Purpose
The following guidelines are intended to assist in the development of divisional lockout/tagout programs, including written safe working procedures and training.
Safe Working Procedures
General safe working procedures should be developed, and specific requirements considered for each piece of equipment or machinery for which lockout/tagout is required.
Each division’s safe working procedures should address, as a minimum, the following components:
- Clearly-identified procedure name
- Preparation date and review date
- The purpose of the procedure
- Listing of the hazards associated with equipment and machinery which can be addressed through lockout/tagout
- Cover the requirements specified in legislation or relevant standards
- The responsibilities of the parties in the workplace where lockout/tagout operations are performed
- Protective equipment requirements, including locks, tags, and other control devices
- Training and retraining requirements to ensure the competence of those who perform lockouts
- General lockout/tagout requirements, which should include the establishment of a permit issuing system, and the requirement for lockout tags to include the purpose of locking the equipment out, and particulars such as whose lock it is, contact information and the date/time.
- Equipment/machinery-specific lockout requirements including the effects of programmable logic controllers on the system test process
Each division should establish a standard procedure for handing over equipment to contractor(s) for servicing of the equipment. The procedure should at least include the process of identifying the system and the equipment, and the joint de-energizing and locking out of the equipment by the City and the contractor(s).
Joint Health and Safety Committees and workers who perform lockout/tagout work should be provided the opportunity to review safe working procedures and make recommendations for improvement, if needed.
Training Guidelines
Training must be provided to employees prior to assigning them to work on equipment or machinery where lockout/tagout is required.
At a minimum, lockout/tagout training should include the following components:
- Legislative requirements with respect to lockout/tagout
- Corporate policy requirements with respect to lockout/tagout
- Machinery and equipment hazards
- Potential consequences of failure to lockout/tagout
- Workplace specific lockout/tagout procedures
- Explanation of types of energy (including, but not necessarily limited to, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, chemical, mechanical, thermal, steam, gravity, tension, momentum, spring pressure, head pressure and line pressure)
- Discussion of types of lockout devices
- Testing of the lockout with consideration of the effects of programmable logic controllers on the system test
- Information to be provided on tags
- Procedures for the use of individual keyed locks
- Procedures when multiple locks are required
- Elements of the permit system
- Record-keeping requirements
All training courses must be documented and include a sign-in sheet or log with the name of the training program, the date delivered, and the names of the instructor and attendees. Training courses must include a test component to ensure an evaluation of learning is completed. Refresher training must be completed within a maximum 5 year cycle, or per divisional requirements.
Endorsed by
Occupational Health and Safety Coordinating Committee (OHSCC), September 26, 2000
Approved by
The City of Toronto Senior Management Team (SMT)
Date Approved
October 20, 2000
Reviewed by OHSCC
September 29, 2015
December 6, 2023
Related Information
Lockout/Tagout Policy
