How To Identify the Energy Sources When Implementing LOTO Procedure in Industries?
Industrial machines and equipment require frequent maintenance and repair to ensure that all the industrial processes take place efficiently. At the same time, maintaining safety for workers and employees involved in maintenance and repair is also essential. That is when the LOTO (Lockout Tagout) procedure comes to help, as it focuses on identifying and controlling the hazardous energies to prevent the release of hazardous energy for a safe and secure maintenance process. We at Globalite Safety Solutions Private Limited are dedicated to helping industries follow this process strictly by offering a diverse range of Lockout Tagout equipment, including lockout safety padlock, lockout hasp, valve lockout, circuit breaker lockout, cable lockout, and a few more.
The Lockout Tagout procedure begins with identifying the energy sources to ensure that all the potential hazards are recognized and controlled before the beginning of maintenance and repair of industrial machines & equipment. There are different types of energies involved in the functioning of industrial machines, and recognizing them is quite essential to prevent the accidental release of these hazardous energies, resulting in severe fatalities. In this blog, we share how to identify energy sources when implementing the LOTO procedure in various industries. But before that, let’s understand the importance of identifying energy sources.
Importance of identifying energy sources
As mentioned above, industrial machines and equipment utilize and store different types of energy when in use. Shutting off these machines properly by releasing all the stored energy and controlling the potential energy sources is crucial, or else they may start again during maintenance and repair, resulting in severe injuries and fatalities by compromising the safety of workers. It is one of the major reasons why the LOTO process involves the identification of all these energy sources to release or shut them properly to avoid the sudden start of these machines during maintenance. Some of the energies include mechanical energy, electrical energy, hydraulic energy, pneumatic energy, thermal energy, chemical energy, and a few more.
Factors to consider for identifying energy sources
We understand the criticality involved in the identification of potential energy sources when implementing the LOTO procedure in industries, as missing any of the hazardous energy sources can result in the failure of the Lockout Tagout procedure, resulting in workplace accidents. There are several industries for which it is mandatory to adhere to the LOTO procedure, and it starts with the identification of hazardous energy sources before starting the maintenance and repair task.
Begin with understanding how machines operate
The first step in identifying hazardous energy sources begins with understanding how the machine works and what functions are performed with the help of machines. It is one of the reasons why the LOTO process is assigned to dedicated professionals who can review all the technical manuals and functions of machines in the right way. To understand how machines operate, it is also essential to get information about the machine’s parts and components. Knowing these will help in determining the use of energy or the type of energy stored in the machines easily.
Determine the type of energy sources
Once you understand the parts of the machines and their mechanisms, it is time you evaluate the different energy sources involved in their functioning. Ensure that you determine all the energy sources to carry out the LOTO process successfully. The energy used in these industrial machines and equipment is classified into different parts, including mechanical energy, electrical energy, hydraulic energy, pneumatic energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, and a few more. However, not every industrial machine uses or stores all these energy sources. It solely depends on the function of the machines and the industries where they are used.
When determining the energy sources, the energy storage must also be determined. Many machines store energy, and they may release it accidentally during maintenance and repair if not controlled or locked properly. Some of the stored energy sources include compressed air machines, batteries, UPS, and a few more.
Find the right energy control devices and equipment
Once you have determined the source of energy and stored energy sources, it is time to find the energy control devices within the machines. Locating these devices and equipment will help control the flow of energy by releasing hazardous energy or blocking it by utilizing different LOTO safety equipment. It includes circuit breakers, fuses, valves, switches, and a few other devices. We at Globalite Safety Solutions Private Limited manufacture LOTO equipment for all these energy control devices to isolate them properly.
To carry out the process of identifying all the energy sources successfully for proper implementation of the LOTO procedure in the industries, it is highly important to educate and train professionals and workers regarding the same. Proper training and guidance will help them determine and isolate all the energy sources properly, ensuring the reliable implementation of the Lockout Tagout process.
Conclusion
Understanding and examining the machines and identifying the potential energy sources is a must to successfully proceed with the Lockout Tagout process. Industries must follow the complete process and educate dedicated professionals on how to determine energy sources properly. It is also advised that premium quality LOTO components designed and manufactured by reputed manufacturers be utilized to isolate all energy sources efficiently. We at Globalite Safety Solutions Private Limited are one of the certified manufacturers of LOTO equipment, and we manufacture them by adhering to all industrial and safety standards.
