A safety padlock is a type of lock specifically designed to protect workers by preventing accidental operation of machinery or electrical circuits during maintenance or repairs. They are commonly used in lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures to ensure a safe working environment.

Lockout tagout devices work by the principle of padlocks and the keys that operators can use to lock machinery and equipment or control. Workers cannot operate when they may be in danger during use, and they are usually used during equipment maintenance. Such lockout tagout devices can improve personal safety. Lockout tagout is the minimum standard for safe production that operators must comply with during production operations and is usually only suitable for working environments that are not particularly dangerous. Let's take a look at the steps of lockout tagout.

Here is the content list:

• Identification and isolation

• Technical requirements

• Develop operating procedures

• Confirm safety

Identification and isolation

Before the operation, to avoid possible hazards caused by the accidental release of hazardous energy and materials, the sources and types of all hazardous energy and materials in the equipment, system, or environment in the work area should be identified, and isolation points that can effectively lockout tagout should be confirmed. According to the identified dangerous energy and materials and possible hazards, prepare an isolation plan, clarify the isolation method, isolation point, and lockout tagout list.

Technical requirements

Buttons, selector switches, and other control circuit devices cannot be used as hazardous energy isolation devices; control valves and solenoid valves cannot be used as material isolation devices alone; special operating procedures can be formulated to ensure safe isolation when performing lockout tagout.

Develop operating procedures

According to the list of lockout tagout devices, select the appropriate safety lock for the isolation facilities that have been isolated, fill in the warning lockout tagout tags, and lock and tag the lockout tagout stations. Taking into account the special hazards of electrical work, a special lockout and tagout procedure should be developed to perform specific lockout operations.

Confirm safety

After lockout tagout, confirm that hazardous energy and materials have been isolated or removed. It can be confirmed by the following methods: Observe the pressure gauge, sight glass, or liquid level indicator to confirm that the dangerous energy stored in the container or pipeline has been removed or blocked; visually confirm that the connection has been disconnected and the rotating equipment has stopped rotating; for work tasks with electrical hazards, check that the power supply wire has been disconnected, all locks must be physically disconnected and no voltage exists after testing; if conditions are available for testing, the equipment should be tested through normal startup or other unconventional operation methods. During the test, all restrictions (such as interlocks) that may prevent the device from starting or moving should be shielded. Before testing the equipment, the personnel and equipment in the area around the equipment should be cleaned up.

When the factory wants to lockout tagout, you can follow the steps above.

Yueqing Elecpopular Safety Products Co., Ltd provides the most professional, high-quality, cost-effective services to meet your high-standard quality requirements. From the initial procurement and production of raw materials to container transportation, we strictly control every processing step to eliminating your concerns about quality.