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March 15, 2017

Energy Control Planning: A Guide to the Key Lockout/Tagout Considerations

Latest posts by Atlantic Research Team (see all)
Lockout/tagout training

Energy is useful. If controlled correctly it can create value and be put to good use. However, it is, by its very thermodynamic nature, potentially harmful and must be carefully contained within the domain in which it has been designed to remain. If it escapes, for any reason, people can be hurt.

Normally, during the routine operation of plant equipment, energy is confined and contained within the equipment by various means. Usually, a good strong and robust mechanical integrity program ensures that the energy – whatever it may be – stays where it is meant to be. Occasionally however, equipment must be shut down for maintenance or cleaning or some other transient reason. Then human beings can and do interact with equipment that may still carry energy.

Naturally, the real goal is to eliminate or reduce these transient conditions through better reliability. Studies show that more reliable equipment translates to better safety. As maintenance shutdowns are, however, a reality of plant operation, I will examine the scenarios of energy control in normal routine maintenance preparation that do occur, but will not address the specific planning that goes into big events such as turnarounds.

When work must be carried out on equipment that carries energy under normal conditions, standard accepted practices on lockout/tagout (LOTO) apply. There are various guidelines for LOTO practices including OSHA and ANSI. I’m not not going to examine the specific equipment of LOTO (locks, chains, tags, etc.), but will suggest that the overall process of isolating equipment from energy can be planned and executed in such a way as to identify and mitigate hidden risks. This process is called energy control planning, and the product of the risk assessment and execution process is an energy control plan (ECP).

Read More at OHSToday.com

Related Lockout/Tagout Safety Training:

dangerous hazards Lockout/Tagout Safety Training DVD

 The New Lockout Tagout Program

 Lockout Tagout Gory Story (Explicit)

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