall be kept readily available by the employer for the information of persons who perform repair and maintenance work on his machines.

Source: CANADA LABOUR CODE, Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, DORS/86-304.

References:

Canada

CSA Standard Z-460 – Control of hazardous energy - Lock out and other methods

USA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Regulations (Standards - 29 CFR) - 1910.147 -The control of hazardous energy (Lockout/ Tagout)

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