Get the Guide and “go for zero” with lockout/tagout

Fifteen to 20 percent of workplace accidents can be avoided with lockout/tagout solutions, which is why the procedure should be part of any ambitious “go for zero” programme that bans accidents from the workplace. Lockout/tagout can save lives during machine maintenance and interventions in production facilities.

Machine specific isolation
In principle, lockout/tagout isolates machines from their energy supply during interventions, which prevents them from being reactivated prematurely. To actively isolate a machine in line with the company-approved procedures, a number of lockout devices and padlocks are needed.

For every energy isolation point – including handles, buttons, valves, levers and others – a lockout/tagout device exists that blocks them in the off-position. A padlock will lock the device itself in place so that machinery that is being serviced cannot be re-energised accidentally.

“To implement lockout/tagout in the workplace, machine specific procedures need to list the necessary steps to isolate every machine. Writing these specific procedures requires some expertise and a thorough knowledge of lockout/tagout principles,” says Robert Kubis, marketing communication specialist at Brady Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“Brady Corporation supports companies in creating and writing safe machine specific procedures based on worldwide best practices.”

Easily implement procedures
Machine-specific procedures need to be evaluated by several stakeholders, often spread out over various sites. “Brady proposes the LINK360 software to easily introduce, approve or edit, scale and communicate machine-specific procedures for lockout/tagout,” Kubis adds.

“Once approved, LINK360 enables users to upload on-site pictures of the machinery and its energy isolation points. Once finished, the cloud-based software can print the machine-specific procedure for communication near its machine.”

Tools and devices
With best practice machine-specific procedures, software with which to easily create and evaluate these, and the tools to isolate any machine from its energy sources, companies can avoid accidents during machine interventions and push a “go for zero” programme to the next level.

Brady has recently summarised useful information about lockout/tagout and released the new guide book Safer machine interventions. Download the Free Guide Book here!