As important as implementing effective Lockout Tagout procedures is, it is more important to properly monitor them. Annual audits of your lockout tagout program are an important start in effective monitoring, but what about the rest of the year? You need to have a plan in place to manage machinery changes, personnel changes, and changes to OSHA’s regulations.

For years, the only viable option was to have lockout tagout monitoring as a crucial part of your Safety and Health Management System. Large amounts of resources needed to be dedicated to the monitoring of machinery, OSHA standards, and upkeep. When personnel changed, and maintenance responsibility changed hands, extreme care would need to be taken to properly train new employees on the methods of monitoring lockout tagout.

But in recent years, new methods have developed. Among the most effective methods is using software specifically designed to monitor your machinery, including changes to machinery, staff, and regulations. There are a handful of companies who offer these services at various costs, and this software can save your company a lot of money in labor and materials, and can save you a lot of headaches should you ever be audited by OSHA.

So if you are still using the old method of manually monitoring your procedures, it might be time to look into an alternative. If you are considering making the switch and would like some more information on lockout tagout software monitoring, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about software monitoring, please leave a comment.