Help prevent hazards and control electrical energy at construction sites with this four-step safety plan to an effective LOTO program.<\/p>
Construction sites by their very nature are areas of increased risk. Since the construction of a building is literally a work in progress, there are many components on a construction site that are potentially hazardous to both the workers and the general public. Equipment on the site is not permanently anchored, some workers may be unfamiliar with the equipment and their inherent hazards, and written operating instructions and warnings may not be consistently displayed. Add to this the multiple subcontractor workforces that leave their imprint on the site, as well as the occasional onlookers and trespassers, and the potential for danger increases significantly. OSHA has regulations mandating construction site safety, and the failure to comply may result in heavy fines or serious injury.<\/p>
Regulations governing the locking out and tagging out (LO\/TO) of potentially hazardous equipment are of particular concern. Technically, the construction industry is exempt from the Control of Hazardous Energy (LO\/TO) OSHA regulation 1910.147. However, Standard 1910.147 does apply to construction companies doing electrical work in their shops or on their own premises.<\/p>
However, there are OSHA regulations for various Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1926 (construction standards) violations requiring that best practices for LO\/TO be observed. Following are several OSHA regulations that apply to LO\/TO:<\/p>
CFR 1926.20 \u2014 General safety and health provisions for construction<\/p>
CFR 1926.21(b)(2) \u2014 Concerning unsafe conditions<\/p>
Section 5(A)(1) of the OSHA Act, the General Duty Clause \u2014 This can refer to LO\/TO on the construction site, as it\u2019s a recognized hazard to which employees are exposed.<\/p>
CFR 1926.417 \u2014 Safety for exposed wiring <\/p>
CFR 1926.403 \u2014 The guarding of electrically live parts<\/p>