OSHA has reduced fines for Goodman Manufacturing Co. in Houston, Texas, from a proposed $469,700 to $277,000, in a settlement of citations the agency issued for lockout/tagout and other safety violations. In agreeing to reduce the penalties, OSHA noted the company’s positive steps in improving safety. The company agreed to pay the penalties and strengthen the company’s safety and health program at its two manufacturing sites.
The agency began its investigation in April in response to a complaint, and subsequently learned that an employee’s arm had been amputated in a mechanical power press. OSHA cited the company with 62 alleged serious, 11 alleged repeat, and 10 alleged other violations of safety standards. Alleged serious violations included failure to follow lockout/tagout procedures to ensure that machinery is not accidentally energized during repair or maintenance operations; failure to provide training on powered industrial trucks; failure to inspect the mechanical power press; not providing personal protective equipment; not providing a means of egress; and improper storage of flammable and combustible liquids.
About 18,000 workers are injured every year while operating or maintaining machinery, and 800 additional workers die. By properly training your employees on lockout/tagout procedures, you can prevent them from becoming another statistic. Training for authorized employees includes such issues as the purpose of the standard and when the standard applies, plus many specific other items.
Training for affected employees may cover the procedures for authorized employees and explain why affected employees must not energize any machine or piece of equipment that is locked out or tagged out.
When using a tagout device in place of a lockout program, the employer must demonstrate that the protection provided to employees is equivalent to that obtained by using a lockout program.
Help is On the Way
Safety.BLR.com has an extensive selection of compliance and training resources on lockout tagout procedures and regulations. This safety website has hundreds of sample safety training meetings on this and other OSHA topics in all time-saving formats: PowerPoint, safety talks, OSHA refresher, outlines, and checklists.
The Safety Library has more helpful lockout tagout procedures resources like these:
Lockout tagout training meeting
Authorized employee lockout procedures
Lockout tagout forms and checklists
Why not sign up for a free 14 day trial and see for yourself how Safety.BLR.com can help.