Mine Safety & Health

Conference

HAZARDOUS ENERGY CONTROL

LOCK and TAG

Todd Nicholes
AGENDA
 What is Hazardous Energy?
 Why hazardous energy control?
 Lock and Tag Procedures/Training.
 Questions and Answers.

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Identify all hazardous energy

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Sources of hazardous energy
 Electrical

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Sources of hazardous energy
 Electrical
 Mechanical
Movement

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Sources of hazardous energy
 Electrical
 Mechanical
Movement
• Electricity
• Water siphoning
• Head/Pressure

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Sources of hazardous energy
 Electrical
 Mechanical
Movement
• Electricity
• Water siphoning
• Head/Pressure
 Heat

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Sources of hazardous energy
 Electrical
 Mechanical
Movement
• Electricity
• Water siphoning
• Head/Pressure
 Heat
• Cavitation
• Current Flow

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Sources of hazardous energy
 Electrical
 Mechanical Movement
• Electricity
• Water siphoning
• Head/Pressure
 Heat
• Cavitation
• Current Flow
 Chemical
 Gravity
 Stored- pneumatic or
hydraulic
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Consider This Source of Energy
 Between 1995 and
1998 -- 62 serious
injuries took
place in the US
with the sudden
release of energy
stored in garage
door springs.

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Consider This Source of Energy
 Gravity
 Counter
Balance

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Lock and Tag Training
 Employee must have knowledge and an
understanding of hazardous energy in the facility.
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Hydraulic
• Gravity
• Stored
• Chemical
• Pneumatic
• Thermal

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Why Hazardous Energy Control?
Analysis has found--
 Prior to LOTO regulation each year general
industry experienced
• 37,500 minor injuries
• 33,400 lost workday injuries
• 144 fatalities
 Employees face significant risk of serious injury
and death due to Hazardous Energy that is not
controlled
 Estimated 85% reduction in injuries with
regulation

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Why Hazardous Energy Control?

 You do not want to be injured.

 Your company does not want you injured.
 No one should be injured on the job, we do
not come to work to be injured.

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 WARNING

Graphic photo’s of
actual injuries
Why Lock and Tag
 Employee working on
a pump. Pump had
been cavitating,
heating up the liquid
inside. Employee
failed to relieve
pressure prior to
removing bolts.

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Why Lock and Tag

 Employee was taking a

sample of slurry from
this mixing vat.

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Why Lock and Tag

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Why Lock and Tag

 Back when I was younger, I

stuck my hand in what's called
a rotary valve in the bottom of a
silo at work. This valve clogged
up all the time and the lock out
point was on the other end of
the plant. All of us were guilty of
doing what I was doing, but I
was the one that got caught.
Not only did I loose my left
thumb, and I am left handed, I
also lost my job over this stupid
act
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Why Lock and Tag
 They had to use my big
toe to replace my
thumb.

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Why Lock and Tag
 Use lock and tag at
home, this guy
removed a plug in his
snow blower without
shutting it off.
 At least he was able to
retrieve his finger

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Why Lock and Tag
 This employee
removed a guard and
then attempted to
make an adjustment
to a 5000 rpm roller
on a conveyor system.
 The hand could not be
reattached.

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Why Lock and Tag it’s the law
30 CFR 75.820
 (b) Prior to performing electrical work…a
qualified person must
• (3) lock out the disconnecting device with a
padlock – (each person must install own
padlock)
• (4) Tag the disconnecting device to identify
each person working and the circuit or
equipment on which work is being performed.

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Why Lock and Tag it’s the law
30 CFR 77.404 and 30 CFR 75.1725
 (c) Repairs or maintenance shall not be
performed on machinery until the power is
off and the machinery is blocked against
motion, except where machinery motion is
necessary to make adjustments.

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Why Lock and Tag
 Fatality 33 year old
electrician- 6 yrs exp.
 Performing repairs
during mine wide
power outage on a
continuous miner
trailing cable.
 Power was restored
while repairing 3rd
phase
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Why Lock and Tag
 Fatality 45 yr old belt
foreman. 22 yrs exp.
 Left arm was
amputated by the
rotating rollers of belt
take up unit.
 No witnesses to
incident.

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Lock & Tag Procedures/Training
 Detailed procedures
that include
• Startup
• Shutdown
• Normal operation
• Emergency operation
• Lock and tag points

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Lock & Tag Procedures/Training
Special Precautions for Electrical
 Locate the
disconnect (s)
 De-energize the
circuit
 Every worker to place
own lock and tag
 Test circuit
 Ground conductors
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Lock & Tag Procedures/Training
 Employee must know how to control energy.
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Hydraulic
• Gravity
• Stored
• Chemical
• Pneumatic

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Lock & Tag Procedures/Training
 Employee must know how to use the Lock
and tag procedure to protect
himself/herself and co workers.
 Affected employees also need to be
protected

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Steps To Energy- Free Maintenance
 Preparation – Think through the task
 Notification of other workers who will be affected
by the shut-down of machinery
 Shut down the operating controls
 Isolating the area where work will be performed
 Lock-Out/Tag-Out of the affected controls or
switches
 Performing a safety check to see if re-activation
is possible
 Purging or dissipation of any residual energy
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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 1
 Preparation – Think through the task
• What equipment am I working on
• What are the sources of energy
• Are there prints/electrical drawings to review
• Is there a procedure to read through
• Is there vendor information that will help
• Has other employees worked on this
equipment previously
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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 2
 Notification of other workers
• Check with the supervisor
• Walk the area down
• Does announcement need to made over PA

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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 3
 Shut down of the operating controls
• Are there remote operating control stations
• Is there a procedure that must be followed to
shut down the equipment
• Will shut down of equipment put others in
harms way

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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 4
 Isolating the area where work will be
performed
• Are barricades needed with warning signs
explaining hazards
• Overhead hazards
• Hazards below

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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 5
 Lock-Out/Tag-Out of the affected controls
and switches.
• Lock out electrical breakers
• Close supply and discharge valves
• Open vents and drains
• Pull control fuses

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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 6
 Performing a safety check to see if re-
activation is possible.
• Push the start button

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Energy- Free Maintenance Step 7
 Purging or dissipation of any residual
energy
• Open vents and drains to relieve liquid
pressures i.e. water, chemical, or oil
• Open vents and drains to relieve gas pressures
i.e. air, nitrogen, O2 etc
• Spring tension or compression
• Weld or block counter weights in place
• Block rotating equipment
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Lock and Tag
 Questions and Answers
 Personal Experiences

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Lock and Tag

Have a safe and

productive
workday.