Employer's Responsibilities

The employers play a key role in implementation of the lockout/tagout procedures.

Employers are required to develop effective energy control programs. An important part of an energy control program is development of standard operating procedures designed to prevent accidental energization and worker injury.

Here's a list of key items which employers are required to do:

a. Develop written standard operating and maintenance procedures to control potentially hazardous energy. The procedures outline and describe the following:

a1. Who is responsible for energy control?

a2. A listing of step by step tasks to shut down, isolate, block and secure machines and equipment.

a3. Requirements to place or install lockout/tagout devices.

a4. Checks to be performed to confirm the devices are effective.