Control of Hazardous Energy

Policy Key Points

This policy aims to prevent accidental release of energy that could result in injury to associates by establishing procedures for locking out and tagging out equipment during maintenance or servicing.

Only authorized associates may apply locks and tags in accordance with this program.

Lockout / Tagout Roles:

• Authorized Associate: A person who locks out or tags out machines or equipment to perform servicing or maintenance.
• Affected Associate: An employee who operates or works near equipment undergoing lockout/tagout.
• Other Associate: Any employee or contractor who may be in an area where energy control procedures are used.

Preparation:

• Develop written lockout procedures for each machine, considering all energy sources (electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, etc.).
• Machines that can be fully locked out by unplugging do not require a written procedure if the plug remains under the exclusive control of the associate performing the work.

Lockout / Tagout Sequence of Procedures:

1. Notify all affected employees of the lockout/tagout operation.
2. Shut down equipment using normal procedures.
3. Isolate equipment from all energy sources and dissipate any stored energy.
4. Apply lockout devices and attach identification tags.
5. Confirm that the equipment is de-energized and that the lockout is effective before starting work.
6. Use appropriate testing equipment and follow safety protocols (if testing or repositioning is required, follow specific procedures to temporarily remove lockout devices, perform the test, and then reapply the lockout).

Group Lockout: When multiple associates are involved, each must apply their own lock and tag to the energy-isolating device. Use a multiple-lock hasp if the device cannot accept multiple locks.

Shift Changes: Use a multiple-lock hasp to transfer lockout between shifts. Incoming associates apply their locks before outgoing associates remove theirs.

Emergency Lockout Removal: A manager verifies the absent authorized associate is not at the facility, oversees the removal of the lockout device by another authorized associate, and ensures the absent associate is informed before resuming work.

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Policy

Overview

Purpose of this Policy

This program is designed to protect against the inadvertent or unintended release of energy, movement, or flow in electrical, mechanical, or material systems, which could result in injury to Yaskawa associates.

Lockout of these systems must be utilized, where needed, to safely allow entrance into or close contact with equipment.

These procedures will be used to ensure that machines or equipment being inspected, serviced or maintained are isolated from all potentially hazardous energy and locked out before Yaskawa associates perform any activities where unexpected energizing, start up, or release of stored energy could cause injury.

Scope of this Policy

All Yaskawa associates and contractors will comply with the requirements of this program. Only authorized Yaskawa associates may apply locks and tags and only in accordance with this program.

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Definitions

Affected Associate: An employee whose job required him/her to operate or use a machine or piece of equipment on which servicing or maintenance is being performed under lockout or tagout, or whose job requires him/her to work in an area in which such servicing or maintenance is being performed.

Authorized Associate: A person who locks out or tags out machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance on that machine or equipment. An affected employee becomes an authorized employee when that employee's duties include performing servicing or maintenance covered by this policy.
NOTE: An associate or contractor may be authorized in one area, such as production, and only affected in other areas, such as laboratories. Authorization is determined by the location and type of equipment being worked on.

Other Associate: An employee or contractor who may be in an area where energy control procedures may be utilized.

Capable of Being Locked Out: An energy-isolating device is considered capable of being locked out if it:

• Is designed with a hasp or other means of attachment to which a lock can be affixed, or
• Has a locking mechanism built into it, or
• Can be locked without dismantling, rebuilding, or replacing the energy-isolating device or permanently altering its energy control capability.

Energized: Machines and equipment are energized when they are connected to an energy source or they contain residual or stored energy.
NOTE: Machines and equipment are considered energized until the absence of energy is verified.

Energy-Isolating Device: A mechanical device that physically prevents the transmission or release of energy, including but not limited to: manually operated electrical circuit breakers, disconnect switches, line valves, blocks, etc. Push buttons, selector switches and other control circuit type devices are not energy isolating devices.

Energy Source: Any source of electrical, mechanical, hydraulic (including stored hydraulic pressure in accumulators, etc.), pneumatic, chemical, thermal, gravity/weight of suspended objects, or other energy.

Lockout: The placement of a lockout device on an energy-isolating device, in accordance with an established procedure, ensuring that the energy-isolating device and the equipment being controlled cannot be operated until the lockout device is removed.

Lockout Device: Any device that uses positive means, such as a lock, blank flanges and bolted slip blinds, to hold an energy-isolating device in a safe position, thereby preventing the energizing of machinery or equipment.

Normal Production Operations: Utilization of a machine or equipment to perform its intended production function.

Servicing and/or Maintenance: Workplace activities such as constructing, installing, setting up, adjusting, inspecting, modifying, maintaining and/or servicing machines or equipment, including lubrication, cleaning or unjamming of machines or equipment, and making adjustments or tool changes, where employees could be exposed to the unexpected energization or startup of the equipment or release of hazardous energy.

