Lock out tag out procedures and lock out tag out training programs can help to increase worker safety for workers who need to deal with electricity. People servicing equipment can be severely injured or killed if electricity is not properly handled. Lock out tag out procedures keep electricity and power sources isolated and inoperative, keeping power out of the equipment being worked on. Lock out tag out programs keep workers safe by putting the proper protocols in place and by training workers to execute them properly. This is essential to preventing workers from being exposed to and injured or killed by strong electrical currents.
Often, this sort of work occurs in confined spaces. Confined space training and confined spaces rescue training can be useful additions to lock out tag out programs. Confined space training is basically what it sounds like: special procedures for rescuing injured or trapped people in small spaces like underground compartments, storage tanks, and sewers. The lack of maneuvering space in these areas make them especially challenging rescue locations. The governmental agencies that take care of workplace safety, like OSHA, generally require that people who conduct confined space rescues complete confined space rescue training and annual exercises. This type of training may be required for your facility in addition to lock out tag out programs.
The combination of lock out tag out programs and confined space rescue training are designed to save lives and are an essential, if not legally required, part of your facility’s safety protocols and training. Lock out tag out kits can help you to set up an appropriate program for your facility. It is better to plan ahead to prevent injuries from ever happening in the first place, but it is essential to have people on hand who are able to deal with them if they happen anyway.