After establishing lockout tagout procedures, it is important to accurately and effectively monitor them. This can be done by hand in-house, if you have the resources available. This can also be done by a third party organization, if you have the funds available to cover the costs. Or, this can be done in conjunction with a third party organization through software specifically designed to track lockout tagout changes and make the user (in this case, the business owner and safety team) aware of any changes to the lockout tagout OSHA Standards.
If you decide to monitor your lockout tagout procedures in-house, you must ensure that you have a qualified individual with a background in lockout tagout monitoring available. Lockout tagout is one of the more difficult areas of safety management to fully understand and monitor, and if the person in charge of monitoring your procedures is not fully prepared for the task, the results can be disastrous.
If you decide to monitor your lockout tagout procedures with a third party organization, and leave them in charge of everything, you need to consider two things. Number one: do you have the funds readily available to you, and does it make financial sense to pay someone else to perform this task. And number two: do you trust the company monitoring your procedures. If the answer is “no” to either question, then you need to reevaluate your decision.
Finally, if you decide to utilize monitoring software for your lockout tagout procedures, you need to ensure the software was developed by a reputable company that stands behind their product. We at PF Safety, for instance, stand 100% behind our Factory Solutions Software, help you to set it up, and help you with ongoing support as you need it.
With these options in mind, it is time for you to make a decision. If you have any questions about which option might best benefit you, or for more information on Factory Solutions Software, please contact us. If you have anything to add about lockout tagout monitoring, please leave a comment.
