Attachment 4 LOTO_Guidelines.doc

Guidelines to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures

LOTO Procedures: Simple A ‘simple’ LOTO procedure is one that meets ALL the elements in the “Applicable” column of the LOTO Exception Checklist.

1. A simple LOTO procedure must be written by an authorized employee. (An authorized employee is one who locks out or tags out equipment to perform servicing or maintenance).

2. To develop a simple LOTO procedure for your site:

i) Download and save the Simple LOTO procedure template from this website (loto.faa.gov)

ii) Add site-specific information and revise as needed.

3. Completed LOTO procedures may be maintained in the Facility Reference Data File, posted at the facility, and/or made available to affected employees as suitable.

LOTO Procedures: Complex A ‘complex’ LOTO procedure is one that meets if one or more of the elements in the “Not Applicable.

1. A complex LOTO procedure must be written by an authorized employee and include, at a minimum, the following information.

i) All identified hazardous energy types and magnitudes (e.g. electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, etc).

ii) Specific tools and personal protection equipment (PPE) required for the procedure.

iii) Types, quantity, and locations of energy isolating devices. v

iv) References to relevant TI Manuals, Technical Orders, facility and/or electrical one-line drawings (if available).

v) Site-specific locations and names of electrical panels, disconnects, and circuit breakers for electrical energy.

vi) Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing equipment in the following sequence:

1. Preparation for shutdown,

2. Equipment shutdown,

3. Verification that all hazardous energy has been isolated, or removed from the equipment, and,

4. Release from LOTO to return equipment to service.

2. Completed LOTO procedures may be maintained in the Facility Reference Data File, posted at the facility, and/or made available to affected employees as suitable.

Periodic Inspections for LOTO Procedures

1. All written procedures (‘simple’ and ‘complex’) must be inspected at least every 12 months.

2. Procedures not used within a 12-month period need be inspected only when used.

3. Each inspection must include:

i) Inspection of the procedure, and,

ii) A review of each employee’s responsibilities under the procedure being inspected.

4. The person performing the inspection (Inspector) must be an authorized employee.

5. Inspections must include a demonstration of procedures (i.e. equipment shutdown) by an authorized employee, other than the inspector.

6. The inspector must determine whether:

i) The steps in the procedure are being followed,

ii) The employees involved understand their responsibilities, and

iii) The procedure adequately provides the necessary protection, and if inadequate, to determine the modifications required to correct the deficiencies.

7. If inadequacies are found in the procedure or the employee’s understanding, or if the equipment has been modified, the affected employees must be retrained.

8. Inspection records of the equipment must be maintained and include:

i) The name of the system/equipment.

ii) Date of the inspection.

iii) The names of employees included in the inspection.

Grouping LOTO procedures for periodic inspections

1. Individual LOTO procedures for same or similar equipment may be grouped and considered one procedure for inspection purposes, only if all the equipment in the group have the same or similar control measures.

2. If procedures are grouped:

i) A representative number of authorized employees implementing one procedure within each group may be interviewed, instead of all employees utilizing that procedure.

ii) A different procedure from the group must be selected for inspection each year so that each procedure in that group is eventually inspected.

3. If the employer chooses to group LOTO procedures for inspection purposes, the inspector must be an authorized employee who is not implementing the procedure that is being inspected.

4. Individual procedures may be grouped at the SSC or District levels.

For example: District X has a total of seven ALSs. These seven site-specific LOTO procedures may be grouped for inspection purposes. Only one procedure from this group will be inspected every 12 months, and in seven years, all the procedures in the group would have been inspected.

5. If the inspection reveals an energy control procedural problem with one of the grouped procedures, the employer must resolve the deviation or inadequacy with respect to each of the procedures associated with the group or equipment.

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