If your business involves dangerous machinery or equipment, lock-out devices are an extremely important necessity. These devices keep you and your employees safe by ensuring the source of energy isolation to the target equipment cannot be employed without the device being removed. In addition to the fact that lockout devices are required by OSHA, their use will save you the cost of lost labor, equipment downtime and insurance.

There are a wide variety of lockout devices available. When looking to find lockout devices information, you want to ensure you are choosing the types of lockout devices best suited to your equipment. You may need more than one of these sorts of devices. Some of the possible lockout devices available are:

1. Breaker and fuse lockout devices for centralized control

2. Plug lockout devices to prevent unauthorized plug insertion

3. Cable lockout devices for a variety of hard to secure energy isolating devices

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Provide centralized energy isolation by using breaker and fuse lockout devices

Provide control over the entire electrical circuit by placing lock-out devices over the circuit breakers or individual fuses. By keeping your lockout controls in a central location you are also providing an added amount of security.

I recommend: Drill Spot offers circuit breaker lockout kits. Brady Worldwide provides an extensive lockout devices list including lockout devices for both circuit breakers and fuses.

Control the power source of individual machines with plug lockout devices

Locking out an entire circuit may not always be possible or practical. In this instance, one popular option is to use plug lockout devices to control when and by whom a particular piece of equipment can be plugged into a wall outlet. Plug lockout devices can secure the prongs of the plug as well as the power outlet into which equipment is plugged.

I recommend: Accuform Signs offers a variety of plug lockout devices in various configurations. Sharpe Safety Supply offers plug lockout devices for both the wall end and the equipment end of a power cord.

Choose a lockout devices provider that offers cable lockout devices for hard to secure machines

Some energy isolation setups are complicated and hard to secure. For these sorts of setups, a chain or cable lockout device is the best approach. These give you the flexibility to secure a wide variety of equipment.

I recommend: Airgas offers 6- and 10-foot cable lockout devices. W.W. Grainger offers a wide variety of cable lockout devices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are unsure of the best lockout devices to use or wish to confirm the safety of your lockout setup, you can take advantage of OSHA's free on-site consultation service for small and medium sized business. These are separate from enforcement inspections and will not result in citations or any sort of penalty.