Isolation and Energy Control Toolbox Talk

Isolation and Energy Control Toolbox Talk

This isolation and energy control toolbox talk:

  • Provides information and guidelines that can assist you train and educate employees about the risks related to energised plant and equipment.
  • Can assist you advise personnel about the prevention of an uncontrolled energy release.
  • Can help you to ensure that hazards and risks related to energised plant and equipment are assessed and managed to prevent an uncontrolled energy release.
Description

About this Isolation and Energy Control Toolbox Talk

This isolation and energy control toolbox talk outlines some essential steps that should be considered and followed for the safe isolation and control of energy sources.

Isolation and energy control is a process to ensure that hazards and risks related to energised plant and equipment are assessed and managed to prevent an uncontrolled energy release.

The intent of this toolbox talk is to educate personnel and reduce the risk to any person who is required to clean, maintain, repair or adjust components that have energy applied under normal operating circumstances.

What is Isolation and Energy Control?

Isolation and energy control refers to specific procedures to prevent unexpected energisation or start-up of machinery or plant and equipment or the release of hazardous energy while employees are performing servicing or maintenance activities.

The purpose of  isolation and energy control is to protect employees from injuries caused by the unexpected energisation or start-up of machinery or plant and equipment or the release of hazardous energy.

Isolation and energy control procedures require that machinery or plant and equipment to be shut down and de-energised before employees begin work on it.

Employees then place a lockout device on the energy-isolating device, which controls the energy source, to prevent the machinery or plant or equipment from being started.

General Steps of Isolation and Energy Control

Step 1.

Identify the Hazardous Energy Source

Assess the energy types and determine the suitable safety methods for controlling the hazardous energy of the specific equipment.

Step 2.

Notify all Affected Parties

The person authorising the work must notify all affected employees and other parties (e.g. management, supervision, operators and workers in the area) of:

  • The scope of the work that will be conducted.
  • The systems of isolation being used and the energy control program.
  • The requirement not to disturb or attempt to restart the equipment until the work is completed, the isolation devices are removed and it is safe to resume normal operations.

Step 3.

Shut Down the Equipment

If the equipment is operating, the person authorising the work must verify that it is safe to shut down. The equipment can then be stopped using the established methods and procedures for that item of equipment.

Step 4.

Isolate, Dissipate and Restrain all Energy Sources

Isolation of energy sources should be completed by physically interrupting the supply of energy.

This can be achieved by following the lockout tagout program and control measures including:

  • Turning off power switches in electrical circuits.
  • Closing supply valves.
  • Removing mechanical drives.
  • Disconnecting batteries, leads, cables or hoses.
  • Blanking off pipelines (water pneumatic hydraulic steam pipes etc).

After the energy sources are isolated, any stored energy in the equipment should be dissipated. This can be achieved by measures including:

  • Opening valves to drain pipelines, pressure vessels and hydraulic accumulators.
  • Opening access hatches and inspection covers.
  • Earthing electrostatic separators.
  • Releasing springs on any machines or equipment etc.
  • Lowering counterweights.
  • Purging process lines.

If internal sources of energy cannot be dissipated, they must be adequately restrained by measures such as:

  • Inserting mechanical locking devices such as chocks or pins.
  • Securing items that can move, such as fans and mechanical linkages with chains.
  • Closing cover plates on radioactive gauges.
  • Applying brakes.

Step 5.

Secure and Identify Isolation Devices (Lockout and Tagout System)

Each of the devices used to isolate, dissipate and restrain energy sources must be secured and identified in accordance with the risk management hierarchy of controls to prevent inadvertent energising or release of energy.

Lockout and Tagout System

Securing isolation devices (lock-out) where practicable, the isolation device must be secured by a lock to provide assurance that:

  • The isolation device or lockout tagout device cannot be inadvertently removed.
  • The person who applied the isolation device is the only person who can remove the isolation device.

Step 6.

Verify the Effectiveness of the Energy Controls

The person authorising the work must ensure that competent persons verify that all hazardous energies have been effectively isolated, dissipated or restrained to prevent unexpected start-up, as per the isolation and control of energy procedure.

Step 7.

Complete the Work and Confirm Completion

As each person completes their work on the equipment they must:

  • Clear the work area of any tools or materials that they have used that are not required by other people still working on the equipment.
  • Replace any guards that are not required to be left open for access by other people still working on the equipment.
  • Restore and verify all safety devices that have been removed or bypassed.
  • Report the completion of the work to the person in charge of the equipment (or their nominated supervisor).

Step 8.

Remove the Isolation Devices (The Locks and Tags)

After confirming the completion of work, each person must remove their personal isolation locks and isolation tags.

Step 9.

Confirm the Return to Service and Start-Up

Before removing the last isolation lock and tag, the person responsible for re-energising the equipment must ensure:

  • All work has been successfully completed.
  • The equipment is clear of any tools and materials.
  • All guards and safety equipment have been replaced and are in good working order.
  • When the equipment is fit for use, it must be restarted in accordance with the standard operating procedures or manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: Isolation and control of energy must only be carried out to the level of a person’s competence and authorisation.

Why Subscribe and Download this Isolation and Energy Control Toolbox Talk?

This 3-page toolbox talk on isolation and control of energy outlines some essential steps that should be considered and followed for the safe isolation and control of energy sources.

With this isolation and energy control toolbox talk you will be able to:

  • Very easily edit and customize the template to create your own isolation and energy control toolbox talk.
  • Apply your own style, format and brand to the isolation and energy control toolbox talk.
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Availability and Use of this Isolation and Energy Control Toolbox Talk

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