Electrical Safety – Lockout/Tagout
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have divided workers who work on or with electrical systems into two categories; qualified workers and unqualified workers.
Qualified Workers are employees who can work on or near exposed energized equipment and must receive detailed training on the following:
Who should attend Qualified Workers Program?
Any employee who will be maintaining, setting-up, cleaning machinery and/or equipment, and will be exposed to a hazard should the machine be engaged/energized.
Program content:
- Definitions of Energized, Exposed, GFI, Ground, Electrical Hazards
- Stored energy, Electrical flow, Emergency procedures
- How to identify exposed electrical equipment and energized parts
- How to lockout and tagout equipment so that it can be worked on safely
- How to safely work on or troubleshoot electrical equipment and parts
Lockout / Tagout Program content:
- Review OSHA compliance regulations
- Who is required to Lockout? Why?
- Supervisor’s role in ensuring compliance
- When is it required to Lockout equipment?
- Review your company’s specific policies & procedures
- Who requires notification when lockout procedure is to be used?
Unqualified Workers are workers who are not permitted to work on or near exposed energized equipment. Unqualified workers do not have the knowledge, skills and experience needed to work on energized electrical equipment and parts.
If there is any ambiguity about whether you are considered a qualified or unqualified worker, you should speak to your supervisor for clarification.
Program content:
- Be familiar with the fundamental concepts of electricity
- Be familiar with the effects of electricity on the human body
- Be able to recognize common electrical hazards
- Be familiar with electrical protective devices
- Emergency procedures
Program Options
- 1-hour – Basic Electrical for unqualified (general population) employees
- 2-hours – Electrical for qualified workers with Lockout / Tagout Training
