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(1) The purpose of this procedure is to ensure the management of risks associated with energy isolation at Southern Cross University (SCU) are appropriately managed and controlled. (2) The purpose of this procedure is to ensure Southern Cross University’s management, employees, contractors, students, visitors and others are aware of the risks associated with energy isolation in the workplace, management strategies and to provide advice on appropriate controls. (3) All employees, students and others including both independent contractors and contractors under SCU control are to be made aware of and follow this procedure. (4) This Procedure applies to all SCU Work Units and sites. The procedure aligns with WHS legislation in the relevant jurisdictions SCU operates in. (5) SCU minimises the risks arising from the energy sources to employees, contractors, students, and visitors to workplaces by: (6) SCU will ensure that consultation occurs with employees, contractors and managers, adopting the risk management process, with anyone who may be affected by energy sources and when developing a safe system of work. SCU should consult with employees and contractors who modify, clean, maintain, repair, or inspect the energised plant or equipment when creating safe work instructions. (7) SCU must, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the provision of training, instructions, or supervision necessary to protect all persons from risks arising from work carried out as part of the conduct of SCU business. (8) SCU will ensure that the information, training, or instruction is suitable and adequate to address the nature of the work and the degree of risk, confirming employee understanding and application of controls. (9) The training content and format will be tailored according to the level of risk involved. This should include information on the types of hazards and risks the plant may pose to the person when they are conducting these activities. This information should be supported with safe work instructions. (10) Ordinarily in routine operation scenarios, workers will be adequately protected from hazardous energies through the use of guarding, shrouds, physical separation, complete containment of energies within plant/equipment, or other applicable controls such as administration and personal protective equipment. (11) Before any plant or equipment is inspected, maintained, cleaned or repaired, it must be deactivated and all sources of energy depleted (where possible), and locked and tagged as part of this isolation procedure. (12) Isolation procedures apply when interlocks, guarding, or any other safety/protective device are removed, inactive, or by-passed with the intention of performing work tasks on the applicable plant or equipment. The isolation process ensures the safety of people doing the work on plant and equipment. (13) The most common situations for using isolation are when: (14) Lockout and/or tagout of assets, equipment, plant and its components for routine inspections, repairs, maintenance, assessments, adjustments or cleaning should not be undertaken until a risk assessment is completed by the work unit team. (15) A documented risk assessment must be completed to determine: (16) Isolation of potentially damaging stored energies can be carried out in a variety of ways. This information is typically found by reviewing the original equipment manufacturer’s operation and maintenance manuals, reviewing ‘as built’ drawing/schematics, reviewing the individual plant & equipment risk assessment or physically inspecting equipment/infrastructure prior to performing a task, as part of the risk assessment process. (17) When the risk assessment identifies energy sources, the Hierarchy of Control must be used in conjunction with the Property Services Lock Out and Tag Out Procedure and Safe Work Instructions ‘Working on Electrical Equipment/Services’ to ensure the task/job can be undertaken safely. (18) When plant or equipment are deactivated (e.g., disconnected from electrical supply), this does not necessarily guarantee that all stored or residual energies have been eliminated. Additional steps may need to be taken to dissipate, release, or neutralise forms of stored energy (e.g., hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, suspended loads, springs under tension). (19) To ensure a thorough process is undertaken to appropriately de-energise stored energies, the following steps will be performed: (20) Once the energies have been identified and controlled through isolation, other workers in the vicinity or who usually engage or operate the isolated plant or equipment will be notified of the energy sources and applicable controls. This process ensures there is proactive and positive communication about risk in relation to isolation procedures and relevant works being undertaken. (21) Areas where isolated works are being performed may require physical barriers such as bollards, temporary fencing, and/or warning and hazard tape. (22) Where fault finding is being performed warning signs must be displayed in addition to the physical barriers to exclude access. Note fault finding should first be attempted in a de-energised environment using de-energised testing methods. (23) The appropriate warning signage, tapes, and barriers should be used for the task. (24) To ensure electrical equipment or circuits remain de-energised while working, the electrical equipment or circuits should be effectively isolated from all relevant sources of electricity supply. This may be done using opening switches, removing fuses or links, opening circuit breakers or removing circuit connections. (25) SCU does not permit working on energised electrical equipment under any circumstances. (26) A series of actions to be taken to prevent a plant or any of its parts from being moved or from releasing any stored energy such as heat, steam, electricity, or fluids is known as an isolation procedure. (27) SCU must ensure that any operator controls are able to be locked into the “off” position to enable the disconnection of all motive power. Where this isn’t possible the process for de-energising must be documented, implemented and communicated to workers. SCU should assign competent individuals to create safe work instructions if their workplace lacks the necessary knowledge. (28) Plant energy sources will be isolated in the following work situations: (29) Following the applicable codes of practice of managing plant risks, the steps involved in an isolation or LOTO process are as follows: (30) The following key restrictions apply to all work processes involving