What is MSDS?

Answer -Material Safety Data Sheet is the document prepared by the manufacturer giving
product name, producer’s address, emergency contact phone number, information of
ingredients, possible hazards, first aid measures, precautions to be taken for storage and
handling (recommended PPE, extinguishers), physical and chemical properties, etc.
What is a confined space

1) Limited Openings for Entry and Exit. A confined space may be difficult to
enter and perform repair work, or general maintenance. If something goes
wrong while you are inside a confined space, escape/rescue may be difficult.
Just because a work area has more than one way of escape, does not
necessarily mean it is not a confined space. If the space has limited ways to get
in and out, it could be a confined space. A open top tank would have limited
openings for entry and exit.

2) The Space is not Intended for Continuous Human Occupancy. This means

that the space was designed to hold something other than people. Examples
include tanks and manholes.

3) The Space is Large Enough for You to Enter and Conduct Work. If you cannot
fit your body into the space you cannot become trapped inside.

Classification: Confidential
Lock Out, Tag Out (LOTO) is a safety procedure used in industry and research settings to ensure that
dangerous machines are properly shut off and not able to be started up again prior to the completion of
maintenance or repair work. It requires that hazardous energy sources be "isolated and rendered
inoperative" before work is started on the equipment in question. The isolated power sources are then
locked and a tag is placed on the lock identifying the worker who placed it. The worker then holds the
key for the lock, ensuring that only he or she can remove the lock and start the machine. This prevents
accidental startup of a machine while it is in a hazardous state or while a worker is in direct contact with
it.[1]

The Purpose of Lockout/Tagout and LOTO Safety

When machines or equipment are being prepared for service or maintenance, they often contain some form of
“hazardous energy” that can cause harm to people in the area.

When we talk about hazardous energy, we mean any type of energy that can be released and might harm a person. This
could include energy of the following types:

 Chemical
 Electrical
 Hydraulic
 Mechanical
 Pneumatic
 Thermal
 Other sources of energy

Without the use of proper LOTO safety procedures, the serviced equipment can unexpectedly start up or otherwise
release these forms of energy. This can lead to injuries and even death to the people working on the machine and even to
others working in the area or living in the community.

Energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines
and equipment can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the
unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers.

Classification: Confidential
Six Steps of LOTO Safety & Lockout/Tagout Procedures
A lockout/tagout procedure should include the following six steps:

1. Preparation
2. Shutdown
3. Isolation
4. Lockout/tagout
5. Stored energy check
6. Ipsolation verification

Let’s look at each of these steps of LOTO safety more closely in the sections below.

Lockout/Tagout Step 1: Preparation

The first step of locking and tagging out equipment for service and maintenance is to prepare.

During the preparation phase, the authorized employee must investigate and gain a complete understanding of all types
of hazardous energy that might be controlled. In addition, it’s important to identify the specific hazards and of course
means for controlling that energy.

Use this Guide to Types of Hazardous Energy to investigate this issue more fully.

Lockout/Tagout Step 2: Shut Down

With planning complete, the actual process of powering down and locking out machines begins.

At this point, it’s time to shut down the machine or equipment that will be serviced or maintained.

Another important part of this step is to inform any employee affected by the shutdown, even if they won’t play a role in
the service or maintenance.

Lockout/Tagout Step 3: Isolation
The next step of the lockout/tagout procedure is to isolate the machine or equipment from any source of energy.

This may mean any number of things, such as turning off power at a breaker or shutting a valve.

Classification: Confidential
Lockout/Tagout Step 4: Lockout/Tagout
With the machine or equipment isolated from its energy source the next step of lockout/tagout is to actually lock and tag
out the machine. It’s fair to say that this entire six-step process takes its name from this step.

During this step, the authorized employee will attach lockout and/or tagout devices to each energy-isolating device. The
point is to apply the lockout device on the energy-isolating device in a way so it says in the “safe” position and cannot be
moved to the unsafe position except  by the person performing the lockout.

Tagout refers to applying a tag on the device as well. This tag includes the name of the person who performed the lockout
and additional information.

Lockout/Tagout Step 5: Stored Energy Check

Even after the energy source has been disconnected, in step 3  of the lockout safety process, and the machine has been
locked out, in step 4, that doesn’t entirely guarantee that there’s no hazardous energy still stored within the machine or
that it’s safe to perform maintenance.

At this time, it’s important to look for any hazardous energy that’s been “stored” within the machine, or any “residual”
energy. During this phase, any potentially hazardous stored or residual energy must be releived, disconnected, restrained,
or made non-hazardous in some other way.

Lockout/Tagout Step 6: Isolation Verification

This last step is all about making sure.

Yes, you’ve shut down the machines, isolated them from their source of power, locked them out, and checked for
hazardous stored energy. But now’s the time to double-check that you did it all right and it’s now safe to work on the
machine or equipment.

At this point, an authorized employee verifies the machine has been properly isolated and de-energized.

Classification: Confidential