Equipment Isolation and Tag Out

Policy

This policy outlines the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements in schools for the isolation and tag out of plant, machinery and equipment.

Summary

• The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS) 2004 (Vic) requires the department, so far as is reasonably practicable, to provide and maintain for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health. Part 5, Plant, of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic) describes the specific employer obligations in relation to plant.
• The principal and/or their delegate must manage the risks with plant and equipment and must implement effective isolation and tag out procedures whenever there is a need to perform maintenance, inspection, cleaning or repair of equipment or whenever removing unsafe equipment from use.
• Under the OHS Act 2004 (Vic), employees while at work must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
• Central and regional offices provide a range of supports and services to assist principals and employees to be safe and well, including access to the OHS Advisory Service and local OHS regional officers, who can provide free advice on managing risks related to equipment isolation and tag out.
• The Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Procedure (also in the Procedure tab) must be followed, and sets out the practical step-by-step instructions for implementing this policy.
• This policy forms part of the department’s OHS management system, see OHS Management System (OHSMS) Overview for further information.

Details

The principal and/or their delegate must:

• ensure that equipment identified as being unsafe or requiring maintenance work, is switched off and disconnected from any energy source
• ensure that equipment identified as being unsafe is withdrawn from service and locked out to prevent unauthorised use
• ensure that equipment that has been locked out has an ‘Out of Service' and/or ‘Danger Do Not Operate’ tag attached (tag out)
• ensure that only a competent person is permitted to repair the equipment and remove the ‘Out of Service’ tags and/or locks
• ensure that a record is kept of dates, times and names of employee(s) and/or contractors isolating and tagging of equipment in the Isolation and Tag Out Register (DOCX) or equivalent

Definitions

Competent person
A person who has acquired through training or qualification the knowledge and skills appropriate to the nature of the work to be undertaken (for example, electrician, plumber, gas-fitter or service technician).

Lock out/tag out
The placement of a lockout device on an energy-isolating device in accordance with an established procedure. A lockout device is a mechanical means of locking that uses an individually keyed lock to secure an energy-isolating device in a position that prevents energisation of a machine, equipment, or a process.

Tag out devices are prominent warning devices that an authorised employee fastens to energy-isolating devices to warn employees not to reenergise the machine while he or she services or maintains it. Tag out devices are easier to remove and, by themselves, provide employees with less protection than do lockout devices.

Plant
Under the OHS Act 2004, plant includes:

• any machinery equipment, appliance, implement and tool
• any component of any of those things
• anything fitted, connected or related to any of those things

Under regulation 74 of the OHS Regulations 2017, plant is further defined as:

• plant that lifts or moves persons or materials, including objects and substances such as empty receptacles, bins landfill rubbish, metals and soil (for example, lifts, escalators, cranes, hoists, powered mobile plant, elevated work platforms)
• pressure equipment, tractors, earthmoving machinery, lasers, scaffolds, temporary access equipment, explosive-powered tools, turbines and amusement structures
• plant that processes material by way of a mechanical action that:
  • cuts, drills, punches or grinds the material (for example, woodworking saws, drill presses, clicking presses, bench grinders)
  • presses, forms, hammers, joins or moulds the material (for example, power presses, die casting machines, forging hammers, plastic injection moulding machines), or
  • combines, mixes, sorts, packages, assembles, knits or weaves the material (for example, dough mixers, packaging machines, knitting machines)

Related policies

• Contractor OHS Management
• Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management in Schools
• OHS Risk Planning and Management
• Testing and Tagging of Electrical Equipment

Relevant legislation

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)

Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Procedure

The Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Procedure must be followed and sets out the practical step-by-step instructions for implementing the Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Policy.

It contains the following chapters:

1. Identification of unsafe equipment
2. Withdrawal of equipment from service
3. Repair or maintenance of plant and equipment
4. Maintaining records
5. Legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidance

1 Identification of unsafe equipment

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure equipment identified as being unsafe or requiring maintenance work, is switched off and disconnected from any energy source, such as:

• electrical lead removed from a power supply or
• connector hose removed from a gas cylinder

If employees operating or inspecting equipment identify any equipment that is unsafe or in need of maintenance or repair, they are to take corrective steps, as above and notify the principal and/or their delegate.

Examples of unsafe equipment may include:

• electrical lead insulation that is pulled away from the plug, exposing the wires
• electrical plant and equipment that does not start / stop when switched on and connected to a power source or operates in an unusual manner
• signs of damage and/or excessive wear and tear; for example, exposed wires, missing or damaged guards, signs of scorching or degraded fluid or gas lines
• leaking fluids (such as brake or hydraulic)
• damaged pins / plugs on electrical leads
• rusted or damaged gas fittings

2 Withdrawal of equipment from service

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure equipment identified as being unsafe is withdrawn from service as detailed below.

