Chapter 4. Electrical Hazards

I. Electrical Equipment.

A. All electrical circuitry should comply with the National Electric Code. All circuits which are outdoors or may be exposed to water must be connected to a ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI).

B. Equipment must be labeled as suitable for the purpose for which it is intended. Listed or labeled equipment should be used or installed in accordance with any instruction included in the listing or labeling.

C. Conductors should be spliced or joined with splicing devices suitable for that purpose or by brazing, welding or soldering with a fusible metal or alloy. All splices, joints, and free ends of conductors must be properly insulated.

D. Parts of electric equipment that produce arcs, sparks, flames, or molten metal should be enclosed or isolated from all combustible material.

E. Electrical equipment must bear the manufacturer's name, trademark, or other identification. Other markings such as voltage, current, wattage, and other necessary ratings must be on the equipment. The markings should be durable enough to withstand environmental conditions.

F. Sufficient access to and working space for all electric equipment must be provided to permit ready and safe operation, and maintenance. Working space should not be used for storage. When normally enclosed live parts are exposed for inspection or servicing, the working space, it in a passageway or general open space, must be suitable guarded.

G. At least one entrance of sufficient area must be provided to give access to the working space surrounding electric equipment.

H. Working spaces must be illuminated.

I. Live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more should be guarded against accidental contact by the use of approved cabinets or other forms of isolation to which only qualified persons have access.

J. All electrical equipment must be properly grounded when in use unless otherwise specifically otherwise approved or excepted.

K. All exposed wires, frayed cords, and deteriorated insulation must be repaired or replaced. All junction boxes, outlets, switches, and fittings must be covered. All metallic fixed electrical equipment must be properly grounded.

L. Breaker switches must be identified as to their use.

II. Hazardous Energy Sources Control (Lockout/Tagout).

A. This procedure establishes the requirement for the lockout/tagout of energy isolating devices. It must be used to ensure that machines or equipment are isolated from all potentially hazardous energy, and locked out/tagged out before workers perform any servicing or maintenance activities where the unexpected energization, startup, or release of stored energy could cause injury.

B. All equipment shall be locked out or tagged out to protect against accidental or inadvertent operation when such operation could cause injury to personnel. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPERATE ANY SWITCH, VALVE, OR OTHER ENERGY ISOLATING DEVICE WHERE IT IS LOCKED OR TAGGED OUT.

C. All affected workers must be instructed in the safety significance of the lockout/tagout procedure. Each worker whose work operations are or may be in the area shall be instructed in the purpose and use of the lockout/tagout procedure.

D. A survey should be performed to locate and identify all isolating devices to be certain which switch(s), valve(s), or other energy isolating devices apply to the equipment to be locked and tagged out. More than one energy source, i.e. electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic, may be involved.

1. Examples of lockout/tagout different energy sources:

a. Electrical Find the main circuit to the specified equipment. Shut off the switch. Lockout and tagout the circuit box or switch.

b. Mechanical Secure an arm or other appendage so it can not move on the machinery or equipment.

c. Hydraulic system Block the fluid so the lever or arm cannot operate.

d. Pneumatic Block the air pressure to the equipment by using the shutoff valve so it is vented to the atmosphere or drained to a tank.

2. Examples of lockout/tagout places

a. Silage unloader

b. Hydraulic pumps

c. Augers

d. Air compressors

e. Boilers

f. Mills

g. Fans

h. Electric heaters

i. Squeeze chute

j. Irrigation equipment

k. Power tools

E. A list of authorized lockout/tagout workers should be maintained.

F. Sequence of lockout/tagout system procedure.

1. Notify all affected workers that a lockout/tagout system is going to be in place and the reason for it. The authorized worker should know the type and magnitude of energy that the machine or equipment utilizes and should understand the hazards associated with the energy source.

2. If the machine or equipment is operating, shut it down by normal stopping procedure (depress stop button, open toggle switch).

3. Operate the switch, valve, or other energy isolating device(s) so that the equipment is isolated from its energy source(s). Stored energy, i.e., in springs, elevated machine members, rotating flywheels, hydraulic systems, and air, gas, steam, or water pressure, must be dissipated or restrained by methods such as repositioning, blocking, bleeding down.

4. Lockout with a padlock and tagout the energy isolating devices with assigned individual lock(s) and tag(s). Label the tag(s) with worker name, date and reason for servicing the machine. If a lock is currently being used on an energy isolating device to a machine or equipment, use your own lock on the same energy isolating device as well to prevent operation of the machine or equipment after the other person is done. CAUTION: ALWAYS LOCKOUT AND TAGOUT THE MACHINE OR EQUIPMENT YOU ARE SERVICING! ONLY AUTHORIZED WORKERS CAN LOCKOUT AND TAGOUT MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT.

5. After ensuring that no personnel are exposed to the hazard, operate the push button or other normal operating controls to make certain the equipment will not operate. CAUTION: RETURN OPERATING CONTROL(S) TOff"NEUTRAL" OR "OFF" POSITION AFTER THE TEST.

6. The equipment is now locked out and tagged out.

7. When possible, do not leave machines or equipment locked out and tagged out for long periods of time.

G. Restoring machines or equipment to normal operation.

1. After the maintenance is complete and equipment is ready for normal production operations, check the area around the equipment to ensure that no one is exposed to the hazard.

2. After all tools have been removed from the equipment, guards have been reinstalled, and workers are in the clear remove all lockout/tagout devices. Operate the energy isolating devices to restore energy to the or equipment.

H. Procedures involving more than one person.

1. If more than one individual is required to lockout or tagout equipment, each should place a personal lockout device or tagout device on the energy isolating device(s).

2. When an energy isolating device cannot accept multiple locks or tags, a multiple lockout or tagout device (hasp) may be used.

3. If lockout is used, a single lock may be used to lockout the machine or equipment with the key being placed in a lockout box or cabinet which allows the use of multiple locks to secure it. Each worker will then use a personal lock to secure the box or cabinet.

I. Tagout only. If equipment cannot be locked out, tag the equipment out. Place the tag on the equipment or machine where the energy source would be engaged such as at the plug to the equipment or the "on" button or switch.