Control of Hazardous Energy: Essential Safety Practices for Your Workplace

What is the Control of Hazardous Energy?

The Control of Hazardous Energy (CoHE) is a systematic approach to preventing worker injuries and fatalities caused by the unexpected release of stored energy during maintenance or equipment servicing. It addresses multiple energy types, including electrical, thermal, and radiation, through isolation and dissipation.

What is a Hazardous Energy Control Program?

This is a formal, written, and structured system for implementing hazardous energy control. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is widely recognized as the primary method for CoHE. However, it is an administrative procedure per the hierarchy of controls. There are other ways to manage this type of hazard, such as eliminating the source, replacing it with a safer alternative, and modifying the equipment or process to isolate workers from the danger and reduce its severity.

Importance

Industrial accidents from unexpected equipment activation have occurred since the advent of machinery. The control of hazardous energy as a regulated safety program gained traction and was formalized in the 1970s. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) laid the groundwork, while the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed the Control of Hazardous Energy standard in 1983.

Although incidents were not recorded pre-CoHE mandate, OSHA believes that many were averted due to the standard’s continued application, with up to 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries prevented each year. The program also reduces downtime and equipment damage, increasing the company’s overall operational efficiency. Most importantly, it promotes a culture of safety and accountability within the workforce.

Sources of Hazardous Energy

Energy doesn’t just refer to electricity—it also includes kinetic or potential energy in mechanical components, force in pressurized systems, and even gravity in elevated objects. Recognizing the origins of the hazards is the first step in controlling them. These are the most common:

1. Electrical charge: The flow of electric charge through conductors or circuits can be found in power tools, control panels, motors, circuit breakers, and transformers. Electrical hazards can cause burns, arc flashes, and electrocution, which results in 1,000 deaths and 30,000 non-fatal shocks annually .

2. Mechanical components: Present in conveyor belts, rotating blades, and any moving parts, these can cause crushing, entanglement, and impact injuries. Incidents involving mechanical energy are common in manufacturing, automotive, and agriculture.

3. Hydraulic energy: Defined as energy stored in pressurized liquid (often oil-based) systems, this can result in injection injuries and crushing. Hydraulic parts are found in forklifts and presses used in manufacturing, construction, and aviation.

4. Pneumatic equipment: Present in compressed air or gas systems of robotic arms, brake systems, and air-powered tools, pneumatic energy can cause minor cuts to severe musculoskeletal issues after getting hit by flying debris. The compressed air found in these can also cause respiratory issues.

5. Thermal energy: Found in boilers, heated pipes, and engines, this hazard causes burns, fires, and explosions if not properly isolated. Hot work injuries are prevalent in processing, refineries, and metal industries.

6. Chemical reactions: Typical in laboratories, battery storage, and fuel handling industries, exothermic reactions from volatile chemical substances often lead to fires, explosions, toxic exposures, and corrosive injuries.

7. Radiation: This energy comes from electromagnetic waves such as UV, X-rays, or gamma rays, which are commonly used in medical or industrial imaging. Persistent exposure can cause acute and chronic health effects, including radiation sickness, skin burns, cancer, and genetic mutations.

Roles and Responsibilities

Implementing a hazardous energy control program is not one-person job. This requires a team effort with clearly defined responsibilities to ensure that no step is missed, and no worker is exposed to danger.

Key Components of a Hazardous Energy Control Program

Controlling hazardous energy isn’t just about following a set of instructions. This comprehensive safe system involves interconnected components to ensure energy is identified, isolated, locked, verified, and safely restored, protecting employees from preventable harm. Here are the components and corresponding LOTO best practices.

Energy Source Identification

Determine all possible sources and create a list of where energy comes from. Considered the first of all hazardous energy control program steps, identifying the source is a laborious task that can be accomplished effectively through the following:

• Conducting machine-specific energy audits to identify potential sources.

• Labeling energy sources at the point of use.

• Considering hidden or residual energy sources, such as tension springs or stored pressure.

Written Energy Control Procedures (ECPs)

ECPs are detailed, written hazardous energy control procedures, that instruct users on safely isolating and locking out each piece of equipment. These documents ensure uniformity and guarantee safety and compliance.

• Create equipment-specific procedures, not just generic ones.

• Include shutdown steps, energy types, isolation points, and restart steps.

• Ensure these are easily accessible to authorized employees.

Lockout/Tagout Devices

Physical tools, such as locks, tags, hasps, valve covers, and circuit breakers are used to prevent re-energization of equipment. These also show that equipment is being serviced.

• Use standardized, durable, and identifiable devices across departments.

• Assign personal locks to each authorized employee.

• Tagout-only systems must provide equivalent protection when locks can't be used, per OSHA regulation.

Employee Training and Authorization

Proper training equips workers to understand and follow the LOTO system. CoHE courses and programs define who is authorized to perform them, detail the procedures, and provide the necessary guidelines to ensure safety. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Train all three crucial groups: authorized, affected, and other relevant employees.

• Refresh training annually or when equipment and processes change.

• Keep training records and validate understanding with regular quizzes and return demonstrations.

Periodic Inspection and Audit

Inspections verify that procedures are effective, accurate, and being followed. Most importantly, this is an annual requirement of regulators like OSHA. Some best practices for inspecting and controlling hazardous energy are the following:

• Audit each energy control procedure at least once a year.

• Use a knowledgeable inspector not involved in the procedure.

• Document findings and promptly correct any deviations.

Managing Potential Complications

OSHA has reported over 2,500 violations and collected $20.7 million in penalties from 2022 to 2023 due to issues with LOTO procedures. These figures prove that some complications still arise despite implementing CoHE systems, such as the following:

• Residual energy release , particularly from hydraulic and pneumatic systems, causes sudden machine activation. Utilizing the Try Out step or verifying the zero-energy state of equipment can prevent this.

• Incomplete energy isolation happens when relevant personnel overlooks other energy sources, leading to unforeseen injuries. Conducting multidisciplinary energy audits and implementing a digital checklist for isolation verification prevent this problem.

• Group LOTO coordination failures , often due to miscommunication during maintenance, lead to accidents. Developing a comprehensive, written group program is the foundational step, along with regular training, pre-job-briefings, and inspections toensure that everyone understands their tasks and strictly follows the guidelines.