The Human Factor: Why Proper Lockout Tagout Procedures Still Fail
If you operate machinery, hopefully you know what LOTO is. LOTO is a safety procedure for Lockout/Tagout, which prevents dangerous equipment from accidentally being turned on during maintenance or repair. It involves isolating all energy sources, physically locking the equipment in an "off" position, and attaching a warning tag that identifies the worker and the reason for the lockout. This process protects workers from hazards like unexpected startups, stored energy, and other dangers that could lead to serious injury or death. LOTO is a standard practice that all businesses operating machinery should have. But if it is so standard, then why are there so many accidents involving failure to use LOTO? This month’s Safety Alert helps shed some light on what the root cause might be.