Lockout Tagout is a crucial safety procedure that aids in protecting workers and contractors when they are servicing equipment. It is crucial to correctly separate the equipment before beginning any repair in order to prevent an accidental starting up of the machinery, which could result in harm or worse. For this reason, lockout and tagout equipment is so important since it safeguards both employees and guests.

When you're working with potentially dangerous machinery, it's important to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe. One of the most important safety measures is a lockout and tagout procedure. This procedure involves locking out power to the machine and attaching a tag to warn others that it's not safe to operate. While there are many ways to lock out power, one of the most common is using a hasp. But why is a hasp required for this procedure and what is the importance of this industrial lockout product? Let's take a closer look.

What Really Is Lockout Hasps?

When multiple workers are engaged in a lockout and tagout procedure, a lockout hasp is employed. On the same energy source, these workers collaborate. The hasps enable the use of numerous padlocks while isolating a single energy source, such as a piece of equipment or a power switch. Each worker performing maintenance or service work attaches their padlock through one of the lockout hasp's six openings, which are placed via a latch on the equipment that has to be locked out, and the lockout hasp is then inserted. Then, every lock on the padlocks is closed.

Many haveps are zinc-plated steel jaws since they must be able to pull at least 50 pounds. Additionally, strong, spark-proof metal is used to make the jaws, which are available for usage as needed. During the lockout procedure as required by SWA (Safe Work Australia), this guarantees each worker's safety. With a non-conductive, red vinyl handle coating, lockout hasps are available for purchase. The grip is also enhanced, and the equipment is shielded from scratches. Additionally, there are lockout hasps that can be used as both a tag and a lockout device in a single central unit and have a highly visible, printed “Danger: Do Not Operate” on them.

How Does The Hasp Really Work?

When a pin is placed through the loop to secure a hasp, a slotted plate that fits over the loop is used as the cover. Instead of using a pin, you may also place a padlock through the loop. Hasps may be simply made using simple tools and have been discovered on Roman sites from the first century where they were used to fasten chest lids that were removable. Bronze bars with holes at each end served as these basic hasps. A larger hole at the other end was nailed through a loop that was fastened to the lid, while the smaller hole at one end was nailed through a hole in the chest.

One of the tools frequently employed in lockout tagout operations is the lockout hasp. When doing maintenance on machinery and plants, they are made to offer workers the maximum amount of protection. When more than one person is working on a piece of equipment at once, group isolation circumstances where more than one person is working on the equipment are perfect for using lockout hasps' locking feature. With the help of the hasp, several Personal Lockout Padlocks and a Lockout Device can be attached to a single isolation point.

This may occur when several tasks must be completed concurrently or when one crew of maintenance workers is replaced by another because of shift changes. The isolation point on the machinery is secured using a hasp. Following that, the worker secures the hasp with their own personal padlock. Assembling their own lockout padlocks to the hasp, any more personnel who might also need to do repairs on the equipment do so. This prevents the equipment from being used until all locks have been released.

A Sample Procedure

Lockout and tagout policies ought to be implemented in every organisation. A sample technique with steps is presented for your consideration. Make sure every equipment is appropriately and accurately identified, including its precise location, in the first step, which involves providing detailed equipment information. Employees who may be impacted by maintenance should be informed, according to step two of the process. Inform them of the work's schedule and the potential duration of any equipment outages. 

Detail, detail, detail: this is the third step—properly shut down the machine! To protect everyone's safety and lessen the possibility of damage, you must precisely and step-by-step describe how the equipment is detached, rather than simply saying, "Disconnect the machine."

Disconnect all principal energy sources in step four. Don't assume that the person performing maintenance will be aware of the proper steps to take whether the primary energy sources are electricity, compressed air, steam, water, gas, or anything else. Once more, be specific about what needs to be done.

Step five is to deal with all secondary sources. Disconnecting the principal energy sources may eliminate much of the risk, but it's probable that there are other sources of energy, such as tension in a spring assembly or trapped heat in a thermal system that needs to be released. Determine the procedure that will alleviate any pressure or other energy that is still there. Think about additional risks as well, including moving machinery that needs to be secured before work starts.

The next step is to check for dead to make sure the isolation/lockout method was completed. This is done after you have disconnected all primary and secondary energy sources. When the job is over and all tools and other materials have been taken out, go to the last step to re-energise the equipment. At this point, the machine can be put back into use. The protocol should specify the precise steps that must be taken as well as their appropriate order.

Do You Need This Lockout Product?

Hasps with long and short reaches are available. To use a lockout hasp, the latch must frequently be accessed with difficulty. As a result, the hasp can be used to lock out several padlocks thanks to specially designed Long Reach and Short Reach Hasps with thin 1/4" or 1/8" shackles that can fit into these openings. If it's required to ensure that the attached padlocks completely shut out the energy sources, hasps are provided with shackles on both ends.