Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Control of Hazardous Energy Sources

Control, or lockout, of energy sources prevents the unexpected energization, start-up, or release of stored energy that could cause injury during maintenance, repair, or servicing of machines, equipment, and electrical circuits.

University managers, supervisors and lead workers are to comply with and enforce all provisions of this policy and the unit's written lockout program.

Unit supervisors are responsible for:

• Developing and implementing a written lockout program.


• Ensuring that affected personnel receive lockout procedure training. See below.


• Documenting lockout procedure training for each employee.

Employees are to comply with all provisions of this policy and the unit's written lockout program.

Direct questions relating to this policy and the development and implementation of a lockout program to EH&S; telephone 335-3041.

Administrative units develop and implement written lockout programs if employees perform one or more of the following:

• Maintain machines, equipment, or electrical circuits,
• Repair machines, equipment, or electrical circuits, and/or
• Service machines, equipment, or electrical circuits.

An administrative unit maintains the written lockout program as part of the unit's overall accident prevention program.

Include the following information in the written lockout program:

Describe the machines, equipment, and service and maintenance activities which include hazardous energy sources. See definition of hazardous energy sources below.

Direct each employee to apply and remove their own energy-controlling device (i.e., lock) when performing service and maintenance requiring the control of hazardous energy.

Single Energy Source or Lockout Point

Describe a general lockout procedure for machines and equipment which contain a single energy source that can be isolated and locked-out with a single lock.

Multiple Energy Sources or Lockout Points

Describe specific lockout procedures for each machine and piece of equipment having multiple lockout points, multiple energy sources, and/or stored energy.

Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) designs lockout program and procedure templates to simplify the development and implementation of lockout programs. Contact EH&S for templates; telephone 335-3041.

Hazardous energy sources include, but are not limited to:

• Electrical
• Hydraulic
• Pneumatic
• Thermal
• Gravitational

An administrative unit must control hazardous energy sources if an employee performs service or maintenance activities during which the employee:

• Removes or bypasses guards or other safety devices; or


• Places any body part into an area on a machine or piece of equipment where work is actually performed, i.e., the point of operation.

Service and maintenance activities include:

• Installation,
• Set-up,
• Adjustments,
• Lubrication,
• Cleaning,
• Unjamming, and
• Repairs.

During maintenance and service activities, disconnect any machine or piece of equipment powered by a cord and plug inserted into an electrical outlet receptacle.

The person performing the maintenance or service is responsible for control of the plug.

Administrative units do not have to include maintenance and service activities performed on cord and plug powered machines or equipment in the written lockout program.

Departments must use machine safeguards on all machines and equipment which expose employees to moving parts during operation. See S40.20.

An administrative unit assigns personal locks to each employee required to routinely lockout machinery or equipment.

Persons required to lockout machines and equipment on a nonroutine basis can checkout locks and tags from the unit.

Each lock must be:

• Operated by a single key,


• Equipped with a label or tag identifying the person applying the lock,


• Used only for locking out during maintenance and service activities, and


• Standardized within a unit (locks can be standardized by color, size or shape).

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that affected individuals receive training about the unit lockout program and procedures. Employees whose work operations include areas where hazardous energy sources may be present must receive this training.

Contact EH&S for training materials; telephone 335-3041.

Supervisors must document the training by recording the following information:

• Training subject,
• Employee name, and
• Date(s) of training.

Submit a copy of the training documentation to Human Resource Services.