What are lockout and tag outs?
Lockout and tag outs refer to a certain kind of practices and procedures that are used for employee safety from the unexpected start up of machines and other equipment and from release of dangerous energy during service or maintenance. One of the lockouts in Dubai includes the disconnection of direct energy source or electricity source before maintaining. The energy insulators are also locked out so that any excessive energy is not released. Lockout or tag out devices turns off energy insulators. They help machines in not being additionally energized. Tags out services are tags that give the status of machines. These are usually warnings. Tag outs are just precautions and not preventive measures hence lockouts are always a better option.
Employees can get seriously injured or even die if the machinery unexpectedly energizes, starts up or releases the excess stored energy. It is now in many places illegal to not have lockouts and tag outs on the machinery. Machines need to be maintained and de-energized so that they are not dangerous to the employees. Employers need to look into these matters very carefully because if they don’t, they can seriously harm a human life and they shall then be punished by law.
After ensuring that the machine is de- energized and locked out it is important to hire one professional that has the keys to switch it on again. Also all the maintenance including locking out and tagging should be done by professionals and under the supervision of their seniors. Authorization should be done by professional engineers and not by everyone!
Lock outs and tag outs are used for several reasons. A few benefits are:
- Accident rates are reduced to a minimum, hence less human life is affected
- Injuries are also prevented
- Fatal Accidents are usually completely avoided on the matter
- People don’t have to get themselves amputated because of various injuries
- Burns and shocks are prevented
- Fire is prevented in the factory
- They will prevent connecting with something hazardous while maintaining or safeguarding the devices
- They will disallow unintended release of hazardous energy
- They will stop unexpected startup because of excess energy
There are many types of lockouts that are used in factories. They are as follows:
- Cable lockouts
- Electrical equipment lockouts
- Group lockout boxes
- Lockout hasps
- Lockout tag out stations and kits
- Lockout tag out tags, labels and signs
- Padlock and padlock labels
- Valve lockouts and hose lockouts.
All these are either preventative measure or precational warning signs and measures.
It is human right to protect and safe ourselves. And as an employee, it is an employee’s right to have safety and security surrounding them. The employers are responsible for any careless faults in the machines because they have to have a lookout on what their factory is going through all the time. In case of any accident, the employer can be punishable by law for as far as life imprisonment!