Whether your lockout tagout procedures have been established for only a few months or for several years, it is important to routinely audit your lockout tagout procedures. This ensures that any changes or updates which have been made were done properly and that any changes or updates which should have been made, either due to changing equipment or changing regulations, are made. Audits protect employees from unnecessary risks and protect management from fines.

A proper lockout tagout audit should, at a minimum, include a full audit of each machine, each placard, and piece of signage. This information should be compared to current OSHA and Corporate requirements, and all of the information found should be properly recorded.

Once the audit is complete, this information should be compiled and included in a final report, which explains the findings and requirements to fix these errors. Among the things covered in the report, there should be a facility equipment list, with a breakdown of the number of energy sources per piece of equipment, the equipment missing lockout procedures, the equipment with compliant lockout procedures, the equipment with non-compliant lockout procedures, and an equipment specific list of all compliance deficiencies.

With that information, your auditor should create a plan to fix any deficiencies and bring your facility up to code. Your auditor should also go over ways to ensure compliance going forward, including methods to monitor your lockout tagout procedures.

If you have any questions about a lockout tagout audit, or about ongoing lockout tagout monitoring, please contact us. If you would like to add anything about the importance of regular lockout tagout auditing, please leave a comment.