SMC is excited to offer Lockout Tagout services to our customers across Missouri! Federal regulation requires that companies create and maintain lockout/tagout programs to prevent accidents. Many companies are still unaware that they are not compliant until it is too late. As an Authorized Rockwell Distributor SMC offers a modernized approach to ensuring you are not only compliant with OSHA regulations, but that you have a comprehensive plan, state-of-the-art implementation and equipment as well as proper lockout/tagout technical training available to you.
The 5-Components to Lockout Tagout Compliance are:
- Machine Specific Procedures - This is required for all serviceable equipment that resides on your site
- Training - Proper lockout/tagout training is essential for your employees so they know how to use the procedures and for those who don't use LOTO they need training on what LOTO is so they know not to interrupt proper procedure.
- Devices - Locks and Tags ensure you have the tools to lock any energy isolation point out after isolation.
- Policy - Among other things, policy ensures your employees know how to follow the rules as well as the penalties if they fail to follow the rules.
- Auditing - An auditing plan is required to ensure each procedure is inspected at least annually as well as ensuring each authorized employee is audited to ensure full understanding and competency with regards to lockout/tagout usage.
SMC Delivers Best Practices
One of the easiest ways to uncover potential savings after your procedure upgrade is to look at the alternative means clause by OSHA.
From www.osha.gov – Exception to paragraph (a)(2)(ii): Minor tool changes and adjustments, and other minor servicing activities, which take place during normal production operations, are not covered by this standard if they are routine, repetitive, and integral to the use of the equipment for production, provided that the work is performed using alternative measures which provide effective protection
In other words, minor servicing on equipment is permitted (without lockout/tagout) as long as it’s routine and integral to the process and you have taken steps to ensure an equivalent level of protection is established as when lockout/tagout is used.
Most companies that are cited for lockout/tagout when trying to use this exception are cited because they fail to read and understand the part where it requires “effective protection”.
To give an example, let’s say your employee is working on a case packer that jams 2-3 times per hour. Your employee decides that this is routine and repetitive to unjam this packer so they begin using the guarding interlocks as the effective protection while entering this machine and unjamming the equipment. If this is the case, stop what they are doing now. If this activity (or similar) is being performed without equivalent level of protection as lockout/tagout for the specific task, it may lead to injury or death as well as a hefty OSHA fine.
Unless they are following a procedure (for instance a standard operating procedure, SOP) to take steps to ensure they are fully protected while performing this task, they are risking their life and limbs by entering the machine by simply opening the guard to clear the jam.
SMC is commited to setting your organization up for full-compliance and becoming your Lockout Tagout service partner ensuring future safety compliance standards are met, and your workers are properly trained. Are you ready to take the first step in assessing your companies current compliance status?
Additional OSHA Resources:
OSHA FACT SHEET