Group Lockout Procedures

Introduction:

Where multiple workers need to work on, or gain access to the same piece of equipment, machinery or electrical system for maintenance, a “group lockout procedure” should be implemented.

The group lockout procedure will ensure that energy sources cannot be restored until all workers have completed their tasks and retreated from the hazardous area.

Scenario:

Many industrial accidents occur as a result of ‘unexpected start-up’. This is where a person is injured or killed as a result of a third party switching equipment back on when the person is still working on the equipment.

Maintenance activity may involve individuals working out of sight of their colleagues. In this situation, injury or death can occur simply because the person restoring the power assumed work was completed simply because no workers were visible on the machine or equipment. A group lockout will negate this risk.

Group lockout can be achieved using a lockout hasp (also sometimes referred to as a multi-lock) where up to six workers are protected. Another method of group lockout involves a group lock box which can involve many workers.

Example 1: Lockout Hasp (Multi-lock)

Figure 1 shows a typical lockout hasp. The jaws pass through the isolation device or lockout device.

Figure 1

It will allow up to 6 individual padlocks to be fitted. The practice of daisy-chaining multi lock hasps should not be undertaken.

Figure 2 shows a different type of hasp attached to an isolating switch. Two padlocks are fitted; a further four padlocks can be added.

Figure 2

 
Example 2. Group Lockout Box.

Figure 3

Figure 4

A variety of group lockout boxes are available which are either portable of wall mounted. Figure 3 shows a portable type and Figure 4 shows a wall mounted group lock box.


Figure 5 illustrates an example of a more complex group lockout involving multiple people.

Figure 5

In this example, access into the mixer vessel is needed via the access hatch. Precautions are essential to ensure that the mixer motor cannot start-up while workers are inside.
By following these steps, the risk of unexpected start-up is negated.

The motor isolator is switched OFF and padlocked by the senior authorised person (SAP).
The following isolation points are locked off:

• Inlet valve
• Outlet valve
• Drain valve

The padlock keys from each of the above lockouts are dropped in the group lock box. The SAP applies a second padlock onto the box lid preventing it from being opened.

Each worker who needs to enter the vessel affixes their own personal padlock to the lid of the group lock box.

It can now be seen that in order to restore power to the motor and open each valve, all padlocks must be removed from the Group Lock Box.

Also, the SAP can carry out a final check of the work carried out, and also validate that no workers remain in the mixing vessel.

This is one example of how a Group Lock Box can be used to protect all workers involved in a lockout procedure.

Total Lockout (Safety) Ltd

http://www.totallockout.com/Lock-Boxes

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Homeless man with Golden Voice - Basic marketing principles in action.

This posting bears little relationship to the usual subject of this blog. The reason it's here is the unrelenting need for marketing by any individual or organisation, using any means possible to attract potential customers.

This story has proven to be the latest viral video which has spread across the world wide web in just a few short hours and demonstrates some basic principles of marketing in action.

Ted Williams, a homeless man with a golden voice demonstrated his services to a passing market. The service on offer was his dulcet baritone voice with proven experience on live radio. His audience were passing motorists, compelled to stop in Ted’s shop window by the traffic lights at the motorway slip road. Not necessarily the obvious market demographic, but when your desperate, you will pitch to any market available. In Ted’s case, his marketing pitch worked, albeit with some luck along the way.

By chance, one of those passing motorists was someone from the media; Doral Chenoweth, an Ohio web producer who was so taken by the sight and sound of this homeless man collecting small change in return for the sound of his voice, that he made a round trip to the same junction, this time with his camcorder at the ready. Even so, a couple of weeks passed before posting the short clip on Youtube. The rest is history. The video went viral with millions learning Ted’s story and many others duplicating the story to try a steal a bit of the action (including this author).

To that end, here are a few summary conclusions on how others might replicate this marketing initiative.

The four ‘P’s of marketing:

• Product: Make sure you have a product that’s wanted by others.
• Place: Put your product (or service) in a place where it can be seen or heard.
• Promotion: When an audience appears, put it out there.
• Price: Make the sure the price covers the cost of production (with some profit) and the customer is willing to pay the price.

And don’t forget a bit of luck along the way. Remember the words of Golfer Gary Player “The harder I practice, the luckier I get”.

Good Luck…

www.totallockout.com

Link: The Daily Telegraph coverage of the story.

keywords: golden voice, ted williams, homeless, marketing principles, 4 ‘p’s, youtube, viral video,