Tagout / Tagout Device: The placement of a prominent warning tag on an energy-isolating device to indicate that the machine or equipment may not be operated until removed.

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Responsibilities

EHS Risk Mitigation Manager: Release, annual review, and updating of Control of Hazardous Energy Policy.

Yaskawa Managers: Ensure associates receive appropriate levels of training; complete/coordinate energy control procedures for affected equipment; complete annual audit/inspection of each energy control procedure.

All Yaskawa Associates: Follow all requirements defined within this policy.

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Lockout Tagout Process

Lockout Tagout Preparation

Sequence of Procedures

Lockout/Tagout Verification

After ensuring no employees are exposed, verify absence of energy:

• Equipment is considered "Energized" until absence of energy is verified.
• If electrical, use a calibrated voltage meter rated for the voltage being checked:
  • Wear proper PPE according to the Shock/Arc Flash rating label or NFPA 70E tables.
  • Test meter on a known, energized source first.
  • Check power input sources on equipment and verify zero voltage.
  • Check and discharge potential stored energy sources (e.g., capacitors).
  • Re-test meter on the known energized source to confirm proper operation.
• Operate push buttons or operating controls to make certain equipment will not operate, then return controls to neutral/off.

Lockout Verification Flowchart:

Testing and Positioning of Machines

Inspect area, remove nonessential tools, notify and clear employees, remove lockout devices by applying Authorized Employee, energize and test/position, then de-energize and reapply LOTO procedures before resuming work.

Restoring to Normal Position

Inspect area, clear employees, reinstall guards, remove tools and LOTO locks/tags/signs, and operate energy isolating devices to restore power.

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Group Lockout

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Shift Changes

A multiple-lock hasp shall be used if work is expected to be transferred between shifts. The incoming authorized associate shall apply her or his lock before the outgoing associate(s) remove their locks.

Contractor Exchange of Procedures

Yaskawa and the outside contractor must inform each other of their respective LOTO procedures. Yaskawa associates must comply with the restrictions of the contractor's program if more stringent, and vice versa.

Emergency Lockout Removal

The absent Authorized Employee’s Manager must verify that the Authorized Employee who applied the device is not at the facility.

The Manager must be present at the machine/equipment before another Authorized Employee can use the emergency spare key or lock cutter to remove lockout device.

All reasonable effort must be made to contact authorized Employee to inform them that their lockout device has been removed.

The Authorized Employee’s Manager must notify the Authorized Employee(s) before they resume work at the facility that their lockout device has been removed.

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Training Requirements

Authorized Associates

First-time Authorized Associates must complete in-person instructor training and demonstrate procedure to instructor. Annual retraining can be completed via e-training with immediate instructor access. Retraining required for job changes, new hazards, or audit deficiencies.

Affected Associates

Cover purpose, notice procedures, staying clear, refraining from tampering, and returning control to operators.

Other Associates

Completed within 30 days of employment (or 90 days of policy release), covering LOTO purpose and prohibition on tampering.

Electrical Training: Associates working with electricity must be trained in electrical safety-related work practices and be a “Qualified Worker” within Yaskawa’s electrical safety program.

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Lockout Tagout Audits

An annual audit of each energy control procedure must be completed separately while authorized employees perform servicing/maintenance to ensure adequacy and adherence.

Records

Record Title	Retained by	Disposition
Authorized Associate Training	Yaskawa Learning Management System	Employment Tenure plus 5 Years
Qualified Associate Training	Yaskawa Learning Management System	Employment Tenure plus 5 Years
Other Associate Training	Yaskawa Learning Management System	Employment Tenure plus 5 Years
Machine/Equipment Specific LOTO Procedure	Kept with Machine/Equipment	Kept with machine until updated or machine is no longer in facility
Energy Control Audits	Maintained by Cost Center Manager	Min 5 years

Revision History

Rev #	Description	Release Date	Approved by
0	Conversion of old safety documents, rewrite, and issue	5/17/2016	Thurwanger
1	Reformatting, no substantive changes to content	9/12/2016	Thurwanger
2	Added reference to NFPA 70E tables	12/2/2019	Thurwanger
3	Added Contractor Exchange of Procedures section	2/11/2026	Thurwanger

Program Review

Review Date	Reviewed by	Changes Required (Yes/No)	Revision # if updated
2/15/2017	Thurwanger	No	—
1/10/2018	Thurwanger	No	—
1/17/2019	Thurwanger	Yes	2
1/9/2020	Thurwanger	No	—
1/19/2021	Thurwanger	No	—
1/13/2022	Thurwanger	No	—
1/26/2023	Thurwanger	No	—
1/11/2024	Thurwanger	No	—
1/16/2025	Thurwanger	No	—
2/11/2026	Thurwanger	Yes	3