Hazardous Energy Control (Lockout) Program

Policy

It is the policy of Willamette University that all equipment be locked out during servicing and/or maintenance work to protect against accidental or inadvertent activation which could result in personal injury or equipment damage. In addition to disconnecting the power source, it is also required that all residual pressures be relieved and energizing lines closed prior to and during any such work.

The purpose of the policy is to establish minimum requirements for the control of hazardous energy in accordance with the OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.147

Definitions

Affected Employee: An employee whose job requires them to operate or use a machine or equipment on which servicing or maintenance is being performed under lockout, or whose job requires them to work in an area in which such servicing or maintenance is being performed.

Authorized Employee: A person who locks out machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on that machine or equipment. An affected employee becomes an authorized employee when that employee's duties include performing servicing or maintenance covered under this section.

Purpose and Scope

This policy establishes the minimum requirements for the lockout of energy sources whenever maintenance or servicing work is done on machines or equipment. It shall be used to ensure that the machine or equipment is stopped, isolated from all potentially hazardous energy sources, and locked out before employees or students perform any servicing or maintenance work where the unexpected energization or start-up of the machine or equipment or release of stored energy could cause injury.

Responsibility

All employees and students (authorized, affected, or others) are required to comply with the requirements of lockout. The authorized employees are required to perform the lockout following this procedure. All students and employees, upon observing a machine or piece of equipment is locked out for servicing or maintenance work, shall not attempt to start, energize or use that machine or equipment. Employees and students shall consult with supervision or facilities whenever there are any questions regarding energy control

procedures or methods. Supervision/management shall enforce the energy control procedure including the use of corrective disciplinary action when necessary.

Application

Obtaining a Lock and Identification Label

Authorized employees shall be issued a lock from their supervisor as their personal safety lock. Safety locks used for personal protection will be individually numbered, keyed padlocks, and have personalized badge. One key will be in the possession of the employee using the safety lockout lock. The other key or a master key will be maintained by supervision/management in a lock box in the main department office for emergency lock removal as established in the energy control procedure. Personal safety locks used for energy control shall have a durable tag attached that indicates a lockout condition and the name of the employee who attached the safety lock and the date and time applied. Supervisor safety locks shall be red.