identifying hazardous energies

Electrical energy is the most common form of energy used in workplaces. It can b
e available live through power lines or it can also be stored, for example, in b
atteries or capacitors. Electricity can harm people in one of three ways:
By electrical shock
By secondary injury.
By exposure to an electrical arc.
Hydraulic potential energy is the energy stored within a pressurized liquid. Whe
n under pressure, the fluid can be used to move heavy objects, machinery, or equ
ipment. Examples include: automotive car lifts, injection moulding machines, pow
er presses, and the braking system in cars. When hydraulic energy is released in
an uncontrolled manner, individuals may be crushed or struck by moving machiner
y, equipment or other items.
Pneumatic potential energy is the energy stored within pressurized air. Like hyd
raulic energy, when under pressure, air can be used to move heavy objects and po
wer equipment. Examples include spraying devices, power washers, or machinery. W
hen pneumatic energy is released in an uncontrolled manner, individuals may be c
rushed or struck by moving machinery, equipment or other items.
Chemical energy is the energy released when a substance undergoes a chemical rea
ction. The energy is normally released as heat, but could be released in other f
orms, such as pressure. A common result of a hazardous chemical reaction is fire
or explosion.
Radiation energy is energy from electromagnetic sources. This energy covers all
radiation from visible light, lasers, microwave, infra red, ultraviolet, and X-r
ays. Radiation energy can cause health effects ranging from skin and eye damage
(lasers and UV light) to cancer (X-rays).
Gravitational potential energy is the energy related to the mass of an object an
d its distance from the earth (or ground). The heavier an object is, and the fur
ther it is from the ground, the greater its gravitational potential energy. For
example, a 1 kilogram (kg) weight held 2 metres above the ground will have great
er gravitational potential energy then a 1 kg held 1 metre above the ground.
Mechanical energy is the energy contained in an item under tension. For instance
, a spring that is compressed or coiled will have stored energy which will be re
leased in the form of movement when the spring expands. The release of mechanica
l energy may result in an individual being crushed or struck by the object.
It is important to understand that all of these energy types can be considered a
s either the primary energy source, or as residual or stored energy (energy that
can reside or remain in the system). Primary energy source is the supply of po
wer that is used to perform work. Residual or stored energy is energy within th
e system that is not being used, but when released it can cause work to be done.
For example: when you close a valve on a pneumatic (air) or hydraulic (liquid) p
owered system, you have isolated the system from its primary energy source. Howe
ver, there is still residual energy stored in any air or liquid that remains in
the system. In this example, removing the residual energy would include bleeding
out the liquid, or venting out the air. Until this residual energy is removed f
rom the system, work can occur, whether on purpose or inadvertently.
what is OSHA?
In December 29, 1970, the United States Congress and President Richard Nixon cr
eated the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a national publi
c health agency dedicated to the basic proposition that no worker should have to
choose between their life and their job. OSHA is committed to protecting worke
rs from toxic chemicals and deadly safety hazards at work, ensuring that vulnera
ble workers in high-risk jobs have access to critical information and education
about job hazards, and providing employers with vigorous compliance assistance t
o promote best practices that can save lives.
OSHA s Mission
Congress created OSHA to assure safe and healthful conditions for working men an
d women by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, edu
cation and compliance assistance. Under the OSHA law, employers are responsible
for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their workers.
LOck out and hazardous energy control- The terms lockout and hazardous energy co
ntrol are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are NOT the same thing. Hazar
dous energy control is a broad term describing the use of procedures, techniques
, designs and methods to protect personnel from injury due to the inadvertent re
lease of hazardous energy. Lockout is the placement of a lock or tag on an energ
y-isolating device in accordance with an established procedure. It indicates tha
t the energy-isolating device is not to be operated until removal of the lock or
tag. Therefore, lockout is one way in which hazardous energy control can be ach
ieved.
purpose of lockout/tagout program:
A lockout/tag out program will help prevent:
Contact with a hazard while performing tasks that require the removal, by-passin
g, or deactivation of safe guarding devices.
The unintended release of hazardous energy (stored energy).
The unintended start-up or motion of machinery, equipment, or processes.
