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February, 2009
Lockout and Tagout Safety
Hazard
One worker was injured while helping a co-worker empty frozen and stuck on material from a belly dump trailer.
Normally on colder days the truck driver would spray the trailer with calcium. Calcium is used to keep material from freezing to the sides of a non-heated trailer. The company had previously installed a platform to allow workers to safely pre-spray their trailers. Since there was no material stuck to the trailer at the start of his shift the driver decided not to use the spray.
Following a couple runs and continuous freezing and removal of material from the trailer, the driver stopped at the pit to clean off the inside of his trailer. The pit loader operator approached the truck driver and offered to assist. He then climbed inside the trailer, with the gate open, to help the driver get the material off.
During this time a worker from the gate office was passing by and thought he heard an air leak coming from the trucks cab and proceeded to turn off the truck. By doing so he shut off the electrical system, causing the trailers gate to close on the pit loader operators leg. The injured worker suffered a lower leg injury which required amputation from the knee down.
Prevention
Every workplace should have a written lockout policy and procedures for situations where there is a possibility of a sudden release of energy which could put a worker at risk. Companies should have a clear program in place which would:
Identify hazardous energy sources.
Assess the hazards and evaluate the risk for each hazard.
Implement physical controls, including procedures that would protect workers.
Educate workers on hazard identification.
Inform workers of existing controls and provide training for lockout procedures.
Provide consistent monitoring of the lockout process.
Through job observation and audits ensure hazard identification, assessment and lockout are properly followed.
Regulations
Regulation 854, Mines and Mining Plants, Section 185, Machine Guarding and Tagging Out
Resources
The Pocket Lockout A quick reference to the six steps of lockout from MASHA
CSA Standard Z460-05 - Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout and Other Methods
For more information or resources, please contact your MASHA
field consultant.
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