Safety Overview
This IEM contains important warnings and safety instructions for observation by operation and maintenance personnel. Use only qualified personnel capable of operating, maintaining, and observing all the required safety measures outlined in sections of this manual.
The purpose of this safety section is to provide personnel with suggestions for safe work practices. Information in this Section intends to supplement—not replace—plant safety rules, local/state/national codes, or laws.
In relation to this machine, personnel must follow all current Lockout and Tagout (LOTO) guidelines prescribed by the plant.
The objectives of the Safety Section are to:
- Define the Lockout Procedures. (LOTO)
Always follow LOTO (Lockout / Tagout) procedures including Arc Flash and Lockout / Tagout.
- Explain Energy Control & Reliability and its use.
- Describe the location and utility of all safety features.
- Provide general guidelines for personal, mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, fluid, and hydraulic safety.
- Illustrate the locations of lockouts and safety features for each station.
- Isolate the identified potential hazardous energy sources, including stored energy. Lockout the hazardous energy sources with assigned safety padlocks.
- A qualified person shall use test equipment to test electrical circuit elements and parts of the equipment to which there will be employee exposure and shall verify that circuit elements and equipment parts are de-energized.
- Everyone is responsible for his or her own safety. After assuring that no personnel are exposed, and successfully disconnecting the energy source, the push buttons or normal operating controls will be manipulated to make certain.
Always ensure:
- The equipment or process is clear of tools and materials.
- There are NO personnel in the process area, machine path or point of operation.
- Lockout devices are applied and removed in a safe manner and LOTO safety procedures are followed.
- After servicing and/or maintenance is completed and the equipment can be returned to normal production operation, determine that no personnel in the area are exposed, remove all personal tools from the equipment, re-install safety guards, remove lockout devices, and return lock(s) to the proper place. Notify affected employees that the equipment is about to be restarted. Operate the isolated energy devices to restore energy, and then cycle the equipment to ensure proper operation.
- If work on the equipment is not completed by the end of shift, follow LOTO procedures.
Exclusive control is defined as providing the employee conducting the assigned task with exclusive control for startup of the equipment. It is most applicable under the following conditions:
- The assigned task requires the machine or equipment to be energized for troubleshooting, testing, positioning, and other purposes.
- The assigned task is routine, repetitive, and integral to the normal production operation and it does not require the dismantling or replacement of major machine or equipment components.
Devices utilized for exclusive control are:
- Circuit control devices, such as emergency stop and start controls, providing they render the equipment inoperative and are secured by the employee, thus preventing operation without his/her knowledge and consent.
- Normal production safeguarding devices, such as interlocked gates, light screens, and -safety laser scanners, providing they also safeguard the employee during the maintenance task, are under his/her presence in the sensing zone.