Lockout-tagout equipment safety lock - GIF and photo

[Jon]

Lockout-tagout equipment safety lock. For example, let's say multiple workers are doing maintenance on a large machine. Each worker locks out the machine with his own padlock, and then removes his lock when his work is complete.

[Frank S]

Those lock outs have been around for years training every technician or crew leader to add their own lock is sometimes a problem Each technician or crew's lock needs an identifier on it as well So the maintenance superintendent or project engineer will know who has not completed their work
Sometimes on big shutdown upgrades that last for days weeks or months crews will complete their work and forget about their lock and may no longer even be on site or they may have locked out subsystems in several places and forgot their locks.
From a safety engineer's view point these are an absolute requirement along with a strict training discipline

[ranald]

One can't test their repairs if is locked by another in some circumstances.
I used to do horticultural work in a factory grounds under a kind of supervision by one engineer. I told him the out front mower needed new blade washers as the old conical washers had flattened out thus allowing the blade to slip under load. He said to attach a sheet of paper advising out of order. I also removed the belt guards, tied back the shoot & placed stands on the deck.
The factory & property owner was really ticked off as the sign was destroyed by a storm & he lent the machine to a guy who had property an hour + a barge crossing away. He was very angry the stands were on top & the covers off & retrieved the key from the engineers room when he was absent. The idiot using the machine couldn't work out why the centre blade didn't cut & kept mowing, doing damage to not only the boss, blade washers, blade but also the gear box. I had a couple of kubota gear boxes and gave one to fix the problem.
He abused me , (much more gentler than other workers,) as he considered it was "my fault". They still refused to purchase locked out locks or signs & one time I climbed on a forklift to move gear & when I saw smoke I shut it down immediately (no sign, so I asked the supervisor & he said all staff knew it was out of order: to which I advised that several others (like me) had licences & aurthorisation & he shrugged his shoulders complaining of the cost="well remove the key"!.

I ended keeping my own signs in my glove compartment & wallet. Next time I attached my "locked out signs" it happened again. When he started shouting at me, I held up another credit card sized sign for the keyring and quietly said "one of these was attached to the key as well as on the steering wheel". He walked off mumbling. At least 3 generations had owned that farm where he set up the business. HE LOST IT BUYING OTHER PLANTS. The next owner, who got it at fire sale price, has gone to gaol (jail) for cutting safety corners causing death to an employee. Saving a couple of hundred dollars caused a worker to die.

[Frank S]

Yes testing a sub system when there are numerous lockouts can be problematic. But I found in many situations if not most all testing of upgrades or repairs should be scheduled after all systems repairs were complete then done in a system by system order there were exceptions when certain coordinated systems could be isolated and tested or in some cases a sub was required to be online in order to complete other repairs or construction. Other times when a contractor had completed their scope of work it was far better to halt other work, have the workers clear their materials temporarily bring the completed system online for testing purposes and sign off on the work allowing the contractor to move on possibly leaving one or their staff members on site in case further integration was required
Having a wall sized production schedule time table and progress flow chart in the Senior Engineer's or job superintendent's shack was one of the most valuable tools on a construction site.

[desbromilow]

those scissor style hasps have been banned at a number of sites I've worked because they are prone to failure. The newer captive style hasps are being used since they are harder to fail without deliberate tampering.
The scissor style can be inadvertently twisted whilst people are fitting locks, causing the jaws to bend open, and eventually slip off the locking point.

[Frank S]

those scissor style hasps have been banned at a number of sites I've worked because they are prone to failure. The newer captive style hasps are being used since they are harder to fail without deliberate tampering.
The scissor style can be inadvertently twisted whilst people are fitting locks, causing the jaws to bend open, and eventually slip off the locking point.

In a world where only professional persons work around things that require a safety lockout a simple red zip tie or series of them should be sufficient. But few of us ever get to work in a perfect world atmosphere