The results of the implementation of the OSHA standard have led to great progress in the field of occupational safety and health, an example of which is that during 2002 to 2008 there were historically low numbers of occupational fatalities, due to the participation of its many partners in both the public and private sectors.
What is OSHA?
Before we explain what this standard is about, let’s first contextualize a little about its history, the OSHA standard arises in 1970 in the United States, due to the high number of deaths and injuries caused by workers in their workplaces, which encouraged the then President Richard M. Nixon to sign the Occupational Safety and Health Act, also known as the OSH Act, on December 29, which came into force on April 28 of the following year. The OSH Act also created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard for the control of Hazardous Energies.
What is the OSHA standard on the control of hazardous energy sources?
The OSHA Standard for Hazardous Energy Control (Lockout/Tagout), Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910.147, consists of practices and procedures that result in the proper disabling of machinery or equipment to prevent the release of hazardous energy during any servicing and maintenance activities performed by employees. The standard describes the control measures for hazardous energies, such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, among other energy sources.
Also, 29 CFR 1910.333 establishes requirements for the protection of employees working with electrical equipment or circuits. In this title, workers are required to observe safe work practices, including lockout/tagout procedures, which are applied when employees are exposed to electrical hazards while working with or near electrically powered conductors or systems.
Employees responsible for servicing or maintaining machinery or equipment are at risk of serious physical injury or death if hazardous energies are not properly controlled. Craft workers, machine operators and laborers are among the 3 million workers who service equipment, making them at greater risk. It is important to understand that compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents about 120 deaths and up to 50,000 injuries each year, while workers who are injured on the job lose an average of 24 days, which are dedicated to recovery.
We help you with solutions
Alher Sem offers safety services to companies (consulting, training, safety audits, implementation of safety processes, etc.), following OSHA standards and LOTO safety procedures.
Do not miss the opportunity to establish greater security in the members of your work team, we can guarantee protection during their processes. We provide safety services to responsible companies that care about their employees, from consulting to the implementation of processes, following the standards established by OSHA and LOTO safety procedures.
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