Locking and Tagging Out of Electronic Systems

Lewis & Clark College
Facilities Services
Policy and Procedure

Subject: Locking and Tagging Out of Electrical Systems
Policy #:
Division: Business and Finance
Department: Facilities Services
Date: May 2012

Purpose:

To establish a safe learning and working environment by eliminating conditions that pose significant risks to the life and well-being of persons on campus as regards to the accidental activation of machinery and equipment. To ensure compliance with OAR 437 Division 2 Subdivision J (29CFR1910.147).

Policy Statement:

Only personnel assigned by the Facilities Services Department are authorized to perform maintenance operations at the point of operation or nip points of machinery, equipment, and systems of the Lewis & Clark campuses. Only supervisory personnel of the Facilities Services Department shall assign such maintenance operations. The locking and tagging out of such machinery, equipment, and systems is mandatory prior to any maintenance action where there is a risk of unguarded contact. Only assigned Facilities Services personnel may place or remove lock out devices.

Vendors, contractors, or other outside parties who are under the supervision of their own management are exempt from the provisions of this policy. They are, however, expected to have and abide by their own lock out/tag out procedures.

Procedures:

Facilities Services personnel or those persons assigned by Facilities Services to perform contracted services will lock out and tag out machinery, equipment, and systems whenever the risk of unguarded contact exists for any of the following:

  1. Energized electrical circuits.
  2. Nip points, pinch points, or points of operation.
  3. Temperature extremes of machinery.
  4. Arc effects of electrical equipment.

Only the person placing the lock out device and tag on the switch or energy isolating device may remove same. Facilities Services supervisory personnel or the supervisory personnel of those persons contracted by Facilities Services are solely responsible for the final determination of where, when, and under what conditions lock out and tag out is required.

Facilities Services personnel will follow the procedures of the lock out/tag out plan of their departmental Electrical Safety Program.