“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, says Brady.

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 accidentally re-energised.

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

“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, which can then be placed near the machine.”

With best-practice machine-specific procedures, appropriate software 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.