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Which Employees Must Receive Lockout Tagout Training?
It is important to ask yourself which employees need lockout tagout training. OSHA requires that two types of employees receive this training:
- Authorized employee: An employee who locks or tags machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance.
- Affected employee: An employee who is required to use machines or equipment on which servicing is performed under the lockout tagout standard, or who performs other job responsibilities in an area where such servicing is performed.
Why Should We Lockout/Tagout Train?
Industrial Equipment and machinery is typically large and complex. When the equipment is shut down, needing to be serviced, or repaired there can be multiple people from various trades involved. It is imperative that each of these personnel can perform their functions on the machine while it is stopped and motionless for the work to be performed. Employees can be seriously or fatally injured if machinery they are servicing unexpectedly energizes or starts up. Lockout tagout training safeguards employees and saves lives.
OSHA.gov defines “lockout/tagout” as “specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.” If the potential exists for the release of hazardous stored energy, or for release or build-up of stored energy to a hazardous level, then the employer must take steps to prevent employee injury.
For comparison, lockout devices hold energy-isolation machines or devices in a safe/“off” position. Tagout devices however are prominent warning devices that an authorized employee fastens on the machine or device to warn employees not to reenergize the machine while he or she services or maintains it. Tagout devices are easier to remove and thus provide employees with less protection than do lockout devices.
Who Are “Authorized” and “Affected” Employees?
Authorized employees are usually maintenance workers, electricians and outside contractors. Their training will include when and how to apply a lockout tagout, how to handle group lockout and shift change procedures. Authorized employees will lockout and service the machines.
Affected employees are the administrative staff or machine operators that work on or near the machines. Their training includes the responsibilities to the program and the scope and purpose of the lockout tagout program.
Lockout Tagout Training in Kansas City and Nationwide
ESS are experts in electrical safety, maintenance, testing, design, and assessment services for electrical projects. We provide on-site lockout tagout training for employees, anywhere in the United States. For more information about nationwide Lockout Tagout Training, contact ESS at (816) 925-0443 or click here.