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Lock-out Tag-out Try-out Regulations

Find out about the regulations you need to follow to ensure your people remain safe whilst carrying out essential work on equipment with hazardous energy sources.

Machinery and equipment are essential part of many sites across a range of industries. However, in any workplace where machinery is in regular use, there is a risk of injury to those working with, operating, maintaining, or repairing it.

Lock-out Tag-out Try-out (LOTOTO) is considered best practice and will ensure that you're meeting your legal duties under relevant legislation.


The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Places general responsibility of employers to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare at work of their employees, including a requirement to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment throughout.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Require an employer to carry out a risk assessment of activities, introduce safe systems of work, coordinate activities, and provide training where applicable. Equipment isolation requirements are highlighted under the following specific regulations.


Isolation Regulations

The legislation in force is:

  • Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations 2007:
    All work equipment is fitted with clearly identifiable means to isolate it from all its energy sources, and the reconnecting of the work equipment to its energy sources poses no risk to the employees concerned.
  • EU CEE89/655 "Council Directive 89/655/EEC of 30 November 1989 concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for use of work equipment by workers at work"
    Article 19: The employer is committed to guarantee the safety and protection of employees and to take necessary measures to reduce risks to the minimum possible
    Article 46: The employer must ensure that all safety procedures are strictly implemented and regularly reviewed by appropriate means, employers must use all necessary tools to carry out maintenance they are responsible for and to aid them in the case of accident or emergency
    Article 49:When carrying out isolated maintenance, the equipment must be clearly labelled; Isolation of equipment from all possible electrical energy sources; lockout of devices in the 'off' position; verification of isolation of all energy sources close to the maintenance area
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Permits to Work

In many cases a Permit to Work will be required before service or maintenance will be authorised to proceed. This is a written document that will have its own set of instructions which need to be followed. It is good practice to have this permit to hand when performing maintenance.

Keep these documents clean and protected by using an appropriate transparent wallet or holder to store after use for reference.

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