Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures are a critical aspect of industrial safety, designed to protect workers from injuries caused by the unintended release of hazardous energy during maintenance, servicing, or repair of machinery and equipment. Central to these procedures are Lockout Tagout tags, which are crucial tools in the effort to ensure that machinery remains safely shut off and clearly marked while workers perform their tasks. These tags are a visible indication that a piece of equipment is undergoing maintenance, ensuring that no unauthorized or untrained personnel can inadvertently start the equipment or disturb the work area.
What is Lockout/Tagout? The Lockout/Tagout procedure involves isolating a piece of equipment from its energy sources to prevent it from being operated accidentally while maintenance is being carried out. There are two main components of this process： Lockout： This involves physically locking the energy-isolating device, such as a circuit breaker or valve, to ensure that the equipment cannot be turned on or energized. The lock must be designed so that only the authorized worker who applied the lock can remove it, providing a high level of security. Tagout： This step requires placing a tag on the locked-out equipment. The tag is used to provide a warning or notification that the equipment is being serviced and should not be operated. The tag includes key information such as the worker’s identity, the reason for the lockout, and the date and time of the procedure.