LOTO: (31) Individuals who are competent with the isolation procedure, must be provided with all locks, lock-out devices and tags. Isolation locks should only be used to isolate hazardous energy sources. They should not be used for other general purposes. When isolating an energy source for group isolation, a device that allows one or more padlocks to be fitted should be used. If more than one person is working on the same plant, each person should attach their personal lock to prevent the isolator being opened before all locks have been removed or opened. The isolation should identify common lock-out points to ensure hazardous energy sources cannot be restored while someone is still working on the plant. Isolation locks should only be able to be opened by authorised person with permit-to-work to remove locks and danger tags from isolation points. (32) A tag is not an isolation device. It only provides information. It should never be used as an isolation device in SCU operations. (33) The following types of tags are commonly used when a piece of plant is isolated from other parts of plant which include: (34) Each worker involved in the maintenance, cleaning or repair of the plant should have a lock, tag and key for each isolation point. There should be no duplicate key for any lock, except a master key that is kept in a secure location and should only be used in an emergency. (35) The personal danger tag must be filled out with your name, work unit, date, time, reason for isolating and your signature. (36) Each person working on the equipment must place their own personal danger tag, and if possible, a lock to the isolating control. This process ensures that each person working on the equipment is protected and that the equipment cannot be inadvertently operated. (37) These personal danger tags and locks are to always remain in place while performing work on the equipment. (38) When you have completed your work remove your personal danger tag and lock. Do not remove another person's personal danger tag or lock they may only be removed by the person whose signature appears on the tag. (39) Once all personal danger tags have been removed notify all relevant personnel that the equipment will be energised. Do not operate equipment until each person has removed their personal danger tag. (40) If the equipment is still not ready for use, an “Out of Service” tag must be attached to the equipment and your supervisor notified. (41) Before any work is performed on isolated plant or equipment, it must be tested by a competent person. The testing process effectively proves or disproves that the energy source has been effectively isolated and de-energised (a ‘zero energy state’). (42) The testing process must ensure that each exposed part is treated as energised until such a time that it has been reliably determined to be de-energised. Always prove the presence and effectiveness of isolations before commencing work. (43) If any worker is uncertain about whether an isolation has been successfully achieved and the plant or equipment are in a zero energy state, seek assistance from a suitably qualified and competent person (e.g., supervisor). (44) At least one, or both of the following actions, if reasonably practicable, will be undertaken to verify the zero energy state: When working with electrical energy, always test before you touch and ensure that all isolation and subsequent electrical work is carried out by a suitably qualified person. (45) The following methods can be used to prove or disprove that electrical energy has been appropriately isolated: (46) If equipment is faulty and not being serviced place an out of service tag on it and report to your supervisor. This equipment should not be used or operated while an out of service tag is attached. (47) Before you start work ensure that the supply is effectively isolated. To do this, consider: (48) De-energising the parts from all sources of electrical and mechanical energy. (49) Each energy source must be isolated and locked out at each isolation point along the energy source route where practical. (50) Removing all hazards from other sources of energy (i.e. spring tension or hydraulic pressure). (51) Testing the equipment to ensure it has been effectively isolated. (52) Incidents Including Near Misses (53) If at any point, a worker becomes aware of a failed isolation and the plant or equipment is still in an energised state, the following steps will be immediately undertaken: (54) Note that the WHS Acts include provisions for notifying the regulator of dangerous incidents. A ‘dangerous incident’ means an incident in relation to a workplace that exposes a worker or any other person to a serious risk to a person’s health or safety emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to any of the following (of relevance to stored or active/live energies): (55) Once the work has been completed and prior to removing the final lock and tag from the isolated plant or equipment, workers must: (56) Refer to WHS Responsibility and Accountability Statements. (57) The Vice Chancellor has the following WHS responsibilities: (58) Vice Presidents/Pro/Deputy Vice Chancellors have the following WHS responsibilities: (59) Heads of Work Units have the following WHS responsibilities: (60) Managers and Supervisors have the following WHS responsibilities: (61) All employees and others have the following WHS responsibilities: (62) All relevant documentation will be recorded and kept in accordance with WHS Legislation and other legislative obligations including: (63) This procedure will be reviewed as per nominated review dates or because of other events, such as: HRP22: Lock out, tag out
Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
Section 2 - Definitions
Top of Page
Section 3 - General Principles
Consultation
Information, Instruction and Training
Requirement for Isolation
Risk management
De-energise Stored Energies
Advise Relevant Workers
Hazard Warnings
Isolation, Locking Off, and Prevention Access to Electrical Equipment and Circuits
No Working on or Testing Under Live Conditions
Plant Isolation
Lock out Tag out (LOTO) procedure
Key Restrictions
Provision and Use of LOTO Equipment
Tags
Placement of Danger Tags and Locks
Removal of Danger Tags and Locks
Verification of Isolation
Repairing Equipment
Top of PageSection 4 - Roles and Responsibilities
SCU Vice Chancellor
Vice Presidents/Pro/Deputy Vice Chancellors
Head of Work Units
Managers and Supervisors
Employees and others
Top of PageSection 5 - Records of Documentation
Top of PageSection 6 - Revision and approval history
Top of PageSection 7 - References
Top of Page
Section 8 - Related Documents