Creating lockout tagout procedures is never an easy task. It is difficult to calculate the potential energization of machines and equipment, and if a machine is miscalculated, the resulting damage could be fatal. OSHA created Standard 1910.147 as a guideline for creating these procedures, however if you are inexperienced in lockout tagout, this standard can just leave you more confused than when you started.

Because of this, many employers find help guides online. These guides help you to determine where your isolation points are, where you need to put guards, and what signage is needed for your machines. What these guides cannot, unfortunately, do, is walk you through establishing the procedures and calculating isolation points. And unlike many other OSHA regulated procedures, lockout tagout procedures are different for literally every single business. Further, those procedures need to be updated every time a piece of machinery or equipment is replaced or added.

For these reasons, we generally recommend consulting a professional when initially creating lockout tagout procedures if you are inexperienced with them. From there, maintaining them can be as easy or hard as you would like to make them. With our Factory Solutions Software, which our clients have access to, you can ensure your procedures are always compliant. Or, you can manage it yourself. Either way, if a professional helps you with your lockout tagout procedures, you will be armed with the tools to properly manage them.

For more information on how we can help you create your lockout tagout procedures, please contact us. If you have anything else to add about creating lockout tagout procedures, please leave a comment.