Provisions of OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy Standard (1910.147)

OSHA contains a regulation on the hazardous energy control. This 29CFR 1910.147 regulation assists in protecting workers from hazardous energy when they are doing maintenance or service on equipment and machines. This regulation demand that the employer should document clearance processes to guarantee that machines are not started up or run when a worker is servicing it (Afscme, 2011).  The standard addresses the maintenance and servicing of equipment and machine where in unexpected stored energy release, start up or energization of the equipment or machines, could harm workers. The standard develops minimum performance needs for the hazardous energy control. The standard demands that employers need to create a program and make use of procedure for affixing suitable tagout or lockout devices to energy isolating equipment or disable equipment or machines to curb unanticipated energization to prevent accidents. Those who consider using tagout or lockout will be supplemented with training and procedural requirements. Lockout system should be used, and when it is not available, a tagout system is used, but not before the employer demonstrates and guarantees its safety. The standard also provides that a design be made to make sure that any new or renovated machine or equipment accepts a lockout device. This standard also demands that the tagout and lockout devices be standardized in a facility based on any of the criteria listed below. They include size, shape or color, and also, if tagout devices, format and print used shall be standardized. The employer is needed to conduct regular inspection of the lockout and tagoutdevices to identify inadequacies or deviations. Based on the standards, the employer is also required to train employees on lockout and tagout usage (Osha.gov, 2011).

Scroll to Top