De-energization is a process that is used to disconnect and isolate a system fro
m a source of energy in order to prevent the release of that energy. By de-ener
gizing the system, you are eliminating the chance that the system could inadvert
ently, accidentally or unintentionally cause harm to a person through movement,
or the release of heat, light, or sound.
additional requirements
A. In the proceeding steps, if more than one individual is required to lockout m
achines / equipment (group
lockout), the following procedures shall be implemented to provide protection to
all employees.
1. A primary authorized employee will be designated and responsible for the numb
er of
people working under the protection of the group lockout device. The primary
authorized employee will ascertain the exposure status of the individual member
participating in the group lockout to ensure continuity of protection for each i
ndividual.
In addition, this primary authorized employee will be responsible for notifying
affected
employees before and after lockout procedures are performed.
2. Each authorized employee will place his/her own personal lockout device on th
e energy
isolating device(s).
3. When an energy- isolating device cannot accept multiple locks, a multiple loc
kout system
must be used.
B. Shift or Personnel Changes - If a lockout procedure will extend into the foll
owing shift, the authorized
employee who originally placed the lock will remove it and it will immediately b
e replaced with the lock of
the authorized employee who is to continue the repair or maintenance on that equ
ipment or machine for the
following shift.
C. Cord and Plug Connected Equipment - If servicing or maintenance is performed
on cord and plug
connected equipment the following procedure shall be performed to protect employ
ees.
1. Unplug equipment from its electrical socket.
2. Place a lockable cover over the plug and a lock on the plug cover during mach
ine /
equipment servicing or maintenance.
D. Outside Contractors - If outside contractors perform servicing or maintenance
that requires lockout,
the Safety Director shall take the following steps.
1. Inform the outside contractor of out company s lockout procedures and supply th
em with
a copy.
2. Obtain and review a copy of the outside contractor s lockout procedures.
3. Ensure that our employees understand and comply with the
responsibilities and prohibitions of the outside contractor s lockout
procedure.
E. Training
1. Authorized employees shall receive training covering:
* Recognition of hazardous energy sources.
* Types and magnitude of hazardous energy in the workplace.
* Methods, devices, and procedures used to lockout, verify lockout, and otherwis
e
control hazardous energy on all pieces or types of equipment (including cord
and plug connected equipment).
* Procedures for removing locks and returning a machine or piece of equipment to
operation.
* Transfer of lockout responsibilities.
7
* Group lockout procedures.
2. Affected and all other employees shall receive training so that they are able t
o:
* Recognize when energy control procedures are being
implemented, and
* Understanding the purpose of the procedures and the importance of not
attempting to start up or use the machine / equipment that has been locked out.
F. Retraining - Authorized and affected employees shall receive retraining in pr
oper application of
lockout procedures when there is a change in:
* Job assignment(s) that expose an authorized employee to new hazards or
lockout procedures.
* Machines, equipment, or processes that present a new hazard or require
modified lockout procedures.
* Energy control procedures for a piece or type of equipment.
* Or when it becomes known that an employee incorrectly performs lockout
procedures.
Retraining will re-establish employee proficiency in lockout, and ensure that em
ployees are knowledgeable
of new or revised procedures. All retraining will be certified.
Periodic Inspections
1. An inspection of the energy control procedures will be conducted annually and
will be
certified (see Appendix H).
2. Energy control procedures for each machine or type of machine must be inspect
ed.
3. The inspection shall include a review of lockout responsibilities with each i
ndividual
authorized to lockout the machine / equipment.
4. The person who performs the inspection must be authorized to perform the lock
out
procedures being inspected. The inspector cannot, however, review his/her own us
e of
lockout procedures.
5. Any deviations or inadequacies identified shall be immediately addressed.
Removal of lock out devices
A. After the servicing and / or maintenance is completed and before the lockout
devices are removed and
energy is restored, the sequence of activities in Appendix F shall be completed
by the authorized
employee(s).
B. If the authorized employee who applied the lock is not available, the supervi
sor shall take the following
steps:
* Clear the machine or equipment of tools and materials.
* Remove employees from the machine or equipment.
* Remove the lockout device.
* Energize and proceed with testing or positioning.
Deenergize all systems and reapply energy control measures
in accordance with procedures set forth under SECTION VI.