Purpose of Program, Responsibilities, and Training Streaming Video on Demand

Unexpected machine startup during servicing or maintenance is a leading cause of serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace. The purpose of the OSHA Lockout/Tagout standard is to keep employees safe by requiring practices and procedures to isolate machinery from any power source and prevent moving parts from starting up while performing service. A lockout or tagout is required anytime machines or equipment are serviced in a way that could cause injury due to unexpected startup, such as repairing electrical circuits, clearing jammed mechanisms, or general upkeep of machinery.

This comprehensive course explains the employer's responsibility to protect employees from hazardous energy sources. Employers must establish an energy-control protocol to ensure machines are disconnected and inoperative before service . This includes using appropriate lockout/tagout devices on energy-isolating equipment to prevent unexpected re-energization. Employers are also responsible for training all employees on the safe application, use, and removal of energy controls and must inspect these procedures at least annually to ensure effectiveness.

The energy control protocol must train employees on the specific steps to shut down, isolate, block, and secure machines, and the safe placement, removal, and transfer of LOTO devices. Crucially, the training must be tailored to the needs of three distinct groups of employees:

Authorized Employees: Those who implement the energy-control procedures or perform the service/maintenance. They need the knowledge and skills for the safe application, use, and removal of energy-isolating devices and must be able to recognize the type and magnitude of hazardous energy sources and the control procedures used.

Affected Employees: Those who operate the relevant machinery or work in the area where service is performed. They must understand when the procedure is used, its purpose, and the importance of never tampering with LOTO devices or using equipment that has been locked or tagged out.

Other Employees: All other employees whose work is in an area where LOTO procedures are used. They need instruction on these procedures and must know to never remove a LOTO device or attempt to restart, reenergize, or operate the machinery.

Initial training must be provided before starting service, and retraining is mandatory if there is a change in job assignments, machinery, or processes that present a new hazard, or if there are inadequacies in an employee’s knowledge or use of the procedures. The employer must certify that the training has been given to all covered employees.

KEYWORDS: OSHA, Lockout/Tagout, LOTO, hazardous energy, machine safeguarding, unexpected startup, authorized employee, affected employee, energy-control program, machine maintenance, industrial safety, compliance training, safety procedures, energy-isolating, tagout devices, machine servicing, power source, worker safety, annual inspection, energy control protocol.

Define the scope and purpose of the OSHA Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) standard.
Identify hazardous energy sources requiring LOTO control procedures.
Differentiate between "authorized," "affected," and "other" employees' roles.
Explain the employer's responsibilities for establishing an energy-control protocol.
Detail the requirements for employee training and annual procedure inspection.

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