When attempting to establish lockout tagout procedures, it is important to be sure you keep OSHA Standard 1910.147 in mind and central to your procedures. This standard, as well as any of the many other standards which could apply when establishing lockout tagout procedures in various situations, can be very confusing and can create a number of difficulties.

To combat the potential difficulties associated with creating lockout tagout procedures, many companies either hire a professional firm which specializes in safety management or they utilize online quick reference guides. And while either option can be of benefit, it is important to analyze the needs of your company before proceeding either way, or you could waste time, money, and resources on a plan that will not fit your needs.

And what you will ultimately be analyzing is whether it makes more sense to establish your lockout tagout procedures in-house or to hire a firm to help you. There are certainly some great online tools available to help you establish your procedures, but these should never be at the heart of your plan to establish procedures, or you will end up with incomplete and dangerous procedures. Instead, you need to evaluate your personnel and their level of experience in working with lockout tagout, as well as the overall scope of the project, and what it would cost to dedicate your staff for a period of time to this task.

If those costs are lower than the cost to hire an outside firm, and if you have the right people in place, then it might make sense to do it in-house. But if you have any doubts at all about the staff you have in place, then it might be wise to seek outside help.

If you have any questions about the costs associated with hiring a firm to help you with your lockout tagout needs, please contact us. And if you have anything else to add about establishing procedures for lockout tagout, please leave a comment.