RSES Journal Winter 2025, RETA-RSES

ESTABLISHING AN OSHA COMPLIANT LOCKOUT/ TAGOUT PROGRAM

employers must inspect the lockout/ tagout program on a regular basis (at least once a year) to ensure that the procedures are being carried out cor rectly and that they are still effective in limiting employee exposure to hazard ous energy. LOCKOUT SEQUENCE 1. Notify all affected employees: When it is time for servicing or maintenance, warn all employees that the machine must be shut down and locked out before the maintenance or servicing chores may be performed. Take down the names and job titles of all employ ees who are affected. 2. Know the machine's power source: The authorized employee in charge of the lockout/tagout procedure must be aware of potential energy threats and be able to control energy. OSHA empha sizes that the procedure must describe what employees must know and do to properly control hazardous energy. 3. Turn off the machine: If the machine is already running, stop it using the normal procedure; pressing the stop button, closing the valve, opening the switch and so on. 4. Deactivate energy-isolating devices: Separate the equipment from its energy source.

5. Lockout: Use individually assigned locks or programmed lockout mecha nisms to disable the energy-isolating device. 6. Release the stored energy: Stored en ergy must be discharged or restrained. This can be accomplished by ground ing, blocking, bleeding down, reposi tioning and so on. 7. Remove the device from the power source: This is done by first making sure no one is exposed; and then run ning the machine through its startup procedure, and making sure it does not start to confirm the machine is isolated from the energy source. It is not locked out if the device is left turned off. LOTO SAFETY Lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures are essential for the safety and well-being of workers. By instating a LOTO program, em ployers can prevent serious harm and even death. By providing adequate training and equipment, conducting frequent equipment inspections, upgrading LOTO policies, and regularly enforcing LOTO standards, work ers are safe, and accidents are prevented. For additional information on LOTO safety, visit https://bit.ly/43au7LJ .

tive equipment (PPE) should include safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection and flame-resistant clothing, if required. Staging service tools and standard replacement parts can help to make processes more efficient and reduce time on the roof. Some equipment manufactur ers may include a scannable QR code on the equipment, providing a digital knowl edge source without the added paperwork. These resources may include model-specific information like technical guides, wiring diagrams and fault code descriptions to Communication is a critical, but often overlooked, component for successful building system maintenance. As service orders become increasingly digitalized, opportunities to consult in person may become less frequent. However, this face to-face interaction is a prime opportunity to review operators’ concerns and share system knowledge. By building strong rela tionships with building teams, technicians further streamline service. Driving Service Success OSHA specifies what actions to take when creating a lockout/tagout program. Accord ing to OSHA, the first step is to establish and standardize energy-control processes. These procedures explicitly outline the steps for disconnecting machines' energy supply and installing lockout/tagout devices on energy-isolating devices to prevent re-en ergization. The process must also address how to deal with stored or re-accumulated energy. To stay OSHA-compliant, employers must train staff on the energy-control program, including safe application, usage of lockout/ tagout devices and energy-control removal. Employees must be able to understand the following: • Instructions on how to carry out the steps. • Steps to specifically turn off, isolate, block and secure machines. • Specific instructions for the proper installation, handling and transfer of lockout/tagout devices, including who is in charge of them. Specific specifications for testing equipment to determine if lockout/ta gout devices work as intended. Lastly, •

Courtesy of OSHA

When accessing rooftop equipment during winter conditions, first confirm the area is free of weather-related hazards such as ice or snow accumulation.

can develop a better understanding of their unique building requirements and tolerance for downtime. When combined with manufacturers’ recommendations and ASHRAE guide lines, this information can be leveraged to develop a proactive AHU maintenance schedule that helps building teams meet their goals.

1 U.S. Department of Energy, Better Buildings™, Better Plants (August 2022), “Preventative maintenance for commercial HVAC equipment” https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/solutions-at-a glance/preventative-maintenance-commercial-hvac-equipment Mark Miller is Product Warranty & Tech nical Support Manager, AHU Airside at Johnson Controls. Jeremy Fitze is AHU Product Techni cal Support Engineer at Johnson Controls.

12 RSES Journal WINTER 2025

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