New tools to increase Lockout/Tagout efficiency.

Lockout/Tagout is being implemented in an increasing number of industries. That is no surprise since the procedure, if applied correctly, guarantees employee safety. New innovations in Lockout/Tagout aim to increase efficiency by focusing on product flexibility and ease of use.

The main principle of the Lockout/Tagout procedure is extremely simple: isolate machines from their energy supply for safe interventions and maintenance. To isolate a machine from its energy sources, push buttons, levers, valves or handles are rendered inoperable by blocking them with a lockout device. A maintenance worker can lock these devices in place with a padlock, ensuring co-workers cannot accidentally re-energise a machine before maintenance is done.

Increased Lockout/Tagout efficiency
Diligently applying Lockout/Tagout devices in line with procedure is critical to guarantee worker safety during machine interventions. This requires time which is won back by avoiding costly and time consuming accidents. New and innovative Lockout/Tagout solutions, like Brady´s Compact Cable Safety Padlock, are fast and easy to apply. They enable increased efficiency for safe machine interventions.

New tools
The innovative Compact Cable Safety Padlock combines a lockout device and padlock in one practical tool that can be applied just like a bicycle lock. Its PVC encased steel cable blocks the moveable parts or the energy source in the off-position, while the lock ensures the device cannot be removed accidentally. The new non-conductive SafelexTM Cable Lockout Device works in much the same way and is very efficient when several professionals are servicing a machine.

To block valves, a new Transparent Gate Lockout is available that allows workers to see the valve position, colour or state without having to remove the lockout device.

Fast & safe
The new innovative Lockout/Tagout tools can be applied easily, allowing for faster interventions on machinery, while still complying with company Lockout/Tagout procedures.

Fast and secure implementation of Lockout/Tagout!

Lockout/Tagout is a life-saver in maintenance operations. With a lockout/tagout programme, industries can prevent a great number of maintenance related accidents from happening, no matter if MRO activities are outsourced or organised internally. While Lockout/Tagout is very successful, it does require intense preparation to implement. Based on worldwide experience, Brady can help implement best practice lockout/tagout programmes.

Machine specific procedures
One of the biggest challenges in implementing Lockout/Tagout is writing machine-specific procedures that ensure the isolation of the complete energy supply to a specific machine. These procedures need to be complete and understandable and will require internal discussion, approval and communication to employees involved. Brady can send engineers to your workplace to write machine-specific procedure proposals for your evaluation. While writing machine specific lockout procedures based on best practices, Brady engineers will identify all energy supply points to make sure no energy can reach machines under maintenance.

Procedure approval
Once machine-specific procedures have been written that ensure machine isolation from any energy supply, these procedures often follow an approval process by internal stakeholders. Brady proposes the LINK360 software to easily introduce, approve or edit, scale and communicate Lockout/Tagout machine-specific procedures. With the award-winning LINK360 software, a safety procedure roll-out in multiple sites across country borders, has never been easier.

Communication
Using a tablet or Smartphone on site, energy point and machine pictures can be uploaded in LINK360 for use in the procedure communication, supporting your maintenance professionals to quickly find energy points that need to be locked out.

Brady also provides training modules for maintenance professionals and all stakeholders involved. While affected maintenance professionals may need hands-on training, other employees must be made aware of the safety procedures to follow and the importance of operational Lockout/Tagout devices to ensure no one attempts removal out of procedure.

Optimised Lockout/Tagout tools
Based on approved machine-specific procedures, Brady can suggest which Lockout/Tagout hardware is needed to successfully increase maintenance safety. Padlocks and key-systems are available for most industrial contexts, and lockout devices can be selected based on the energy supply points identified in your facilities. The machine-specific procedures provide great insight in what is needed and allow for the efficient purchase and use of Lockout/Tagout hardware.

A successful safety investment
Lockout/Tagout has proven very successful and has prevented injuries connected with maintenance such as fractures, lacerations, amputations, burns and shocks in industries all over the world. The procedure involves the isolation and inoperability of the energy supply to industrial machinery during maintenance.

New Lockout/Tagout solutions by request for EMEA applications.

The Lockout/Tagout procedure, including lockout devices, padlocks and keys to increase safety during maintenance operations, is gradually becoming standard equipment in many European, Middle Eastern and African production sites. More and more EMEA customisation requests are implemented in next generation Lockout/Tagout solutions such as Brady's transparent Twist and Secure™ Push Button cover, Perma-Mount™ Ball Valve, Safelex™ Universal and the Safety Redbox™.

A maintenance life-saver

Perma-Mount Ball Valve

The Lockout/Tagout procedure prevents injuries connected with maintenance such as fractures, lacerations, amputations, burns and shocks. It is a planned safety procedure which involves the isolation and inoperability of the energy supply of industrial machinery during maintenance. The procedure protects workers from the risks posed by live machinery driven by various energy sources and includes the use of lockout devices, personal padlocks and keys. Based on requests by various industries, Brady has included new additions to its extensive Lockout/Tagout solutions product range.

Visual confirmation
Based on requests from the Automotive industry in Sweden, Brady is now offering a line extension of its succesfull Lockout/Tagout Twist and Secure™ Push Button and Emergency Stop Safety Covers. Just like the original red covers, the transparent Twist and Secure™ is a convenient lockout tool at the point of need, with the extra advantage of providing an obvious visual indication of the ON/OFF status of control buttons.

Flexible portability
Both the Steel industry in Poland and the Mining industry in South Africa requested a next generation Lockout/Tagout keybox. The new Safety Redbox™ Group Lockout Box can be placed or mounted in various contexts while its quick release mechanism offers great flexibility and portability. At the same time, the new lockbox can be locked in place, denying any possibility to retrieve a key outside the lockout procedure by purposely shaking the box for example.

Faster & correct lockout
The new Perma-Mount™ Ball Valve Lockout (see pic) stays in place indefinitely without hampering machinery. This not only allows for faster lockout operations, but also ensures the correct lockout device is used at all times. A lockable hook-mechanism blocks the ball valve’s handle in the off-position before maintenance operations start. After unlocking the padlock, a maintenance professional simply releases the handle from the hook, allowing machinery to resume operations.

Versatile group lockout
The Safelex™ Universal Cable Lockout Device uses a tough steel cable and a lockable safety hasp to lockout any equipment not supporting a dedicated lockout device. Its cable length varies from 1 to 5 metres and can be tightened, but not loosened, after the device is locked with up to 6 padlocks.