2.1 Isolation of static and portable non-electrical equipment

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that non-electrical equipment identified as being unsafe is isolated from energy sources, for example by using some of the following methods:

• installing mechanical stops or retaining pins capable of being padlocked
• physically blocking the system against movement
• bleeding residual gases, liquids and vapours from systems
• relieving pressure for hydraulic or pneumatic systems
• pressure, hydraulic or pneumatic systems must be relieved of pressure if appropriate, or parts be blocked that could move due to loss of pressure

2.2 Isolation of static and portable electrical equipment

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that electrical equipment identified as being unsafe is isolated from energy sources, for example by using some of the following methods:

• removal of fuses
• isolation of the drive motor at the source
• isolation of the control panel
• complete removal of power cable/plug from plant and equipment
• locking out the power supply board

2.3 Isolation is not practicable

There may be equipment that can only be cleaned, maintained, repaired or adjusted while energised (i.e. still connected to power) or while there are moving components.

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that for equipment that can only be cleaned or adjusted while energised:

• a risk assessment should be completed using the Risk Assessment Template (DOCX) or equivalent
• a Safe Work Procedure (SWP), using the Safe Work Procedure Template (DOCX), should also be developed
• that the SWP is displayed adjacent to the static item of equipment
• that relevant employee(s) are trained in the safe operation of the equipment

2.4 Tag Out

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that for equipment that has been isolated, a tag indicating that the item is 'Out of Service' should then be placed onto all on / off switches and power leads (refer to Chapter 1).

The 'Out of Service' tag must be left on faulty items until the fault has been rectified or the tag is replaced with a ‘Danger — Do Not Operate’ tag and/or lock by a competent person authorised to rectify the fault. The tag is to indicate:

• the reason for the equipment being isolated
• who the tag was completed by
• the date it was completed

The school should have ‘Out of Service’ and ‘Danger Do Not Operate’ tags available in an accessible location, when required.

Note: Refer to Chapter 1 for example tags.

2.5 Lock Out

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that out of service equipment is locked out to prevent unauthorised use. Lock out may also be undertaken by competent persons authorised to service, maintain or repair plant or equipment.

Lock out can be achieved by locking out at energy isolation points, preferably by the use of keyed devices such as padlocks or isolation clasps. Where these are not available, or it is not possible to isolate with a key lock, the equipment must be relocated to a secure locked location until it can be removed or repaired.

3 Repair or maintenance of plant and equipment

3.1 Competent person

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that only a competent person (a person who has acquired through training or qualification the knowledge and skills appropriate to the nature of the work to be undertaken e.g. electrician, plumber, gas-fitter or service technician) is permitted to repair the equipment and remove the ‘Caution — Out of Service’ or ‘Danger — Do Not Operate’ tags and/or locks.

For certain types of equipment, the competent person may need to hold a licence or registration to be able to undertake repair or maintenance. If the competent person is not a school employee then the principal or their delegate must manage the contracted person as per the requirements outlined in the Contractor OHS Management Procedure.

The competent person must ensure isolation and lock out devices are installed and the equipment is tagged as ‘Do not operate’ until the repair or service has been completed.

3.2 Reinstatement

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that equipment is only returned to service when the defect or condition, which necessitated its removal for service, has been repaired or corrected.

Tags and isolation devices are to be removed and the equipment must only be re-connected and activated according to specific requirements for the equipment.

4 Maintaining records

The principal and/or their delegate must ensure that records are kept of dates, times and names of employee(s) and/or contractors isolating and tagging of equipment in the Isolation and Tag Out Register (DOCX) or equivalent.

5 Legislation, compliance/codes of practice, standards and guidance

• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)
• WorkSafe Victoria Compliance Code: Plant, Edition 2, December 2019

Resources

Templates relevant to this policy and procedure

• Electrical Equipment Register (DOCX) — this register should be completed with reference to the Electrical Equipment Procedure
• Equipment Isolation and Tag Out Register (DOCX) — schools must use this template — or an equivalent, to ensure that a record is kept of dates, times and names of employee(s) and/or contractors isolating and tagging of equipment
• Risk Assessment Template (DOCX) — schools must ensure this is completed in circumstances where isolation is not practicable
• Safe Work Procedure (SWP) Template (DOCX) — schools should develop a Safe Work Procedure using this template in circumstance where isolation is not practicable
• Isolation and Lockout Safe Work Procedure (DOCX)