Renewal of "Lock-Out/ Tag-Out" Procedures in Machine Maintenance : practical implementation
Awcock, Jack (2023)
Awcock, Jack
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023121738020
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023121738020
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this thesis is to document the process of renewal and eventual implementation of work safety standards pertaining to Machine specific Lock-out/Tag-Out procedures utilised for hazardous energy isolation during machine maintenance. The thesis has been commissioned by the occupational health and safety and maintenance departments of UPM Specialty Papers based at the Tervasaari mill in Valkeakoski.
Lock-out/Tag-Out or LOTO refers to a set of procedures designed to ensure that machinery and sources of potentially hazardous energy are controlled, rendered inoperative, and where applicable de-energized. This makes it possible to safely perform system maintenance, checks and repairs.
The term hazardous energy is used to describe any energy source that has the potential to cause injury during maintenance procedures, examples of these include electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal energy sources. Lock-Out/Tag-Out was developed in the United States by The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a means to standardise the control of hazardous energy during maintenance.
In order to create a procedural document that outlined the steps and information required for each machine-specific protocol, it was necessary to first gather as much existing information as possible on LOTO protocols through observation and comparison of current company safety standards and international standards. The theoretical phase of the thesis was followed by physical observations of factory operations, and several maintenance routines were identified for renewal. Close collaboration with machine operators, maintenance employees and area supervisors precipitated in locating and identifying energy isolation points and steps to be taken to control them.
The successful implementation of the thesis project has led to a greater visibility of correct procedures available to all relevant employees and can be found on the occupational health and safety database. At the time of the thesis completion, and as a direct result of work undertaken steps are being made to apply the same documentation to specific machine maintenance over the entirety of the mill site.
Keywords LOTO, machine maintenance, hazardous energy isolation, occupational health and safety, workplace standards.
Pages 38 pages and appendices 1 page
Lock-out/Tag-Out or LOTO refers to a set of procedures designed to ensure that machinery and sources of potentially hazardous energy are controlled, rendered inoperative, and where applicable de-energized. This makes it possible to safely perform system maintenance, checks and repairs.
The term hazardous energy is used to describe any energy source that has the potential to cause injury during maintenance procedures, examples of these include electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal energy sources. Lock-Out/Tag-Out was developed in the United States by The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a means to standardise the control of hazardous energy during maintenance.
In order to create a procedural document that outlined the steps and information required for each machine-specific protocol, it was necessary to first gather as much existing information as possible on LOTO protocols through observation and comparison of current company safety standards and international standards. The theoretical phase of the thesis was followed by physical observations of factory operations, and several maintenance routines were identified for renewal. Close collaboration with machine operators, maintenance employees and area supervisors precipitated in locating and identifying energy isolation points and steps to be taken to control them.
The successful implementation of the thesis project has led to a greater visibility of correct procedures available to all relevant employees and can be found on the occupational health and safety database. At the time of the thesis completion, and as a direct result of work undertaken steps are being made to apply the same documentation to specific machine maintenance over the entirety of the mill site.
Keywords LOTO, machine maintenance, hazardous energy isolation, occupational health and safety, workplace standards.
Pages 38 pages and appendices 1 page