Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-155 - Safety standards for construction work › Part I - ELECTRICAL › Section 296-155-429 - Lockout and tagging of circuits

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) You must tag and padlock controls that
				are deactivated during the course of work on energized or deen-ergized
				equipment or circuits in the open position.
(2)
Equipment and circuits.
You
				must render equipment or circuits that are deenergized inoperative and attach
				tags and locked padlocks at all points where such equipment or circuits can be
				energized.
(3)
Tags.
You must place tags to identify plainly the equipment or circuits being worked
				on.
(4)
Lockout and
				tagging.
While any employee is exposed to contact with parts of fixed
				electric equipment or circuits which have been deenergized, you must lock out,
				tag, or both the circuits energizing the parts according to the requirements of
				this section. You must follow the requirements in the order in which they are
				presented (i.e., (a) of this subsection first, then (b) of this subsection).
Note 1:
As used in this section, fixed equipment
						  refers to equipment fastened in connected by permanent wiring methods.
Note 2:
Lockout and tagging procedures that comply
						  with chapter 296-803 WAC will also be deemed to comply with this subsection
						  provided that:
1. The procedures address the electrical
						  safety hazards covered by this part; and
2. The procedures also incorporate the
						  requirements of (c)(iv) and (d)(ii) of this subsection.
(a)
Procedures.
You must maintain a written copy of the procedures
				outlined in this subsection and you must make it available for inspection by
				employees and by the director and his/her authorized representative.
Note:
The written procedures may be in the form
						  of a copy of this section, WAC
						  296-155-429.
(b)
Deenergizing equipment.
(i) You
				must determine procedures for deener-gizing circuits and equipment before
				circuits or equipment are deenergized.
(ii) You must disconnect the circuits and
				equipment to be worked on from all electric energy sources. You must not use
				control circuit devices, such as push buttons, selector switches, and
				interlocks, as the sole means for deenergizing circuits or equipment. You must
				not use interlocks for electric equipment as a substitute for lockout and
				tagging procedures.
(iii) You must
				release stored electric energy which might endanger personnel. You must
				discharge capacitors and you must short-circuit and ground high capacitance
				elements , if the stored electric energy might endanger personnel.
Note:
If the capacitors or associated equipment
						  are handled in meeting this requirement, you must treat them as energized.
(iv)
				You must block or relieve stored nonelectrical energy in devices that could
				reenergize electric circuit parts to the extent that the circuit parts could
				not be accidentally energized by the device.
(c)
Application of locks and
				tags.
(i) You must place a lock and a
				tag on each disconnecting means used to deenergize circuits and equipment on
				which work is to be performed, except as provided in (c)(iii) and (v) of this
				subsection. You must attach the lock to prevent persons from operating the
				disconnecting means unless they resort to undue force or the use of
				tools.
(ii) Each tag must contain a
				statement prohibiting unauthorized operation of the disconnecting means and
				removal of the tag.
(iii) If a lock
				cannot be applied, or if you can demonstrate that tagging procedures will
				provide a level of safety equivalent to that obtained by the use of a lock, a
				tag may be used without a lock.
(iv) You must supplement a tag used without a
				lock, as permitted by item (iii) of this subsection, by at least one additional
				safety measure that provides a level of safety equivalent to that obtained by
				the use of a lock. Examples of additional safety measures include the removal
				of an isolating circuit element, blocking of a controlling switch, or opening
				of an extra disconnecting device.
(v) A lock may be placed without a tag only
				under the following conditions:
(A) Only one
				circuit or piece of equipment is deener-gized; and
(B) The lockout period does not extend beyond
				the work shifts; and
(C) Employees
				exposed to the hazards associated with reenergizing the circuit or equipment
				are familiar with this procedure.
(d)
Verification of deenergized
				condition.
You must meet the requirements of this subsection before any
				circuits or equipment can be considered and worked as deenergized.
(i) A qualified person must operate the
				equipment operating controls or otherwise verify that the equipment cannot be
				restarted.
(ii) A qualified person
				must use test equipment to test the circuit elements and electrical parts of
				equipment to which employees will be exposed and must verify that the circuit
				elements and equipment parts are deenergized. The test must also determine if
				any energized conditions exists as a result of inadvertently induced voltage or
				unrelated voltage backfeed even though specific parts of the circuit have been
				deenergized and presumed to be safe. If the circuit to be tested is over 600
				volts, nominal, the test equipment must be checked for proper operation
				immediately before and immediately after this test.
(e)
Reenergizing equipment.
These requirements must be met, in the order given, before circuits or
				equipment are reenergized, even temporarily.
(i) A qualified person must conduct tests and
				visual inspections, as necessary, to verify that all tools, electrical jumpers,
				shorts, grounds, and other such devices have been removed, so that the circuits
				and equipment can be safely energized.
(ii) You must warn employees exposed to the
				hazards associated with reenergizing the circuit or equipment to stay clear of
				circuits and equipment.
(iii) Each
				lock and tag must be removed by the employee who applied it or under his or her
				direct supervision. However, if this employee is absent from the work place,
				then the lock or tag may be removed by a qualified person designated to perform
				this task provided that:
(A) You ensure that
				the employee who applied the lock or tag is not available at the work place;
				and
(B) You ensure that the
				employee is aware that the lock or tag has been removed before he or she
				resumes work at that work place.
(iv) There must be a visual determination
				that all employees are clear of the circuits and equipment.