6 Surprising Myths You Need To Know About Lockout Tagout Systems

An effective lockout tagout programme is essential in any workplace with hazardous energy. It protects you and your workers from risks and accidents, reduces downtime and allows you to meet compliance regulations. Despite all the benefits of lockout tagout, there are still a few myths that may dissuade companies from implementing a successful LOTO programme;

MYTH 1 - LOTO Is expensive

There is a long-standing belief that a successful LOTO programme is expensive. However, this is not the case. Lockout, tagout procedures are an investment that will improve safety within your organisation. Without this system, you increase the risks of injuries and accidents to personnel and damage to machinery. This can result in increased costs for your business through repairs, regulatory fines and absences.

MYTH 2 - Servicing can be managed without LOTO

Some organisations believe LOTO is unnecessary when completing servicing tasks as they have never done it this way. These types of companies often have the same systems in place for years and are reluctant to embrace any changes to their processes.

However, performing servicing without a lockout, tagout system can result in serious consequences for you and your company. Not only does it entail safety risks, but you may also incur regulatory fines and reputational damage to your company should your failure to implement a LOTO system result in an accident.

MYTH 3 - LOTO is time consuming

Many people believe lockout tagout is a time-consuming process – from planning an effective programme to training staff on LOTO procedures, there is a belief that LOTO can take productive time away from the business.

It is true that the initial setup of a LOTO system will take time. However, once it is implemented it can be time-saving. It reduces downtime on machinery, reduces time spent on accidents and can have a positive effect on productivity. Investing time in a LOTO system will result in long-term, time-saving practices for you and your company.

MYTH 4 - LOTO is only relevant for electrical isolations

It is very important to implement LOTO practices for electrical isolation. However, some individuals believe this is the only type of energy requiring lockout tagout, which is simply untrue. There are many types of hazardous energies that require isolation including chemical, pneumatic, thermal and mechanical. If you do not implement LOTO practices with these types of hazardous energies you risk exposure to flammable, corrosive substances. Exposure to these hazards can have serious consequences for both individuals and the organisation.

MYTH 5 - Conventional tagging is enough

Some individuals may believe that tagging hazardous energy is enough to ensure safe isolation. They may view this as a reliable method of ensuring the safety of workers. However, this is not the case. Tags can be removed by accident while the authorized person is undertaking maintenance work. Fragile tags may be dislodged or inadvertently damaged during LOTO activities. If the tag is removed, it presents serious risks for anyone involved in the isolation. Therefore, when implementing a LOTO programme, you MUST use both lockout and tagout devices.

MYTH 6 - LOTO is all about the products and not the programme

Many companies implementing a LOTO programme focus the majority of their attention on the products, and the need for implementing a successful LOTO programme is overlooked. This is a common mistake for organisations, and as a result, their LOTO practices will often fail due to their poor implementation of the programme. Lockout, tagout systems are not like other PPE equipment, it is essential you dedicate time to planning, training and updating an ongoing dynamic, systematic LOTO programme.