Protective Materials and Hardware

DOE-STD-1030-96

testing should be suspended.

After the test equipment is installed, an isolation boundary must be

established to confine the testing activity and to protect equipment and

personnel outside the boundary while testing is in progress. The initial

lockout/tagout boundary may be used for this purpose but must be

carefully evaluated to ensure adequate protection for equipment and

components outside the isolation points.

4.3 Protective Materials and Hardware

Both DOE Order 5480.19 and OSHA include specific requirements for isolation devices,

locking devices, and tags. This section offers some explanation related to those

requirements.

All locking devices and other protective materials must be standardized and issued by the

employer (facility). These requirements are important for two reasons. First, it would be

impossible to maintain control and accountability if each worker used locks or other devices

that were not standardized or did not offer adequate protection. Second, it is essential that

locking devices and tags be readily identifiable and not used for any other purpose.

Locking devices and tags must be standardized either in color, shape, or size. For

example, if a facility has decided to use commercial 1-inch padlocks with a red plastic band

for lockouts, every lock used on a lockout will be immediately recognizable by those

characteristics. Similar 1-inch locks with red plastic bands would not be permitted in any

other use, such as securing a locker. Tags require a standard print and lettering format, in

addition to standard color, shape, or size.

Locking devices and tags must be durable enough to withstand exposure to the environment

where they are installed, for as long as they are expected to be there. This means that the

tag must not deteriorate and the message must remain legible. Tags placed in areas where

acids or caustics are used or stored may require clear plastic covers or lamination to meet

this requirement.

Locking devices must be substantial so they cannot be removed or bypassed while workers

are depending on them for protection.