The responsible person must release the stored energy in a safe manner before moving on to the next step. For example, you could bleed out a pressurized liquid or vent out air, steam and fumes. In every machine, there are safe methods to release this energy. The stored energy could be in the form of residual electrical charge, heat, compressed air, hydraulic liquid, steam, chemical, stored mechanical energy (spring), etc. Proceeding without de-energizing the system could lead to serious injuries. The residual energy must be released and the equipment must be depressurized completely prior to starting maintenance. This energy is known as stored or residual energy. Many machines continue to hold a part of the energy that was present in the system even after de-energization. Common LOTO tags Residual energy assessment The tags are placed at all the locations where the equipment can be started from. These tags provide additional information such as the name of the person placing the tag, the senior officer-in-charge, the date of maintenance, and any additional remarks. The kit has lockout tagout devices such as circuit breaker lockouts, cable lockouts, gate and ball valve lockouts, hasps, padlocks, warning tapes, and other useful equipment that must be fixed onto machinery starting points to restrict their operation.Īfter locking the equipment, the officers place tags such as ‘Do not start’, ‘Do not operate’, ‘Locked out equipment’ at these starting points. In this step, we ensure that no one except the crew performing repairs can reactivate the equipment deliberately or inadvertentlyįor this step, the officer must use the equipment in the lockout tagout kit to physically lock and tag the starting equipment. This is the most important step in LOTO safety. If there are multiple energy sources, they must all be isolated. Electrical breaker isolationĪ filter cleaning on a hot oil pipe can be done by isolating the filter using a standby line. For the main engine, any of the interlocks such as the turning gear can be engaged to prevent an unintended start. For electrical equipment, the breaker is disconnected. Isolation refers to the effective interruption or removal of an energy source from machinery. The officer must also analyze the hazards associated with the multiple sources and prepare means for their control. If there are multiple energy sources in the equipment under maintenance, they must all be evaluated on how they can be reliably de-energized. These could be mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical or thermal. The responsible officer must visit the maintenance site and analyze all the hazardous energy sources that need isolation. If the job is being performed by the deck side, the engine side officials must also be kept informed and vice versa. They must be made aware of what machines will be under maintenance for what duration and about the standby equipment in use. On the scheduled day, the task must be discussed with the full staff during the toolbox meeting. Preparation for major maintenance tasks must begin as early as possible. The lockout/tagout procedure that follows is universal to all machinery onboard. While the specific steps involved in isolating different machinery change, the core principles remain the same. The lockout tagout procedure is a standard procedure for carrying out safe and effective maintenance onboard vessels. This alerts any crew that is approaching the equipment for operation or maintenance purposes that there is a potential danger. Tagout refers to the practice of placing tags on the starting positions of equipment. Lockout refers to ensuring that we have isolated the equipment from the active system and locked it in that position. The term ‘lockout tagout’ refers to a set of safety procedures that enable an operator to effectively isolate dangerous machinery/equipment before starting with their maintenance. Read our guide below for more information on the following. This is where lockout tagout procedures (LOTO) become very helpful. In almost every case, these accidents could have been prevented easily if the equipment had been rendered inoperable or isolated before the crew member started with its maintenance. There is no scarcity of examples where an inadvertent activation of a machine/equipment under maintenance has led to serious injuries and even casualties. Examples of such hazardous equipment could be steam pipelines, diesel generators, turbines, blowers, compressors, auto-start machinery and live circuits.Įvery ship is mandated to mitigate risks and hazards from these equipment as they pose a real danger to human life if operated and maintained incorrectly. From routine maintenance to breakdown, seafarers work on hazardous machines and equipment every day.
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