Golden Rule #4: Energy & Machinery Isolation

Transcription

1 Golden Rule #4: Energy & Machinery Isolation Only work on equipment if all energy sources have been identified, tagged appropriately, locked with your personal lock and tested to ensure the they are at a zero energy state..

2 locked with your personal lock and tested to ensure the they are at a zero energy state. Types of Energy Sources Energy sources reside in various forms that must be identified and understood for all systems. The most common sources include: Compressed gasses Pressurized fluids Mechanical devices not at rest (gravity driven or residual energy) Stored mechanical forces Electrical potential Isolation and De-energizing Testing for Residual Energy Mechanisms must be present and clearly identified to: isolate and de-energize any source of energy within a system. Clear identification is achieved through field labels that cross reference to system design drawings. Once a system is isolated and de-energized, there must be a safe means of testing for complete de-energizing prior to work proceeding.

3 locked with your personal lock and tested to ensure the they are at a zero energy state. Requirements for Isolation Isolation at the Source Work Completion To perform an isolation the following requirements are necessary: Formal identification of energy sources and isolation points. Procedure for isolation. Permit process to proceed with isolation. Tagging for identification of isolation points. Locking devices at isolation points. Installation with personal locks to protect employees while performing work on the system. Isolation of energy is to be performed at the source of the energy. This requirement is to be reflected in the isolation procedure. Once work is complete all locks are to be removed by employees working on the system. A formal process is required when re-energizing a system that includes a requirement to communicate with area employees.

4 locked with your personal lock and tested to ensure the they are at a zero energy state The following key questions are suggested for management who must provide the supporting systems for risk control for achieving zero energy state for working on equipment. Has a formal process been established by the organization to identify and define controls to manage system energy sources? Five Key Questions for Management Is there a requirement to provide and maintain process diagrams for ready identification of process isolation points. Have formal programs been established to ensure the required competence of those who will be isolating / de-energizing systems / working on systems? Have formal procedures been developed to manage the safe isolation and deenergizing of systems? Is there a formal process in place to review and approve system isolation, deenergizing, and re-energizing.

5 locked with your personal lock and tested to ensure the they are at a zero energy state The following key questions are suggested for a supervisor who may have to assign critical task work. Do I understand the system isolation and de-energizing requirements that are required to protect the people performing the work? Five Key Questions for Supervisors Have I ensured that all energy sources on isolated systems have been identified, a current procedure has been defined and that this information has been shared with the persons doing the work? Have I checked that the persons doing the work are trained, qualified and able to initiate work on isolated systems? Have I made sure that isolated systems have been tested to ensure that are in a state of zero energy and that protective locks and tags are in place prior to work being performed on isolated systems? Have I ensured that all necessary work permits have been completed before the work proceeds?

6 locked with your personal lock and tested to ensure the they are at a zero energy state The following key questions are suggested for an employee who may have to perform work on isolated systems. Do I know the risks associated with executing the work on isolated systems? Five Key Questions for Employees Have controls to manage risks of working on isolated systems have been defined and shared with me? Have I checked the system energy isolation points and appropriately placed personal locks, and properly completed tags, on the isolation devices before the work starts? Have I performed a final test on the section of the system where I am working to ensure there is no residual energy? Do I have authorization to proceed with the work on the isolated system? (Work Permit)