There are many OSHA standards which cross multiple industries. Some, like Personal Protective

Equipment or Safety Signs and Visuals, literally apply to just about every company, and are a

part of nearly every employee’s day-to-day work in some capacity. They are in your face,

obvious, and easily understood by all employees. Wearing gloves, goggles, or a protective vest is

important, makes sense, and quickly explained to an employee. Similarly, Safety Signs and

Visuals can be understood simply by looking at the color and symbols; not much thought needs

to go into comprehending them. For these reasons, these types of procedures are easy to create

and maintain.

But then there are standards which govern hazards that cross multiple industries which can be

very difficult to create and maintain because they are more difficult to understand. One such

standard is Standard 1910.147, The Control of Hazardous Energy, or lockout tagout. These

procedures involve something that is not so easily interpreted, as it is not a part of everyday work

for most employees. It is also extremely complex as it is impacted by the layout of a facility, the

personnel, and the machinery.

So when creating lockout tagout procedures, it can often be overwhelming to an employer, and

laying out training to employees can be even harder. For this reason, many employers choose to

hire third party lockout tagout auditing firms to assist. Unfortunately, these firms are expensive

and you yield control of your lockout tagout procedures to a third party.

Instead, it has made more sense for many companies to use web based software, such as our

Factory Solutions Software, which allows you to create, track, update, and monitor your

procedures. You can create your own procedures under the guidance of a prominent lockout

tagout auditing firm, then update them at will anywhere the internet is available. It is fully

customizable, fully scalable, and accessible in real time. It gives you the security of a third party

lockout tagout auditing firm with the convenience of self-management.

If you have any questions about creating procedures for lockout tagout or about our Factory

Solutions Software, please contact us. If you have anything to add about creating procedures for

lockout tagout, please leave a comment.